Lament of the Fallen

Verus and Aetius were furiously planning for the defense of the sector their group had been assigned. Both the Assembly and the Eternal Dragonflight had noted that the angels of Paradisia were preoccupied with something. With the demons gone, that left the two other remaining parties in the War in Heaven free to utilize this opportunity to get an advantage without having to worry about a third party interfering. They had both planned on moving against each other; the Dragonflight had simply made the first move. Aetius was in charge of handling the defense of this sector of Assembly controlled worlds, and as his friend, Verus was naturally going to help.

The problem was that the Dragonflight had managed to catch them in the middle of their preparations. Either the dragons had less need for extensive preparations or they had started earlier. Either way, the Assembly was caught while still gathering their forces and supplies. The situation was not a grim one as they still had their borders fortified against surprise attacks, but some of those forts had already fallen. Dragons, in general, cared little for enemy fortifications, and they had subordinate forces that were almost as effective at toppling those fortifications as the mighty beasts themselves. An adult dragotaur could punch its way through a fort wall even if it was enchanted. So the Assembly was pressured, but not in a dire situation just yet. They had been forced to mobilize all the members of the battle factions in the area, but not the others. That would be the sign of real trouble.

One of the messengers Aetius had sent approached the duo’s tent with a definite spring in his step. Apparently, it was time for some good news. “You handle it. I’ll remain here and try to figure out the best spots to stop the Dragonflight’s advance.” Aetius stated.

“Aye, sir.” Verus acknowledged the order with a mock salute. He knew the real reason he was sent instead of Aetius going personally and plans had very little to do with it. He tried to keep a chipper impression but for a short while now there had been this weird itch inside him. He had a bad feeling. Still, it wasn’t good to distract his friend without something more concrete.

Verus exited the tent, open at sides, that the two had been using as their war room and met the recruiter outside. The man was trustworthy enough but there was no need to allow anything leak, even if the plans weren’t really a big secret. If the plans had been a secret their tent would not be so open. “Cerialis. Report.” Verus tried his best to remember the names of those he worked with and was glad to see he had remembered the recruiter’s name. The beastman’s expression didn’t change but his tail made a small wagging motion.

“General, I hit a jackpot. I ran into three red sashes on the world I was assigned. All of them immortal, one of them rank twelve. And not a weak one either from the fearful feeling she gave me. They’re a bit of an odd group, but you know how the reds are.” The recruiter quickly explained. Not all Lords were immortal; in fact, most of them were ranks eight and nine. A rank twelve immortal was certainly enough to add a spring to the recruiter’s step.

“I do indeed. I’d still rather have them on our side though.” Verus agreed with a laugh. He wasn’t laughing on the inside though. A rank twelve red sash could be a problem. It could also be a great boon if handled correctly, as a rank twelve immortal might be able to defend a world alone.

When one thought about the factions within the Assembly, greens were the ones you thought about when considering the best people for winning battles. They were trained and skilled as generals and in causing maximum casualties against the enemy forces with their powers. They were also the most popular faction by far, and for a good reason. They were less involved in politics, which appealed to plenty of people, and they had an important field they excelled in. However, if one were to think about winning a war or accomplishing a mission at all costs, one thought of the reds. And the reds did not shy away from politics.

‘A rank twelve red might end up contesting for the leadership of this sector, even if Aetius was assigned as the general in charge. A generalship easily granted is a generalship easily taken away.’ Verus thought with a mental grimace. ‘On the other hand, one of their kind can help us win the war in this sector. The reds tend to be the best at stealth and one-on-one fights.’

The recruiter had led Verus towards the spot where he had left the three new ‘volunteers’ and Verus could identify them immediately. The group was an odd one for sure, and after observing them for a short moment Verus wasn’t even entirely sure if the three were members of the Assembly. The trio certainly didn’t act like Lords, that’s for sure. Not like the several hundred other Lords present.

