Chương 15

The raven flew above the army. Its ribs were exposed, and its eyes glowed violet. On its forehead was a symbol. Tal. My name. I counted the numbers that the Pasheni had assembled Thirteen thousand men. Two thousand horse. And six thousand corpses. I flew lower, seeking the command tent. I found it a moment later, the bright tent showing the colors of the Duchess.

I flew through the open flap, squawked, and turned my attention to the Duchess, who was the only one in the room who was not startled by my sudden appearance. She had felt me coming. The crown was on her forehead. My prince's crown, given to her use now. She intended to use it against me. She would raise her own undead army, one under her control, and send it against mine. Those risen by my magic would not heed the call of that crown, but the corpses outside would.

Placing them at the vanguard, with the bowmen and cavalry to support them, they would be a difficult opponent to destroy. I unclenched my talon and dropped the parchment I had carried thirty leagues. My terms for their surrender. One of the ministers picked it up, cleared his throat, and began to read.

"It is a missive, signed by Tal the Risen," he said.

"It is calling for our unconditional surrender." The advisers in the room made a susurration as the minister continued reading.

"He pledges in exchange for our unconditional surrender, he will adhere to the following. One. Children under the age of fifteen will be spared from the tithe of bodies. Two, the Duchess and her family will be allowed to live, imprisoned and stripped of authority. Three, he will ask of Pasheni no more than thirty thousand bodies every year."

"We must not give him the crown," one of the generals said.

"I do not know how he is raising his army without it. But our only hope is to continue using our own undead against his. And who knows how his powers will grow if we give him access to such an artifact."

"I am more concerned with the fact that he is demanding that I sign the death warrant of thirty thousand of my subjects every year," Duchess Aemalia said softly.

"Ah, well," the minister continued, "The missive threatens that if we refuse surrender at this point, he will not offer this deal again. Children will not be exempt, the duchess will be executed along with her family, and there will be no limit on how many living he takes into his army of undead." The Duchess closed her eyes.

"What do the scouts say? How large has his army grown?" The generals exchanged looks.

"He has claimed the cities of Pash-keni and Pash-orto," one said.

"We believe he converted the entire population."

"Half a million souls," she whispered, horror under her breath.

"We cannot surrender, My Lady," the first general said.

"If we do, then what will prevent him from breaking his word anyway? This is a fight for our very existence, do not mistake his offer of parlay as anything other than the ploy that it is. If we lay down our arms—" The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

"If he breaks his word, then the rest of the world will know of it," she said.

"I shall be called a coward and a fool for trusting him. But the kingdoms, the empire, they will unite under one banner and avenge us."

"My Lady—" She removed the crown from her head.

"If only this had remained hidden, along with him," she lamented.

"So much death already, and it will only get worse. Damn the empire for creating Tal. And damn us for allowing him to come to power. If only we had destroyed him four years ago, when he was discovered." The room was silent.

"If we fight," she said, "We'll lose."

"We must try!" the general insisted.

"The cost of failure is too high. But perhaps we can negotiate. If we can lower the tithe by ten, or even twenty thousand, I will die knowing that I have at least saved some doomed souls."

"Done," I said. The room jerked their heads to the crow, realizing for the first time that I was present, seeing through its eyes.

"Ten thousand per year. No more than that, and no more than I require."

"Tal?" Duchess Aemalia asked.

"You have this power too?"

"Your worst fears have not come to pass, Duchess. I have not yet converted the full populations of the cities I have conquered. But I will, and they will be at the battle, if you change your mind. Disperse your army. Leave the corpses. And you shall remain behind, with your crown."

"To what end?" she asked nervously.

"To show good faith. Do not fear for your safety. I have use of you," I said calmly. She swallowed. The raven fell dead on the table, and I was back in my own body, thirty leagues away. I looked at the local baron.

"The duchess has accepted my terms of surrender," I informed him.

"I no longer need you." I sent a flicker of a command to the guard holding him, and the guard plunged a knife into the baron's chest. His children screamed. I cocked my head to the side.

"You three are safe. For a few years, at least," I promised. His wife was murdered next. Then they rose again, following me, covered in their own blood, out to the podium that had been erected. The population of the city was gathered in the streets. Bodies as far as the eyes could see, waiting to hear their fate. They had been told already.

"The Duchy of Pasheni is no more," I said in a voice amplified by magic.

"The Duchess Aemalia du Pashenas surrendered. The vast majority of you may continue to live for now, as I do not have need of your bodies at this time." I was surprised by the amount of cheering the pronouncement received. I was trying to figure out why when they began to calm down. I wondered why they did that as well. I continued.

"I require one hundred thirteen volunteers. Individuals between the ages of sixteen and twenty-five. If I do not receive that number of volunteers, the remainder will be selected by lottery," I said.

"All others may disperse back to their dwellings." Many parents lifted their children and rushed away, tears in their eyes. Those who were too old were also allowed to leave. Thousands remained. The undead guards among them grabbed many who had tried to leave despite not meeting the requirements. I decided to treat them as volunteers. But actual volunteers? I was surprised to find that I had too many. I held a lottery after all to select who would die and who would live.

Those volunteers who escaped with their lives looked relieved. The rest were led to the nearest fountain by an undead guard, their faces shoved into the water until they stopped moving. And then they were held there for another five minutes. I watched as the souls departed. Then, sending a flicker of will, the ritual was prepared, right out in the middle of the city.

The young men and women—there was no true need for Inalten to be all male—were stripped and prepared by the precise hands of the mindless undead under my guidance. It was becoming easier and easier for me to split my mind among ten or more bodies at once, and within an hour, all was prepared. I channeled up the necromantic energy from beneath the city, and I empowered the ritual. And one hundred and thirteen Inalten awoke screaming into the void. These were not like my failed brothers from when I awoke.

They were not told to circulate their energy, but left to die if they did not do so on their own. And a new soul took the place of the departing one. If that soul failed to circulate the energy, then a new one entered the body. I continued the ritual until one hundred and thirteen perfect brothers and sisters were laying on the cobblestones, painted with symbols they didn't understand and staring up at the stars.

"Rise," I said in a voice that would be heard.

"I am Tal. You have been called into unlife by the power of my magic, and you shall serve me. If you do not…" I grinned.

"Then nothing will happen. You do not have to serve me. Find your own purpose or serve mine, it's all the same." One hundred and thirteen blank faces looked at me. They did not understand. Maybe someday they would. But until then, they would obey.

"We shall begin your education once you are dressed," I said.

"There is much to teach you all."