Chương 22: Interlude. Strung Along

Uthira Runehart sat atop his caravan and watched his people work. After a grueling march towards Belia—a small town that lay isolated in the west—his people had finally reached their destination. With the only nearby kingdom of power being Tekarth, which really wasn't in any position to offer the people of Belia any form of quick aid, these people practically fended for themselves. The great river Lythe was the only thing they had to to keep their economy afloat with the trade it offered.

[Merchants] rarely visited Belia, so every fortnight Belia would float a few of their own people up the river and make the journey to Tekarth. If something were to happen to that river, all of these people would feel the impact.

"Master Uthira, Group C has just delivered what should be the last the batch of lumber. Groups A and B will begin work on the dam once more. Expected time of completion is estimated to be approximately five hours. Two hours, if you deem it appropriate to use your skills," Basel, his loyal [Steward], said. Basil was about two years older than Uthira, but his hair was as white as the snow that they'd never seen before. He didn't know why Basil looked like the way that he did, but it fit his stoic personality.

Basel was one of few subjects of his that would be allowed complete freedom. Growing up as a Shiftling, a young Basel had been the only human to have treated him with compassion and equality. For that, Uthira had granted him a spot as his right hand with total autonomy. Still to this day, Uthira didn't understand what it was about Shiftlings that made people so uneasy. While he may be able to warp his identity and appearance, it wasn't an act that could be done so easily.

Creating a new appearance was similar to an animal shedding its molt. The process took immense effort and time to complete, and often left the Shiftling rendered fatigued for many days after. Although, Uthira had learned he could passively work on a new form and keep it in reserve which removed that recovery process. It was an even slower process as a result and required a lot of practice, but he'd just finished his first project not that long ago. In his opinion, crafting a new form was just another form of art.

Even still, a Shiftling changing forms shouldn't be treated as some massive act of deceit. If he had to describe it to humans, he'd probably relate it to changing someone's style. Sometimes it was nice to try something different, and that was no different for Shiftlings either. Despite this, or perhaps it was just that humans refused to learn about Shiftlings, the people in his meek village still bullied him and laid blame for any wrongdoings at his feet.

He would never forget one of the boys, Brian, for beating a young Uthira unconscious for a roll of bread that he had stolen and when he'd got caught, had blamed it all on Uthira.

"Basel, could you fetch Brian for me? No doubt that the people of Belia have their response ready. I'd like to help prepare him to venture into the town and collect their words. If he is cooperative, that is." Basel gave him a short bow and stalked off into the camps they had set up. Uthira was in command of a small force of 50 people. And all had came from his hometown village of Droth. Humble beginnings and all that, he told himself on nights he felt inadequate.

If things went right today, he was looking at a force of 147 new subjects joining his forces. There would be causalities, though. That was unavoidable and he wasn't expecting anything else. People were rarely eager to embrace salvation. Especially when it came in the form of slavery. Which was a pretty harsh way of looking at it, Uthira always thought. Basel would often argue and tell him to embrace what he was doing and to not diminish his purpose and whatnot.

Truly though, his goal wasn't to force people to be mindless slaves without rights. He'd demand obedience, sure, but in due time, once he had secured a strong enough force of people, they'd all be led to their new beginning, and once there, he'd probably free them. Uthira pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. It'd be a long process of building a strong enough force to brave the ocean and find that long lost mysterious continent. He was confident that it was still out there somewhere.

First he needed man power, then a big enough plot of land by the seafront to allow his people to work on a navy. It'd be a slow process, but he was determined. His cause was worthy. He just needed the strength to follow through.

"Master, I've brought Brian just as you've requested," Basel said, snapping Uthira out of his thoughts. A shabby man marched into his sight and stood in front of Uthira. He felt his right eye twitch and a vein pulsate at the man's appearance and his clear lack of reverence. Due to him still being so new to the whole leadership thing, he still hadn't gotten a full grasp on his class just yet. [King of String] was the name of his new class evolution.

