On the evening of the second day of rest, Kroq-Gar stood atop the walls of New Tlanxla, watching the final rays of sunlight sink beneath the rainforest canopy.
Behind him, the furnaces of the weapon forge were slowly dying down.
From the Cold One pens came the satisfied rumbling of mounts that had eaten and drunk their fill.
The training grounds of the Saurus barracks stood empty.
Every unit was resting, conserving its strength for tomorrow’s march north.
Torchlight spread across the walls in hazy circles of orange.
Skink sentries paced back and forth with javelins resting on their shoulders, occasionally stopping to glance toward the north.
But there were still matters that needed to be settled before the army departed.
Kroq-Gar summoned Tekuna.
At the same time, he ordered the human hunters brought up onto the wall.
The old hunter walked at the front.
His steps were even steadier than yesterday.
He had changed into new clothes.
Tekuna had ordered the craftsmen to stitch him a rough leather outfit from leftover scraps of Cold One hide.
It was far sturdier than the bark-fiber clothing he had worn before.
When he stopped before Kroq-Gar this time, he didn’t freeze.
He was gradually getting used to looking up at a three-and-a-half-meter-tall Lizardman lord.
“You said your town lies north of the rainforest.”
Kroq-Gar looked down at him.
“Hamstone.”
“Three hundred li away.”
“Do you remember the exact direction?”
The old hunter nodded.
He reached into his clothes and pulled out a crumpled sheet of bark paper.
He had drawn it the previous night with charcoal.
There were rivers.
Ridges.
And a crooked route stretching from the edge of the rainforest toward the location marked as Hamstone.
“When we left town, we followed a small river south.”
“It took us about four days to reach the rainforest.”
“The river is called the Whitewater River.
It’s shallow enough that you can see the stones at the bottom.”
“Follow it south and you’ll reach the rainforest.”
“Follow it north and you’ll reach the grasslands.”
“The town is on the northern bank, about ten li from the river.”
Tekuna took the bark paper.
His golden eyes swept across it before he handed it to a Skink scout standing nearby.
The scout studied the crude map, traced the route twice with one claw, then looked up at Kroq-Gar and waited.
“You’ll take four scouts and leave tomorrow,” Kroq-Gar ordered.
“Follow the Whitewater River north and locate Hamstone.”
“Do not enter the town.”
“Observe it from outside.”
“Return and report within three days.”
The scout captain nodded and gave a short hiss.
“My lord.”
The old hunter hesitated.
“There might not be many people left in the town.”
“Half had already fled when we left.
As for those who remained…”
“I know,” Kroq-Gar said.
“We don’t need people to be there.”
“We only need to know the current situation.”
“If there are survivors, find out what they know about the war between Elhart and the elves.”
“If the town is abandoned, survey the terrain.”
“Check the water sources.”
“Mark every location suitable for establishing a camp.”
“If you encounter Chaos, do not engage.”
“Return immediately.”
The scout captain hissed again.
He folded the bark paper, tucked it into a leather pouch at his waist, then hurried down the wall.
His thin legs moved rapidly over the stone steps.
By the time he reached the bottom, he was already calling together the four scouts who would accompany him.
Kroq-Gar watched until the scout captain disappeared from sight.
Then he turned toward Tekuna.
“The city defenses.”
Tekuna immediately straightened.
He planted the butt of his staff against the stone.
He knew this was the true purpose of tonight’s meeting.
Once Kroq-Gar departed with the main army, both New Tlanxla and the First City would be left with minimal garrisons.
At present, each city was defended by four cohorts of Skink Javelins and one cohort of Saurus Spearmen.
That was enough for ordinary patrols.
But if Chaos attacked while Kroq-Gar was away, those forces wouldn’t hold for long.
He had no intention of taking more troops away from his field army.
Every warrior in the expeditionary force would be needed against the great city to the north.
But he could recruit more soldiers with spiritual energy.