The three were among the other Lords gathered in defense of this sector, yet they were not mingling. That in itself wasn’t too odd, as reds tended to be a little insular. What drew Verus’ attention though, was that the three were not exhibiting any of the social cues that were so prevalent among the Assembly. The Lords had been doing the same dance for countless millennia, so it was almost instinctual to them. The first thing that would happen with several Lords present was the establishment of a pecking order of sorts. Age, power, affiliations, training time, connections, and a hundred other more minor details went into deciding who had seniority. The seniority was not a chain of command, as it was a lot more subtle. Those lower in seniority gave respect and deferred to those above them, and deviating from that without a good reason was seen as gauche.

Not these three though. The tall and powerful one was almost oozing deadly grace and power, while the other two were staying in her shadow. Ironically, in not dancing the little dance that was so prevalent among the Lords, they had also taken the highest position in that seniority. The others mainly assumed that the strong one didn’t bother because she knew she was by far the strongest individual present, a fair assumption, and the other two were simply her subordinates and would only defer to her. Not a common situation but not something unheard of either. Verus had arrived later so he had a slightly different impression. To him, it appeared the three didn’t play the game because they either didn’t know how or chose to give that impression.

That in itself would have been weird but not enough to make Verus think they were not Lords of the Assembly. What really drove that impression home was that the feeling inside him had grown stronger as soon as he had seen the strong red-sashed woman. It was a little-known fact among other people, but Champions of different gods had this faint but recognizable resonance. That resonance could be suppressed but not entirely. That bad feeling Verus had gotten earlier had been that very resonance warning him.

Verus was the Champion of a rather minor God of Protection, and he was used to other Champions blessed by stronger deities giving him this sort of feeling. The resonance was not an exact measure, but it did tell a person whether the other person was the Champion of a stronger or a weaker deity, as well as an impression of the gap that existed between them. The Assembly had several Champions of much stronger gods than the one Verus served, but this was new. Normally his blessing gave the impression of the other party being stronger, but now his blessing was giving a feeling akin to a small animal shaking and trying to appear too insignificant to notice in front of a large predator.

Apparently, the other person felt a bit of that resonance as well, as she turned to look at Verus with eyes that promised death if he stepped wrong. Yet he didn’t feel like the woman intended to kill him. It was just like she was considering whether he was worth toying with or not. He managed a feeble shake of his head to clear his mind. The feeling of resistance being futile remained though. ‘This is…bad? No, maybe this is good? In fact, this might turn out to be great.’

He was almost certain a being like this had not been among the reds before. Surely the word would have gotten around by now. Unless the reds had been hiding her all this time? However, she seemed too young for that. She seemed young enough to be barely out of the academy. ‘Speaking of.’ Verus thought to himself and looked at the woman’s companions. One of them was short enough to be a child. A second glance assured him that the small woman was infact a full adult woman and a member of the smaller races. ‘Some beastman sub-race perhaps? And that third one is an angel, isn’t she? She’s clearly an angel. She might not be showing wings or a halo, but that appearance is pretty suggestive.’

So three outsiders had somehow acquired the robes belonging to the reds and had brazenly walked to a place where they were surrounded by hundreds of Lords of the Assembly. They certainly seemed to be relaxed, and considering the feeling Verus was getting from the strong one, not without reason. ‘So if they want to pretend to be Lords of the Assembly, instead of confronting them, maybe we should let them play the part? We’ll keep an eye on them of course, but if they seem content in acting in our interest, maybe we should just let them? The Assembly certainly isn’t very strict about who it takes in! So why should we be? We don’t have to share important information with them, just point them at the enemy. If they’ll fight for us, then great! If not, then at least we might not have to face them in battle unlike if we try confronting them. Besides, I could be wrong about this whole thing. I’ll still need to inform Aetius of course.’