Whatever god it was that existed out there sure did have a sense of humor. Uthira had always enjoyed puppets and had even gained the [Puppeteer] class at a young age. Sometimes wandering traders would stop and stay in Droth for awhile and one of them who hadn't cared about Uthira's outcast status had gifted him his very own puppet. Uthira had loved the thing. This was before he had met Basel, so the puppet had essentially been his first friend. And what a friend it had been…

"Ugh, why must I force you to bow each time we meet?" Uthira said. With a flick of his wrist and a few snappy motions of his fingers, he forced Brian to bow down on his knees. He still lacked finesse in using people as puppets, so the movements Brian was forced to make were rough and no doubt caused damage to the man's body. His class allowed him to brand his subjects as [Puppet], which essentially was just another way of saying slave. The difference came from how he treated them, though.

He wouldn't be a cruel owner, nor would he be a permanent one either. His class required people with the [Puppet] class in order to function, so until the time came that he could free them, they'd remain under his control.

"B…B-bastard Shiftling. We always knew you were evil," Brian managed to say with clear strain.

"I should discipline you, but I won't. I fear it is most likely that you shan't be returning to us. You are to enter Belia and fetch me their response to my proposal of acquisition. Should their response be negative, I am demanding of you to slaughter the first man, woman, or child that you see. Now, begone," Uthira said, dismissing the wretch with a flick of his hand.

"Actually, spare any children. That was cruel of me." There was no concern that the man would disobey him. Brian was hardly in control of himself these days. The only truly free aspect his [Puppets] had remaining was their ability to think; and in some peculiar cases… free speech.

"When I put it like that," Uthira thought, " It really does look worse than regular slavery, doesn't it?" He'd have to make an active effort to avoid lines of thinking that led him to thinking about what he was doing so negatively. Besides, one day all of his subjects would regain their individuality. It was just that until then, they needed him to be in control. In some ways, yes, his way was worse, but at least one day his slaves would gain their freedom again.

And unlike other [Slavers], Uthira had been crafting a recovery plan to help his subjects adapt to freedom once they were released from his control. That had to count for something, surely. Uthira knew what was best for his people and he wouldn't lead them astray. Deep within that forgotten and lost continent that had birthed the wrongfully reviled [Scholar], he knew that the key to true freedom was somewhere buried deep within its soil.

When the day came that he'd be able to feel that very same soil beneath his feet, that was the day he'd free his people. And then, all of his former [Puppets] would all celebrate him for bringing them to their rightful home. A home where none would discriminate against one another. A home where all were equal. A home where all were friends. But most importantly: a home where Uthira was loved by all.

Belia's response came very shortly after Brian's departure. Five men on horses strode up to the outskirts of Uthira's camps. Disembarking off his grand caravan, he marched towards the messengers. As he walked, a few of his designated guard [Puppets] fell in line at his side.

"Greetings! I take it that my man will not be making the journey back?" Uthira inquired, knowing full well Brian was dead. He had felt the invisible strings snap earlier, and also the blood on the front man's cuirass indicted Brian's fate in much simpler terms.

"…No. He killed—""Spare me the details. Whoever he killed is of no use to me anymore, and thus, of no more importance. I suppose given your expression that the small village of Belia will not be willingly joining my forces?" All five men made no attempt at hiding their anger and disgust with him. Uthira hated playing the role of detached evil slaver, but it helped him get into the right mindset for conquering easier. Truthfully, he did lament whatever poor soul that Brian had slew.

"We may not be the strongest village, but we will die before becoming your subjects. And I think you'll find yourself having a hard time capturing us with such a small force as yours," The man said.

"Your name, sir. Could you provide a name so that I can properly address the man that speaks for all of Belia?" Uthira asked. He hoped that by disregarding everything the man had said, that it'd piss him off further. Angry humans often made the most egregious of mistakes.

"Berg Hawthorn." The man spat out both his name, as well as some actual phlegm. A true country bumpkin this man was.

"So, tell me, Berg. What is the reasoning behind your peoples refusal for joining my newly founded empire?"

"We've stayed independent folk ever since Belia was founded. I don't think there is a single person that'd feel the need to join up with some… nobody that just wandered in. Not to mention you've already had two transgressions against us already," one of the others said.

"Two transgressions? I feel like that pales in comparison to the… let me count," Uthira said, and loudly and dramatically began to count on his fingers.

"Seven. Seven transgressions you simpletons have laid against me."

"You're gonna have to let us know exactly what seven transgressions you've come from our hands," Berg said.

