Chapter 244: To the Forefront (1/2)
Torix and I walked through the portal, Spear following not far behind. As the hordes of undead marched into Elderfire, Torix and I let the populace know what was going on. Once the army amassed into a relatively uninhabited part of the city, we gathered our legion.
Well over a hundred gialgathens fought alongside us today. Torix situated our invasion point in a forested area for some reason. As he notched an X into the ground, I walked up while moving a vine out of my face,
”Why are we moving out from here instead of in the desert? The underbrush is in the way. It will slow us down.”
Torix clasped his hands, ”We're throwing the enemy off with misinformation.”
I raised my eyebrows, ”Now that you mention it, I don't know where or what we're doing in this next city. I've been so busy with the lich thing that I don't really know the plan.”
Torix raised a hand, ”It's quite simple this time when compared with our other assaults. The city we're attacking is Fausel. It's a city situated among the flowering plains. According to scouting reports from Althea, this town's sewers are infested with Hybrids. Its defense actually outdoes the surface. It isn't a practical plan to continue our launch point from beneath the surface.”
Torix shook his head, ”Instead, we'll be incorporating a different strategy. We'll neglect your orbital bombardment in order to utilize my necromantic abilities. After warping into a larger building, we'll swarm their forces and kill the espens and mind mages.”
I crossed my arms, ”Why would we do that?”
”Orbital Bombardment would cull over a quarter of the town's inhabitants instantly. Due to those repercussions, we'll need to take a more targeted, specific approach this time. Fortunately, we've suitable alternatives arranged. Simply cull the mind mages, and I may wrestle control of the Hybrids. Once taken, we may use them against our enemy.”
My brow furrowed, ”Wait a minute...you can take control of the Hybrids?”
Torix cackled for a moment, enjoying his big reveal. He tapped the edge of his umbral skull,
”I've already proven my ability to control silvers and eldritch. Hybrids are not so different. Considering this, I will need you to make a few adjustments towards this crown of thorns.”
He pulled his crown of thorns off, placing it in my waiting palm. Pulling out his grimoire, Torix turned it towards a later page,
”I'll need you to embed this inscription as I inform the army of our plans.”
I lifted the book with a well of gravity before reading it over,
”Can do.”
We stepped through dense foliage, and I carved into the booklet with heated telekinetic points. I walked through vines, each of them snapping,
”I get not using my bombardment skill in the city, but that still doesn't explain why we're launching from this point.”
Torix gestured around us, ”I'm working off several deductions. Considering the Adair Family caught wind of our sewer tactics, we'll utilize a large building as a launch point instead. This will be done with a purpose in mind. We shall hide it enough that they won't discover the portal easily. At the same time, it will be obvious enough for them to find.”
I pointed at his drawn X, ”Then they'll see a thriving jungle instead of a desert?”
”Precisely. This deception will prove necessary, as Althea's reports note that Elderfire is on a list of possible locations for our base of operations. While low on the list, that fact ensures some measure of deference is necessary. Ignoring their information network will lead to our downfall.”
I nodded while moving all of my fingers at differing points for the runic drawing,
”We'll lead them to some jungles on Giess instead of to the Rak'Sha desert. Smart.”
Torix gripped his hands into fists, ”That's my intention. Once staged, we'll be staging a frontal assault after your bombs have been placed. This will be difficult considering the geography of the territory. Fausel's surroundings are the flowering plains. They are situated upon a colossal plateau along the northern edge of the continent.”
Torix gestured to the jungle, ”There, trees can no longer grow due to the lack of moisture. Wildflowers coat the ground to the horizons, however. It is flat as a table for miles in every direction, and this means aerial superiority is integral to our success. Given the suppressive nature of the Hybrid towers they use, we'll need your mana bombs.”
I gave him a thumbs-up, ”I have like forty of them ready to go.”
”Once planted, we'll eradicate the spires in one fell swoop. At the same time, we'll be utilizing your gravitational singularities to cripple their dreadnoughts. I shall assist our aerial forces by eliminating the mind mages on the vessels.”
I pursed my lips, ”You can do that?”
Torix steepled his fingers, ”But of course. I intend to use this body's abilities to their fullest. Control is its greatest strength, and that shall be the knife I use to slit our enemy's throats.”
I pointed at myself, ”So what do I do after finishing off the dreadnoughts.”
Torix sent several messages as he spoke, ”Simply support Kessiah and Krog's healing. They and Schema's forces shall ensure a far higher turnover for gained troops. Given the nature of our goals, that shall take precedence.”
I leaned back, ”Wait a minute...I'm going to be healing people?”
Torix scoffed at me, ”It shall be a first.”
”You can handle the fighting without me?”
Torix met my eye, ”I've spent the past months honing my mind's abilities and preparing a plan to use them. I understand your skepticism despite this. You've beaten me in individual contests of will in the past. Without meaning to demean you, those victories were due to your overwhelming base stats.”
He raised a hand, ”Given my augmented willpower and this crown, I will be a force unequaled in that arena. That is the general gist of our plans. I intend on this battle being the genesis of my newfound abilities. I wish for it to be a beginning to be remembered.”
The lich radiated confidence in his potential in a psionic arena. Trusting him, I gave the guy a begrudging nod,
”Alright then. Lead the way.”
Torix turned towards a growing horde of gialgathens in the forest. He took deep breaths for a moment, unnecessary as they were. In all honesty, he was simply using the sound of taking a deep breath to calm himself. Staring at the army, Torix looked like he was about to step into a fighting ring.
Having noticed his apprehension, I put a hand on his shoulder,
”Uhm, you ok?”
”Of course. There's simply something I must do, and I am nervous about doing it.”
Huh. Torix usually didn't get nervous.
”What is it?”
”A public discourse of our plans and intentions.”
”You mean a speech?”
”Ahem, yes.”
”I've got practice. I can do it. You don't have to stress about it.”
”I know full well you can, and I thank you for the offer. However, I will be leading many of the troops. Knowing who I am is important for ensuring cohesion among our troops. It gives them a face and persona to follow when I give them orders.”
Torix peered at the army, ”And in a way, this is a crux for me. I've lead undead armies, but never armies of the living. It's actually far more intimidating to command sentient beings. This fear is partially why I've made you give the speeches in the past. I wish this to no longer be a weakness.”
Within his hollow eyes sockets, blue fires spawned. They mirrored the former flames of his old body. They blazed with intensity as Torix said,
”The resonance is complete, and at the precise time I anticipated. Excellent.”
I raised a hand, ”Hm...Alright. Want some tips?”
He gave me an eager nod, ”Oh, most certainly.”
I counted on my fingers, ”Speak with confidence, remember no one knows you're nervous, and have a plan of what you're going to say.”
Torix scoffed, ”I know that much of the issue.”
”A reminder never hurt.”
Torix sighed, ”Indeed. Give me a moment to myself. I must collect my thoughts.”
I let the guy destress how he had too. I walked off as he sent out messages and orders. Our forces concentrated in the forested spot while I worked on the crown of thorns. It was a concise and straightforward conduit inscription, something I'd done a thousand times before for our soldiers. In fact, it mirrored the same markings we used against Yawm.
Yup, this was a psionic amasser. It would take several individuals with similar inscriptions and wield their mental influence using this as the hub. If I had to guess, this was part of why Torix was keeping an open portal towards Elderfire. Telepathy didn't have infinite range, so the mages were in the city, wearing their own versions of this.
It was a risky strategy in many ways, but the payoffs were massive. If we succeeded, we'd gain a large portion of troops and save more gialgathens. It would be far better than just destroying the city like I did to Polydra.