The Saurus barracks in both cities were currently idle.
So were the spawning pools.
Leaving them unused would be a waste.
“Activate every Saurus barracks and Skink spawning pool in both cities.”
Kroq-Gar’s voice was calm.
“Expand the garrisons.”
“Each city’s defensive force will increase from four cohorts of Skink Javelins and one cohort of Saurus Spearmen to ten cohorts of Skink Javelins and five cohorts of Saurus Spearmen.”
Tekuna’s eyes stopped moving for two full seconds.
He was calculating.
“My lord, for both cities combined, we will need twelve additional cohorts of Skink Javelins.”
“That will require twelve hundred spiritual energy.”
“And eight additional cohorts of Saurus Spearmen.”
“Sixteen hundred spiritual energy.”
“Two thousand eight hundred in total.”
Kroq-Gar’s current spiritual energy capacity was two thousand.
His present reserves stood at a little over eighteen hundred.
It was impossible to spend twenty-eight hundred in a single day.
His natural recovery rate was ten points per hour.
Two hundred and forty per day.
It would take nearly twelve days to accumulate the full amount.
But Tekuna didn’t say it couldn’t be done.
He merely reported the numbers.
Then he waited.
He knew his lord would have a solution.
“Recruit them in batches.”
“Tonight, activate both Saurus barracks and both Skink spawning pools in each city.”
“Spend whatever spiritual energy is available.”
“Recruit as many soldiers as possible before we leave.”
“After the expedition begins, continue using my naturally recovered spiritual energy to replenish the garrisons.”
“You’ll handle recruitment from the rear.”
“Every day, spend the available spiritual energy until both city garrisons reach full strength.”
Tekuna lowered his head.
“As you command.”
He paused.
Then raised his head again.
“Reinforce the firing ports along the walls with two additional layers of cover.”
“Place two more stone barricades behind each city gate.”
“Double the sentries on the walls.”
Kroq-Gar continued without hesitation.
“If Chaos attacks while I’m away, the defenders hold the walls with javelins and spears.”
“The Stegadon won’t be here.”
“It’s coming with me.”
“Without the Stegadon, the defense will depend on the walls, the javelins, and the Saurus spears.”
Tekuna bowed his head even lower.
“As you command.”
The morning of departure arrived beneath a blanket of mist.
Outside New Tlanxla, the air seemed to churn.
It wasn’t dust.
Hundreds of Lizardmen were breathing into the humid morning air, their collective breaths condensing into clouds of white vapor.
From a distance, it looked as though the entire rainforest were breathing.
Kroq-Gar stood outside the city gates.
His field army was assembled before him.
Two cohorts of Saurus Spearmen.
Two cohorts of Skink Javelins.
Two cohorts of Blessed Saurus Warriors.
One Stegadon.
A little over six hundred troops in total.
It was roughly the same number of soldiers he had commanded when he first departed with his initial army.
But the quality was completely different.
A faint golden sheen covered the scales of the Blessed Saurus Warriors, glowing softly in the morning mist.
They had fought in the battle for New Tlanxla.
They had survived half a month of continuous purges.
Not one of them had died.
Yet every warrior had become quieter.
Faster.
Deadlier.
The Stegadon stood at the rear of the formation.
Its three enormous horns were barely visible through the mist.
It snorted.
The cloud of white vapor bursting from its nostrils was thicker than the breath of any Lizardman around it.
Kroq-Gar hadn’t left it behind with Tekuna.
A siege required gates to be broken.
Obstacles needed to be crushed.
There were things a Stegadon could accomplish that even three cohorts of Saurus Spearmen couldn’t match.
Crusher.
That was the name the Skinks had given it.
The name had spread throughout the army.
Even the newly spawned Saurus Spearmen knew what the massive beast was called.
Tekuna stood just inside the gate.
Around him were the Skink craftsmen who would remain behind, along with several newly spawned Saurus Spearmen.