"Well, I'm looking at five of them right now. I mean, really… could Belia not have spared some less inbred-looking men to greet me?" Uthira said. The five men didn't take that statement well. Their hands reached down to their weapons, keeping a tentative fist wrapped around the hilts. He'd expected them to have already been much more angry than they had been. After all, Brian had just killed one of their own. Maybe they really were just that weak.

"You threatenin' us with more violence? One of your men already killed someone, and despite protests her former husband made, we still rode out to peacefully tell you to fuck off," Berg said.

"She must not have been a very valuable woman if you dismissed her death so easily." Goodness, he hated speaking like this. Could this oaf just make his move already?

"We've messaged Tekarth already. You have five hours to destroy that dam you've built and vacate the area. Belia has the grit to dig deep and hold out until Tekarth arrives, so I suggest you go." These people desperately needed Uthira, that much was clear to him now. What sort of community tolerates the death of one of their own and kindly asks the perpetrator to go away? Well, if they wouldn't make the first move, then he'd just have to change the plan.

Especially if they had already sent a magical message to Tekarth; a siege-type assault wouldn't work any longer.

"Five hours? I don't believe you have that much time left," Uthira said.

"In thirty-five minutes, my people will assail those shabby walls that are somehow intended to protect Belia. If the five of you would like to die defending a lost cause, then go on ahead. However, if one of you wishes to live… kill the man nearest to you, and I'll bring you into my fold as an individual that can help lead my armies." He'd give it a minute to see if anyone would— Uthira had blinked and missed it. A man in the far back had ran through the lanky man who had been in front of him.

His sword was stained with the man's blood. The victim's horse reared in shock at the sudden increase of dead weight that was now slumped on its back. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. The other four gasped in surprise at the betrayal and unsheathed their own weapons, turning to face the traitor. Berg was about to speak when, instead, the man started to gurgle on his words.

"[Tethering Shot]," Uthira said, unleashing a spew of strings, which shot around and wrapped around Berg's neck. At the same time, the [Puppets] that were nearby had launched into motion and began their assault on the remaining three alongside his newly converted soldier. With a yank, the strings became taut and began to cut into the Berg's skin. Uthira had to give him credit. His reactions were quick and had managed to slip a few fingers underneath the string to give him just a bit of breathing room.

It was a futile attempt, however, as with another yank… the sharp string sliced through the man's digits and continued to inflict its damage as the mans head soon followed. Berg's detached head flopped down to the ground and rolled to the feet of Belia's traitor. Uthira looked at the man and analyzed what sort of person it was that he had recruited. Not in a judgmental way either.

This man had made a smart decision, and assuming he was worth anything in leading, he would make good on his promise and let the newcomer remain himself. The traitor was a fairly tall man, with wide shoulders and shaggy brown hair. His armor wasn't the highest of quality, with a bit of rust staining the edges. Wasn't that likely anyone in Belia had cause to don the armor until now. That'd change for him going forward, though.

"Does our new brave soldier have a name?" Uthira asked.

"Reynault Hopesmith." He said.

"I'm an individual who keeps their word, but may I ask, why did you do it?" Uthira asked.

"…I have my reasons. Are we taking the rest of the village, or what?" Reynault said. Uthira wanted to know why, but he had promised the man a degree of freedom, so he'd just hope that one day the man would trust him enough with his truth.

"Do you have any experience in commanding an armed force?"

"No. I've lived in Belia my whole life." There wasn't a response he could conjure up to that. Honestly, it was a pretty dumb question on his part. Still, though, that meant he couldn't put Reynault in control of his whole forces just yet. A small group of three people should be enough to give him some experience, perhaps.

"Fair enough. Can you handle leading a few people? I should be able to set you up with a class later after the conquest. I'm new to all of this, but I think I can figure it out."

"Aye, I can manage a small force." Uthira dismissed his newly found future [General] and turned to speak with Basel. At some point the [Steward] had made his way to the short negotiations. He'd never say it, but the mans snowy hair always instilled a sense of security whenever he saw him.

"Tell me, Basel, do you think that meeting could've gone better?" Uthira asked.

"I'd wager that it very well could've, sir."

"Hmm… do you think if I was a voluptuous, bodacious woman that those men might have been persuaded?" Basel thought about this for a moment before replying.

"I think if that were the case… you might have had an easier time, yes. It definitely wouldn't have hurt, that much I'm sure of."