The time he had spent thinking about all this had made him look a little weird, but he ignored that and still went to greet the new arrivals. The trio of reds were not the only ones to have arrived recently. They had instituted a general mobilization of the battle factions in the sector, and everyone was expected to attend. They would not be punished if they didn’t, not directly. But their place in the dance for seniority would take a nose-dive. Cowardice was a large detractor in the game of power and influence.

Still, nearly all of the Lords had been in the sector for a reason and were not too pleased to be here. Most of these Lords had been forced into dropping whatever project they had been working on, and that made them especially displeased. Well, the greens were pleased for a chance to do battle, but the others needed their egos stroked a bit to tide things over. That was the real reason Aetius had sent him here instead of coming personally. Even for a green, Aetius was especially displeased with such things.

He eventually came to the suspicious trio. “I’m glad to have some of the reds among our number. What brings you to this part of the Assembly?” He was probing while making small talk.

“Vacation.” The small woman replied curtly, clearly hiding the truth. That wasn’t odd as reds usually didn’t care to explain much of their affairs.

“The world we were on, Aesis I believe the name was, has quite the agricultural sector. The food there is excellent.” The powerful one that had introduced herself as Dee volunteered. Clearly she was lying. There was no way one of the reds or even someone pretending to be one would waste time on food. There had to be a more important reason the trio was on that world.

‘Maybe I should have the scouts check the place just in case. If people like these three were there, then the world must have something important that we have missed. Unless they already found it? Oh dear, maybe they are real reds after all, as these sorts of schemes are right up their alley.’ Verus thought to himself. ‘Either that or they picked a really suitable disguise.’

“So, the Eternal Dragonflight?” The angel looking one prompted, with a slightly weird tone that Verus couldn’t quite place.

“You’re well informed. We didn’t really explain the details yet, but I suppose the word about the coming war has been making the rounds already. I suppose it’s not a leap to guess that the Dragonflight managed to strike first. Yes, you’re right. We’ll be defending the sector against the dragons and their forces until we have gathered enough strength to go on an offensive.” Verus explained, giving the woman credit for her acumen.

The news had not spread all that far yet, but there was no need to hide these details either. They would all find out in a couple of hours anyway. The woman had a weird look of relief on her face after hearing his words. ‘Why would that be? Is she acting? She’s doing a good job if that’s the case. As an angel, she would know we aren’t fighting her kind and that doesn’t leave many options.’

“So when can we expect deployment?” The small one asked, still sounding less than pleased.

“The details are still being decided, but in a few days.” Verus answered. In fact, the plan was almost ready, but no need to let them know in case they were some sort of spies. Even if they weren’t, there was no need to spread that information. He would need to talk to Aetius fast.

------

As soon as the demi-human man left, Dee let out a thoughtful hum. This was new. Umbra and Lumen had told her that her abilities as the Champion would not all reveal themselves immediately, and they had been right. Being able to feel the presence of the other Champion had come as a surprise. The man had also felt her, but it seemed that she got more information out of the deal. She knew which god he served for example. ‘The God of Protection and Self-Sacrifice, huh? That requires a very specific type of personality. I wonder who he wants to protect so badly?’ On the other hand, the man would have an easier time hiding from other Champions due to serving a minor deity.

“He seemed suspicious. Should we leave now while we have the chance?” Moirai suggested.

“I’m not opposed to leaving if you want, but don’t do it on his account. I’m starting to get a handle on these little power plays the Lords of the Assembly play. Even if he knew for sure we were not what we appear to be, there’s nothing he can really do about it without some solid proof. The benefits of me being so high up in their little pecking order. Didn’t you notice how careful he had to be in his probing? He can’t make accusations against us without some solid backing or sufficient evidence. Let’s not provide them that evidence. Besides, I’m sure they can’t afford to confront us at the moment.” Dee explained. She didn’t bother mentioning that the man had also fallen under the influence of her Domain even though she had made no effort to use that Domain. He would not fight against them.

