“Nobody willing to talk to us knows,” said Lianshi. “The only form of currency that matters to our kind is power, and the Iron Tyrant is a Blood Baron. He could descend all the way to the Scorched Swale if he wished, but instead he’s up here in the Iron Weald, playing at mana merchant. We think, well…” She hesitated. “It’s just a guess, but the only thing that makes sense is that he’s maneuvering for influence or favors deeper in hell. There’s nothing else he could want or need.”
“And whomever he’s blackmailing is refusing to give him what he wants,” said Scorio thoughtfully. “Which means he must be asking for something more important than defeating the Blood Ox. We spoke with Faridian on the way in, and he said there’s a chance the highest-ranking Great Souls will just allow the Blood Ox to win so as to focus on the deeper levels.”
“It’s true.” Lianshi’s frustration shone through. “The closer Bastion gets to being overrun by the rot, the less anything seems to matter. Which, of course, I understand. Most Great Souls take five or six years just to make Dread Blaze. The newer classes at the Academy just won’t have enough time to affect the war for the Pit, so why waste resources on them?”
“Then again,” countered Leonis, “Mitoko made Blood Baron in five years.”
“Mitoko doesn’t count,” said Lianshi, making a face.
“Fine,” said Leonis, “but what if Praximar’s dream came true, and one of his pet Imperators finally returned?”
Lianshi laughed. “By the hells, I remember wishing they would just so he’d shut up about it.”
Leonis’ grin was savage. “He’d have died orgasming all over that big book of his. Would have been a much more fitting end.”
“Alas,” said Naomi acidly. “He had to settle for Scorio tearing out his throat instead.”
Both Lianshi and Leonis fell silent.
“So,” said Scorio brightly. “The war’s going badly. Do you know what you’re going to do?”
The pair exchanged a glance.
“Word is a delegation’s about to arrive,” said Leonis reluctantly. “A new faction from the deeper layers is entering the fray.”
“We heard this faction might be entering an alliance with Charnel Duchess Vermina,” said Lianshi. “Which would put Plassus at a disadvantage. He’s been leading the main war effort thus far, but this new alliance would make him a minor partner.”
“About time,” said Leonis darkly. “Plassus’ only strategy is to throw his most powerful Great Souls at where the enemy is weakest. He keeps thinking he’ll ‘roll their flank’. The Blood Ox’s forces don’t have a flank. They’re just everywhere.”
“Who’s fighting for the Ox?” asked Scorio. “We heard that his best soldiers came north with that Gold mana quake. Is it all fiends?”
“All fiends,” confirmed Leonis. “But there are different kinds. You’ve got his elite forces that he recruited from the Silver Unfathom and the Lustrous Maria, but those are few in number these days. The bulk of his armies are recruited from the tribes that swarm the Telurian Band.”
“Did you know that Jova Spike once ruled LastRock?” asked Lianshi.
“Yes,” said Scorio, trying not to sound amused.
“She was a Charnel Duchess at the time, and had forged alliances with all the different fiend tribes on that side of the Band.”
“More like subjugated them,” said Leonis.
“Well, when she died and LastRock fell to the Blood Ox, those alliances also collapsed, and the Blood Ox spent the next year recruiting his former enemies. Now they’re almost all of them fighting for him, and that’s swelled his numbers by tens of thousands.”
“How many of us are there?” asked Scorio.
“Total?” Lianshi glanced at Leonis, who only shrugged. “I think… if you add Plassus’ forces to Chimera’s, and the new recruits, perhaps just under a thousand?”
“The vast majority of those are Tomb Sparks and Flame Vaults, though,” said Leonis. “Not that that’s an indictment, of course.” He sat up straight and stretched, thrusting out his barrel chest and drawing his arms back. “I’ve heard it said that the most magnificent of Great Souls currently alive is currently a Tomb Spark himself.”
Scorio couldn’t help but smile. “The war will be quickly won as soon as he decides to fight, then.”
“Indeed.” Leonis exhaled and leaned back down. “So. You’re going to sign up to fight?”
“We want to get to LastRock,” said Scorio. “There’s something there we need to see. But given the situation…”
Lianshi nodded in sympathy. “The Blood Ox has his greatest forces stationed there, though he ranges about as he pleases. You may need to be patient.”
Naomi had sunken down so that the waterline lay just beneath her nostrils, her black hair spread out across the surface of the pool, but now she raised her head just enough to speak. “Do you know who’s leading this new delegation?”
“It’s just a rumor,” said Lianshi. “No names have been mentioned, but we heard they work for the authority the Iron Tyrant’s been negotiating with.”
“The one that’s denied him,” said Leonis helpfully.
“That’ll be a fun meeting,” said Naomi, then sank back down.
“Well.” Leonis clapped his knees then stood. “We’ll leave you to the rewarding business of bathing. There are others here who’ll be wanting to see you. Pyre Lady Moira, no doubt. She’s quite fascinated with you.”
“Is she now?” said Scorio dryly.
Lianshi grinned. “Ravenna is here with her. Weren’t you classmates? And Jova Spike is said to be arriving soon.”
“Said to be arriving?” asked Scorio. “She’s become that famous?”
“She ruled LastRock, and her death led to the collapse of the siege that had held the Blood Ox back.” Lianshi shrugged. “A lot of people have high hopes that she’ll turn the tide.”
“She’s just a Flame Vault,” said Naomi.
“Right now she’s a living reminder of the Charnel Duchess who ruled the Telurian Band,” said Leonis. “And with how badly the war’s been going, our fighters need all the symbols they can get.”
“It was good seeing you both again,” said Scorio, standing and extending his hand. The urge to ask them to have a meal together, to come visit their cluster was strong, but he curbed it.
Leonis shook, his hand massive and strong. “Good to see you, too. Naomi.”
Naomi blew bubbles in the water in response.
Leonis laughed. “Why do I get the feeling you and I were the best of friends?”
“Because you’re as delusional as you ever were,” said Naomi darkly.
“See you two around.” Lianshi gave a little wave. “Feel free to look us up if you need anything. We’re in cluster 17 off the central spire.”
“Will do. Thanks.”
Scorio sank back down as the pair departed.
For a moment they remained in silence, listening to the watery echoes and distant muffled voices. Scorio could feel the weight of Naomi’s gaze upon him. Finally, he looked up.
“I know,” she said simply.
He felt stubborn. “Know what?”
“That it hurts you to see them.”
“But it’s good as well.”
“I didn’t say it wasn’t.”
“You don’t miss them?”
“I…” She frowned and leaned her head back against the pool’s edge.
Scorio laughed. “It’s alright to admit that you like other people.”
“I like you just fine.”
“So you don’t miss them?”
“No, of course I do.” She frowned. “It’s just not… there’s no wisdom in rattling doors that have been locked shut. You’re just inviting pain if you do that.”
“It’s not always a conscious decision.”
“It is if you want to be strong. You have to protect yourself. You should learn all the ballads of cross-generational betrayals. If Helena or Feiyan were here, they’d tell you.”
“Is that strength?” His heart felt bruised, and he looked into the swirling fog that had claimed his former friends. “I don’t know.”