"Thank you, Basel. I thought that might've been the case," Uthira said, "Maybe I should make the swap before the invasion begins…"

"I'll prepare a new set of robes for you, sir," Basel said, giving him a quick bow before heading off to what was Uthira's makeshift quarters. A new look right before his first major battle… that felt right to him. What happened today would make waves, and he wanted to look his best when the world finally saw who he was.

A gentle breeze kissed her and her armies skin, as they marched forwards to the front gates of Belia. The walls that were meant to protect the village looked to be in need of heavy repairs. Visible splintering and chunks could be seen in various spots. It was a honest miracle that no one else had ever tried assaulting these people prior. Whatever Berg had been saying about being well-equipped to sustain a siege had surely been a lie.

Just about anyone could break down these walls if they wanted to try their hand at it.

"Basel, what are the odds that I'll have to use one of my new army skills?" Uthira asked. No matter what her [Steward] answered, there was no way she was going to not try out her new skills.

"…Madam. I'd really like to focus on the battle, not questions you already answered for yourself."

"Sorry, sorry. One last question, though… How does my new body look? Do you think any lovesick men would fall for me?" Uthira asked, her hand gesturing to her new body. Despite being a Shiftling for her whole life, never once had she tried being a woman. Well, not fully at least. She had changed her face to look like other people before, but never had she tried to have breasts before. It was strange to say the least.

If it meant more people would like her and potentially more willing join her cause, then it was worth it.

"It might be a bit much, milady… Respectfully, of course," Basel said, averting his gaze away from her new features.

"Hmm, I'll tone it down later then. It's hard crafting a new body within your mind and not having a full idea of how it'll look on you. Cut me some slack, would ya, Basel?" Basel said nothing in reply. His mind was back on the upcoming battle. It'd be a tough battle despite how cocky Uthira had been acting. Hopefully her skills would ensure very minimal casualties on her side… and hopefully the same for the people of Belia. Above all of her [Puppet's] heads, she could see the faint outline of string.

The string went up high, but connected to nothing. Well, it technically did connect to something, but it was more abstract than anything. [Assemble the Troupes] allowed Uthira to divvy up her army to be under the control of those she appointed to lead. Basel had his army of thirty, with a mass collective of strings shooting up from their heads and angled towards him. The same applied to Reynault, who ended up taking a bit more than what was originally discussed.

He had eight people under his command, which left the remaining twelve under Uthira's guidance. There was a bit of reluctance in letting Reynault take more people. After all, the man could very well end up betraying them, or being completely inept at leading. She chose to have faith in the man, though. While mankind had continued to let her down, she still continued to believe in them. Humans were also the more abundant population on this continent, so not like she could really choose otherwise.