Kroq-Gar lowered himself onto one knee.
Even kneeling, he still towered several heads above Tekuna.
“I’m leaving the rear to you.”
“Rest assured, my lord.”
Tekuna looked up.
His voice didn’t tremble.
His eyes were perfectly still.
“Before you return, both cities will have their full garrisons.”
“Every position on the walls will have Skink Javelins.”
“Every gate will have Saurus Spearmen.”
“Not a single spawn of Chaos will get inside.”
Kroq-Gar rose.
He turned toward the Skink sentries standing atop the walls.
Then he raised his right hand.
The enormous, scale-covered hand opened.
Then closed into a fist.
“Move out.”
His deep voice rolled through the morning mist.
The formations stepped forward as one.
The ground trembled.
Crusher swung its tail and followed at the rear, each footfall leaving a deep crater in the wet earth.
Through the mist, the Lizardman army of just over six hundred warriors resembled a silent river flowing steadily into the shadows of the rainforest.
Kroq-Gar marched at the front.
As his three-and-a-half-meter body moved through the jungle, he could feel the scent of Chaos growing stronger in the air.
It wasn’t a stench.
It was wrongness.
The smell of something that shouldn’t exist.
His scales shifted slightly apart.
His body was preparing for battle.
Behind him, the Saurus Warriors marched in the footprints he left behind.
Silent.
Resolute.
Like a storm slowly gathering strength.
Throughout the march, Kroq-Gar kept part of his consciousness focused on the changes occurring within his interface.
On the third day after their departure, the numbers suddenly changed.
[Spiritual Energy: 2680/3000]
His maximum capacity had increased by another thousand.
He hadn’t captured the northern city yet.
Then he remembered.
During the purges half a month ago, they had crushed a Chaos camp called Bloodhorn Fort.
At the time, Kroq-Gar hadn’t thought much of it.
He had simply burned the camp and ordered Tekuna to mark its location for future reconstruction.
Apparently, that had been enough.
Kroq-Gar continued marching while calculating.
His current reserves stood at 2,680.
He recovered ten spiritual energy per hour.
Two hundred and forty per day.
The combined garrison deficit of the two cities consisted of twelve cohorts of Skink Javelins and eight cohorts of Saurus Spearmen.
Total cost: 2,800 spiritual energy.
It would take around ten days to fill every position.
In practice, however, the process would be faster.
Each city possessed two spawning pools and two Saurus barracks.
That meant four cohorts could be produced each day.
As long as there was enough spiritual energy, manpower was no longer the problem.
On the morning of the fourth day, the First City gained two additional cohorts of Skink Javelins.
Eight cohorts in total.
On the afternoon of the fifth day, New Tlanxla gained another cohort of Saurus Spearmen.
Three cohorts in total.
On the morning of the sixth day, New Tlanxla gained two additional cohorts of Skink Javelins.
That evening, the First City gained another cohort of Saurus Spearmen.
Within Kroq-Gar’s consciousness, the spiritual energy count fell day after day.
Then slowly climbed again.
On the evening of the seventh day, the final recruitment report arrived from the First City.
Ten cohorts of Skink Javelins.
Five cohorts of Saurus Spearmen.
Kroq-Gar dismissed the messenger rider and sent him back south.
Then he resumed his place at the front of the marching column.
Tekuna had successfully brought the defenses of both cities to full strength.
Meanwhile, Kroq-Gar’s spiritual energy reserves were already climbing again.
They were approaching one thousand.
In another few days, it would be time to spend them again.
Before dawn on the eighth day, the rainforest began to thin.
The enormous trees that had once blotted out the sky gradually became shorter and more scattered.
Dense undergrowth gave way to shrubs and broken stone.
The presence of Chaos in the air had become so strong that Kroq-Gar could almost taste it.
Rust.
A sickly sweetness of decay.
And something resembling the lingering stench of burned hair.
Kroq-Gar slowed.