Moirai looked thoughtful for a moment. Dee thought it good that the woman was reaching a mental state closer to normal. “In that case, it might be beneficial for us to stay. We probably won’t want to take part in attacking the dragons, but if we do our part for the defense of the Assembly, we might be successful in forging some connections that can come handy later on. With your plan to go against the angels, we’ll need the allies that we can get. If nothing else, they should have information for us.”

“Speaking of, how lucky for you Araqiel that the Assembly isn’t fighting with your people.” Dee pointed out with a smirk. She would have personally preferred that as she had nothing against the dragons, but that would’ve put Araqiel in a bad situation.

“I was rather confident that was the case, but it’s nice to get a confirmation.” Araqiel noted the tone in Dee’s voice but still agreed with the statement.

“Changing subjects a little, after all the fights with immortals lately, it feels a little weird to be surrounded by mostly mortals.” Moirai suddenly pointed out.

“Well, all the parties in the War in Heaven have plenty of immortals, but you have to remember that most of the forces are still mortal. Our recent stay at the Pantheon’s inner circles might have skewed our perspective a bit, but very few beings actually manage to become immortal. Besides, there are so many worlds mixed up in this mess that the immortals are spread thin and this likely isn’t among the most important sectors. I’m pretty sure the worlds that are the heart of this conflict have a lot more powerful individuals. Still, a rank twelve immortal like Dee is a valuable asset. The whole of Assembly has maybe a dozen of individuals capable of fighting her even on a relatively equal footing. Those that could actually win against her were fewer still.” Araqiel explained with a shrug. Even among the angels, those individuals would be limited to the Archangels and the Morningstar. Maybe the leader of the Seraph serving under Empyrean could put up a fight.

“Fair point. So what are the chances of the Assembly picking a fight with us if they do find out about us? in your opinion I mean. Dee seems confident but…” Moirai wanted a second opinion.

“I think she has a point. They might ask us to leave, but even that seems unlikely. As long as we seem willing to work with them, they will be likely to leave us to it. The power required to fight us is too much, especially in the current situation. They won’t let us near any sensitive information of course. Still, it depends a bit on who finds out and who gets to make the decisions. The pro-angel faction will most likely give our location to the angels, assuming they realize your enmity with them. Or Dee’s demonic status. At the very least, they’ll want to know why we are here and how we got the robes.” Araqiel explained her thoughts.

“And what are the odds of us actually successfully integrating to the Assembly and reaching a position of power?” Dee suddenly asked. Being able to utilize the Assembly would be extremely useful.

“That…I don’t know. With your power, we might be able to gather quite a bit of merit in this fight. We’d have to be able to really sell ourselves as members of the Assembly to reach a real position of power though. I don’t think I’ll be able to manage that. I’m pretty sure that man earlier already figured out that my appearance is a sign of me being an angel. Sorry about that, but there’s really no way to hide that. We just have that certain something, and I can’t change my appearance as completely as you Dee.” Araqiel knew angels had tried infiltrating the Assembly before without success. The angels simply looked and acted too much like the angels they were.

“I think we might be able to work that to our advantage actually. I have an idea that would explain our appearances and most social mistakes we make. We simply have to sell ourselves as what the man already suspects us to be, infiltrators. Except we are not trying to infiltrate the Assembly. Instead, we were all trained and raised to become infiltrators that were meant to be sent to the other parties in the war, by the Assembly. We act like the other groups because that’s what we were meant to become. You were supposed to become a spy among the angels, Moirai was supposed to become a spy inside the Pantheon and I was meant to become a spy among first the demons and later on with the destruction of the hells I was supposed to be sent to the Dragonflight. The situation simply changed and the plan was scrapped. And now here we are. From what I’ve overheard, I get the impression that’s something the red-sashed faction would do. In fact, I’m almost certain they have already implemented such a plan.”

“That…is convoluted enough that it might actually work…” Moirai stated with some trepidation. Of course, they would try to shoot the plan full of holes and come up with further details, but for something Dee came up with on the spot, the plan might function.