Uthira was generally an easy going lady, but now was the time to focus. Her empires future relied on how well she could navigate being a newly founded [King— Wait, now she was the [Queen of String], right? Did classes change gender? She closed her eyes and searched within her mind for the answer." Dammit! Basel, my class is still [King of String]! Do you suppose it'll fix itself the next time I sleep?"" I couldn't even begin to hazard a guess, milady," Basel said, who was no doubt irritated by her lack of focus. That was what she loved about him—he never let his annoyance come out all that much." You're right, let's get this show going already." Uthira wiped away all of her nonsensical thoughts and primed her classes core skill, [The Puppeteer's Grand Theatre]. Her eyes began to glow a bright yellow, and her point of view went skyward as she could now look down upon the battlefield at a top-down perspective. She had only practiced using the skill a few times, but even now she got hit by a brief wave of vertigo." All [Puppets] advance on Belia. Basel, take the front gate. Reynault, split into pairs of four and break down the walls surrounding the gate. My unit will fill in any gaps," Uthira commanded, her words acting like a divine command that was being uploaded to all of her [Puppets] brains. While both of her temporary generals had control over their units, they had far less control than Uthira possessed. If she wanted to, she could override their authority and forcibly make the [Puppets] dance to whatever tune she pulled them in. Basel's unit fulfilled their command and began hacking down the front gate. Thankfully, Belia didn't have a space for [Archers] to rain down arrows upon her forces, so it was an uncontested assault as of right now. There was a reason she had chosen Belia as her first point of conquest after all. Reynault's unit began their task as well. Each member used their low-quality weapons to chip away at the diseased walls. The sound of metal on wood resonated throughout the area. Each strike another signal to those behind those walls that their sanctuary was another hit closer to being molested. Uthira peeled away some of her people—about six total—to assist with Reynault's unit. Basel was making good progress on the gate and would likely complete his task first. With her help, though, both units should be done at the same time. Her idea was to flood the village from as many angles as she could to prevent any stray [Archers] from getting too much value during the initial assault. The final chop came from each unit… and chaos swarmed in through the cracks. While her core skill was powerful, it had a limitation in that she could only see what her [Puppets] could see. Uthira's vision flooded with new information as her army flooded in. What had previously been obscured by a heavy fog, was now unclouded, allowing her to better direct her troops." Reynault, reassemble your full unit and flank left. There is a walkway you can take around that cluster of small homes. Use it and take the [Archers] by surprise. My unit will cover your absence," Uthira commanded, her words fully audible despite the distance between them." Basel, keep up the frontal assault. Minimize damage and fight smart. The longer I can withhold my command skills, the better our chances of success." Screaming and panic gripped the civilians as they hid behind their small militia. While Belia may house a population almost triple what Uthira had, there was only around 80 to 95 people fighting. With maybe around only maybe 60 with some form of valid combat experience. All in all, this was looking to be a way better match up than she had anticipated. Uthira jerked her right hand to the left, pulling a portion of Basel's units with the motion. A volley of arrows landed right where her [Puppets] had been. Her commands had been a bit too rough, resulting in one of her own tripping. A arrow had pierced the [Puppet's] heart, snapping the strings. The archers were now being assaulted by Reynault's unit. In the surprise attack, he'd managed to cull two of seven [Archers] that'd been station on the small station overlooking the gate. This gave the rest of her army the space needed to really file in and cause some actual damage. She sent a quick message to Reynault to remind him to not kill if he could avoid it, then she turned her focus to Basel." Basel, charge past the [Archers] and assault the core of Belia's forces. I'm having a bit of trouble discerning the exact tempo from such a high vantage point, so I'll need you to let me know when you want my skill." She heard the man give a single word for confirmation and resumed her viewing of the battle. There was the faint feeling of sweat dripping off her face. While she wasn't fully disconnected from her body, it was still a bit of a struggle to be in tune with what was happening to her actual self. In future battles, she'd need to have a personal guard nearby as she pulled the strings of war. It seemed to look like Uthira's forces were winning at the moment. Aside from the [Puppet] who had been shot, only four others had gone down. If they kept this up, then victory would be theirs in—" Shit! Who started that fire?"" It was them. Berg meant it when he said they'd die before surrendering," Reynault replied." Do we have any way of extinguishing the flames? I'd like to keep Belia in tact so we can rest here for a day before leaving. If there is nothing that can be done about the flames, then push harder and end this battle before more people are lost." Unfortunately, they had killed a good bit more than she had estimated, but there was still a large number incapacitated already. She debated on using her last skill, but ultimately decided it was needed. Time wasn't in their favor any longer and the last thing she wanted was to have gross burn victims amongst her [Puppets]." [Vitality Surge]. Go forth my [Puppet] army and use this energy to seal this poor village's fate." Uthira said. The skill wasn't related to puppeteering. It was just a generic skill from the [King] class. It was pretty handy, though, in spite of its boringness. The skill did what it said and enhanced just about everything about a person. They'd move faster, reflexes would be sharper, there'd be