Ahead stood a low ridgeline.
Beyond it, a column of black smoke rose straight into the sky.
It twisted through the morning mist.
Kroq-Gar crouched behind a massive boulder atop the ridge.
Behind him, the Saurus formations silently spread out and found cover.
The Skink Javelins crouched among the bushes.
Golden eyes blinked between gaps in the leaves.
Crusher stood behind a row of enormous trees on the reverse slope.
The Stegadon was far too large to hide completely.
But the trunks were thick enough that, from the direction of the city, only patches of gray hide could be seen.
At that distance, it was impossible to tell whether they belonged to a boulder or a living beast.
Kroq-Gar pushed aside the fern leaves in front of him.
Then he saw the city.
It was larger than the scouts had described.
Stone walls.
Not crude timber palisades.
Real stone fortifications.
Gray-white fungal growth covered much of the masonry.
In some places, irregular masses of flesh bulged from between the stones.
But the walls themselves were far thicker and taller than anything they had faced before.
Watchtowers stood at regular intervals.
Eight-pointed-star banners hung from them.
The banners moved slowly in the morning wind.
Not fluttering.
Writhing.
As though something alive had been nailed to the fabric.
Rows of Chaos warriors stood atop the walls.
Not cultists.
Warriors.
They wore complete suits of armor.
Iron weapons rested in their hands.
Unlike the twisted civilians corrupted by Chaos, their posture was disciplined.
Silent.
Orderly.
A Chaos Spawn crouched on either side of the city gate.
And there was something Kroq-Gar had never seen before.
A massive bronze cannon.
Its barrel pointed directly toward the open ground outside the walls.
Chaos runes covered its entire body.
At the center of the city stood a black pyramid-like structure.
Dark smoke continuously poured from its summit.
The entire city lay beneath that churning, twisting cloud.
Kroq-Gar swept his gaze across the walls twice.
At least two thousand defenders.
Well equipped.
Stone fortifications.
Artillery.
Chaos Spawn.
The walls were taller than he was.
Kroq-Gar stood three and a half meters tall.
Those walls were at least four and a half.
“My lord.”
The Skink scout captain appeared beside him.
His voice dropped to a whisper.
“There’s a breach in the northern wall.”
“About two meters wide.”
“They’ve blocked it with a wooden barricade.”
“Behind it is an abandoned quarry.”
“There are no watchtowers.”
Two meters.
The corner of Kroq-Gar’s mouth curled upward.
Enough.
He withdrew behind the ridge and summoned the unit commanders.
There was no need for a long speech.
Kroq-Gar crouched and used one claw to draw a crude map in the dirt.
The walls.
The breach.
The gate.
The black pyramid.
Then he assigned each unit its route of attack.
Crusher would take the main gate.
Once the gate fell, the Stegadon would continue pushing directly into the city.
The infantry would follow.
The two cohorts of Blessed Saurus Warriors would accompany Kroq-Gar through the breach in the northern wall.
Once inside, they would sweep along the inner side of the wall toward the main gate.
The two cohorts of Saurus Spearmen would form up outside the main entrance.
Once Crusher smashed through the gate, they would advance head-on.
The two cohorts of Skink Javelins would deploy in loose formation on either side of the gate.
Their task was to suppress the ranged units on the walls.
As for Kroq-Gar himself…
He pointed at the breach.
“I’m going first.”
The Blessed Saurus Warriors struck their tails against the ground in unison.
Thump!
Crusher released a deep bellow.
Its massive tail swept sideways and smashed through a dead tree as thick as a man’s torso.
Splinters exploded through the air.
Kroq-Gar rose.
He rolled his shoulders.
The muscles beneath his scales tightened.
He reached behind himself and drew the Hand of the Gods.
Cold white light ignited along the divine spear’s blade.
It shone through the morning mist like the light of a distant star.
Then Kroq-Gar leaped from the ridgeline.
And charged.