Chapter 77: Scouting Ahead
On that day, a group of Black Riders separated from the main army to travel back to Frinstoun as quickly as their undead horses were able to. There, they finished a special mission and returned to Aleric just as swiftly as they left.
***
Five days later, Aleric’s army continued to scour Aleshat.
Even in the provinces where not all the garrisons went to the main army, there was nobody to stop him. Instead, they did their best to slow down his efforts.
In yet another conquered town, Aleric walked down a street filled with corpses. Most of these corpses were either moving on their own or being carried by those who moved.
Ahead was a town square, where Samuel instructed a group of soldiers on where to put the most recent prisoners. At Aleric’s approach, they all fell silent and saluted.
Aleric nodded back.
"Samuel. It’s just as we expected—another scouting party was destroyed just now. I felt them being picked off one by one... Even the birds! So add the lost soldiers to the other losses."
The scouting team of twenty undead servants, half of them weren’t humans, but dogs, rats, and even a couple of ravens, was Aleric’s attempt to find out how far from the king’s army they were. With every day, the issue of not knowing became more and more pressing.
However, the templars were awfully good at finding them—way better than Aleric recalled.
"Even the animals? It’s troubling... But not entirely surprising. Most templars have to follow secondary hints and their gut feeling to find any Dark magic, since they aren’t sensitive to magic energies. But right now, most of the templars, paladins, and clerics of the Church of Light’s military order are probably with the king’s army. Enough to find the smallest and weakest undead. If those cowardly inquisitors didn’t catch them first."
Aleric shrugged.
"It was hard to tell whether my scouts found anything before being destroyed or not. They travelled for three full days, but this doesn’t mean they weren’t killed by the Inquisition party. Or some other group entirely. Either way, I need information, and I will get it. If these templars can sense all undead, I assume they will spot any Dark mage just as easily, right?"
"Definitely, master. I assume they are too valuable for you to waste on this." Samuel tilted his head, frowning underneath his helmet. "Especially this Krenn. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I liked Rita more. At least she’s simple-minded. But that man’s thoughts are a mystery..."
Aleric chuckled.
"Oh, are you angry that someone besides me is using Dark magic again, Samuel? Don’t worry, I’m not a fool. Someone watches Krenn at all times, just like any other living person in this army. The living hate the undead too much to not betray them eventually."
Samuel bowed his head.
He still didn’t like this situation, despite Aleric’s precautions. Partially because he really disliked Dark mages that used magic beyond that gifted to them by Aleric. Partially because Aleric spent a lot of time with Krenn, time that he previously spent with his undead servants...
And those of his own magic were definitely more worthy of Aleric’s attention!
But Samuel didn’t voice any of that—it would’ve been too undignified.
Meanwhile, Aleric turned away from Samuel to the throng of prisoners being led toward a former town hall, where they would await their ultimate and gruesome fate.
"Samuel, I just had an idea!"
***
Ten minutes later, a pair of townsmen was standing in front of Aleric. Each of them was held down by a pair of zombies. Without them, these men could’ve just fallen onto their knees with fear!
"A couple of the most fearful militiamen, Master Fenn, just as you ordered," Samuel reported. "When the town decided not to resist you, these people were among the first ones to kneel. They were also among the first to learn not to speak unless asked to."
Aleric smiled, which made the pair of prisoners pale even more. One’s knees grew so weak that the zombies had to prop him upright.
None of them resisted when Aleric came over and plucked a hair from each of their heads.
"Listen, living ones. You have a chance to keep this status if you obey my orders. You want that, right?"
"Yes!"
"Please, spare us! I have a family!"
Aleric smiled even wider.
"I know a lot of zombies who have families. Your wife and kids are still doing well, right, Samuel?"
The former justicar nodded, then stared into the distance.
"They still mourn me... But they still have a livelihood..."
At Samuel’s morose tone, the prisoners paled even more. Both of them pictured themselves coming home to their families as undead, and their reaction...
"I will stay in this town for a day, then go to the next one north. In that time, ride horses toward Estairn and find as much as you can about the location of the royal army. Meet me there with the information in two days, and I will let you return to this town to live your peaceful lives. Otherwise..."
Aleric raised the plucked hairs.
"With these, I will curse you with painful death, even if you run to the other side of the country. So don’t even try to simply escape or snitch on me to the Church. And of course, your families will still be here. In case you two care for their lives more than for yours."
"We will do it! We will, Master Fenn!"
"I swear to Light—uh, Dark—we will!"
Aleric glanced at Samuel.
"Give them whatever they need for a journey. We will see if they can find something, at least from listening to the local rumors. Maybe they can pretend to be refugees?"
"Certainly," Samuel said, glancing at the prisoners. "I will instruct them personally before they leave. This is an important task, and I can’t let it be botched by incompetence."
"Reliable as always, Samuel. And I will wait for the results."