a bit more oomph in their attacks… All of that type of stuff. Instantly, the skill made its effects known. She dropped control of her general's units and instead focused solely on her own. Reynault and Basel could easily make do without her guiding hand while the skill was active. Bit-by-bit, Uthira was slowly doing it. She was actually winning her first battle… The lead man of her unit, Glenn, took a nasty hit and dropped to the ground. He wasn't dead, so she took his strings, and with a flick of her index finger, his body rose up. It wasn't ideal, but she could operate individual bodies from up above. It'd take a lot of her focus, and at this point her body was oozing sweat like she was in the fires herself. But it was this, or let him burn… and she did not want to lose anymore [Puppets]. Both of her hands worked in unison to contort the man to her whims. It was a crude process. Glenn would no doubt feel the strain on his joints and muscles in the morning… but he was still alive at least. The final fifteen Belia men cowered at the far wall of the village. Countless bodies were unconscious, and only a few currently being chewed on by the flames. To her surprise, it was Reynault himself up at the front of the army, facing them down himself." I never thought I'd get the chance to get revenge for my sister. Not a single damn one of you bastards did anything when she had been…" he trailed off before continuing, "I don't know shit about this Uthira person. She may very well kill me after this… but at least I'll get to take you sick bastards down first." Ah, so the man was in search of revenge. That was why he had betrayed his fellows at the first opportunity. She didn't want him to kill any more of them, but she also wouldn't stop her new general from finding his peace. As much as Uthira tried to pretend like she wasn't a spiteful person… she could sympathize with his deep need for vengeance." Don't kill them all, Reynault, pick the worst of the bunch and find your peace in their deaths. I need as many as I can for my budding empire," Uthira said." Unless you deem in necessary that they all die…" She ended up receiving only four out of the fifteen remaining men. Uthira pulled herself out of [The Puppeteer's Grand Theatre] and collapsed down onto the sweat-soaked dirt. The evacuation process was just about over, and they wouldn't require her guidance anymore. Never had she spent so much time within that skill, so she hadn't expected how draining it was. There was no denying the results, though. Having the ability to provide information like that to her people from afar felt like cheating. Since it was in her favor, though, she wouldn't view it as cheap. After all, a skill was a tool, and what sort of fool didn't use what they had? She laid down against the ground and closed her eyes. She took a quick little nap before Basel and Reynault returned with their reports." Madam Uthira, we have fully evacuated the survivors. What do you intend to do now?" Reynault asked, as he used one gentle hand to shake her awake." Already you're back? Ugh, I was hoping for a bit more rest," Uthira groaned, longing for actual sleep." Alright, I'm coming. It's time to formally increase this budding empire's numbers." Uthira stood up and snaked her way over to the group of knocked out bodies. There was a good variety of men, women, and children. While she was a little hesitant to bring children into the fold, once her empire had settled itself and began to build real roots on that continent then it'd be important to have youthful souls running around. Children were the future after all. She just wished that they were good for war." Reynault, are there any people in here you might disagree with being turned into a [Puppet]?" Uthira asked." Miss Sylia is a pretty capable [Farmer]. Her and I were really close, but it might take some convincing to get her to help us." Having an actual [Farmer] was important, especially with a huge increase in numbers. They'd need more food than ever to sustain their growth. How would she convince someone, who had just been raided, to agree to willingly help them?" Leave it to me to convince her," Basel said." How confident are you? I don't want her causing any problems…" Uthira said." What kind of [Steward] would I be if I didn't possess the gift of the gab? I have a great many number of tricks to bring her to the right conclusion. I swear it, milady," Basel said, giving her one of his signature bows. Uthira said nothing else and just gave him a nod of confirmation. Now, it was time for the indoctrination process. Hopefully there wasn't anyone else that Reynault was attached to…" With this first string, I sew into you: Obedience, With this second string, I sew into you: Loyalty, With this third string, I sew into you: Fear, As the string is pulled out of your bodies, I pull with it… your Soul. Rise up, my [Puppets], and dance to my will." As Uthira spoke the last word of the incantation, a spool of string shot out of her palm and entered the man who was nearest, right into his forehead and exited out the back of his skull. The same string then did the same the next person in the line, and then the next, the next, and so on and so forth. Until finally, the ritual was complete and the people who had previously had been citizens of Belia… now were apart of Uthira Runehart's, Empire of Puppets. Uthira raised lifted her palms up, and with it, each and every [Puppet] rose with her. Old and new mingled together, and as she looked out at her subjects… a tear fell from her eye." Basel, Reynault… behold. This was just the prologue to our empire's story," Uthira said, another tear following the prior." Now… we must begin work on writing our plays first real chapter." Maybe people would take notice in the prologue, or perhaps she was still too insignificant right now for anyone to care about her antics. But one day they would. She'd make it impossible for people to ignore the play she was about to put on. Once the Grand Finale came, the whole world would be dying for front row seats to see what she was capable of. And then they'd beg to be apart of her empire when they set sail and found their home. Level Increase! [King of String Level 3] Skill Obtained! Skill: [Commanding String] obtained!