Sitting in General Ajani's office, which had been expanded and improved since the last time he'd been there, Keir studied the different players. They'd made the polite greetings, everyone had a mug of mint tea to take the chill off, and now things were about to get interesting.

Von looked surprisingly well for someone who'd lost a hand, his position, and was under a deep shadow for his actions by the Eldritch Council. Watching him sip his mint tea, the mage seemed to be in complete control of everything.

Colonel Monero still looked like he'd been sucking on a lemon and was trying to hide it. The man had insisted on talking the entire way to the General's office, as if to make up for Keir's unexpected appearance. While Keir couldn't blame him for having an injured pride, the reaction showed he was not a political animal.

The two newcomers, Captain Cilus Dobeliet and Mage Mette, were eying them all warily. Passing by the undead soldiers who manned the lines had made them nervous. Having a flock of laughing strix swooping down just over their heads had done nothing to ease their misgivings. They sat together, drinking their tea, trying to look unconcerned and failing. Their hollow cheeks and bony hands helped Keir understand just how desperate things were in Cristal Fleche.

And then there was General Ajani. The man was looking better, his eyes weren't hollow from lack of sleep and half rations. More importantly there was a fire in his eyes again, not just the smouldering embers of hatred. The man saw that he could avenge his family and his people, and it showed in his demeanour. For the first time Keir could remember the General was actually smiling. It was a small smile, but it wasn't forced to keep morale up.

Keir was certain the man was thinking of how to use The Thorn and the city to kill as many demons as possible. That was something he wholeheartedly approved of.

“Gentlemen,” the General said, “I'm surprised your city is still holding out after so long. It was presumed lost after the Verdammt Campaign.”

“I won't say it was easy, but we managed to withstand the first few assaults, then the demons decided to just starve us out,” Captain Dobeliet said. “It helped that over forty thousand surviving legionnaires, most of whom had kept their weapons arrived just ahead of the monsters. With good leadership, strong defences and our stockpiles of supplies they and our militia managed to hold the walls.”

“Why didn't you send out any messages? If we'd known you were still alive, the Council would have at least tried to send some supplies through the mountains,” Von asked.

“Shadow assassins, at least twenty of them, made it into the city. In one night every mage who could send a message was killed, along with most of our leadership. When the demons attacked at dawn, we almost lost the city. Only the Mother and Father know how we managed to hold the last line. That's when the siege really began.”

Mage Mette smiled thinly. “I'm the highest ranking mage left. Back then I had just received my yellow robes. With no one to guide a message spell to another mage outside of the city, we couldn't get word out. We sent a few messengers up river into the Crystal Mountains, trying to reach human lines. About half returned, forced to turn back.”

“How have you been getting food and supplies?” the General asked.

The Captain sipped his tea before answering. “The Silver River cuts through the centre of the city, it provides us with fish, birds, and other things. And every flat piece of the of city that isn't an important road or building is growing something. The mountains are also full of refugees. They've set up small fields, along with hunting and gathering anything that can be considered food. They send food to the city in exchange for weapons and supplies. We're staving off starvation, even if we all go to bed hungry.

“As for weapons, that was a tough one. But we have very good engineers, many factories, and many desperate people who needed work. When we began running low on gunpowder, we started making pneumatic guns. They're a bit more finicky than regular firearms, but they don't need gunpowder or primers. We've melted down almost everything in the city to make bullets. Even an old silver mine in the western edge of the city, that had been played out two hundred years ago, has been reopened to scrape out any metals still under the ground.”

Keir spoke up before General Ajani could ask another question. “How many people do you have?”

“Around 800,000 in the city itself. In the mountains near the city, anywhere between twenty and fifty thousand. They keep on the move, hide in old mines, and only a few come to the city to trade. Those are pretty tight-lipped about where and how they live.”

“General Ajani, we already have plans to reach the Crystal Mountains by next winter. Do you believe we could do something to speed things up a little?”

The General's tiny smile became bigger. “If you can keep us supplied with the undead, it's possible. We'll need to change our plans, this won't be a hit and run affair, we'll be fighting at least several pitched battles, which I'd have preferred to avoid. However to save the city and that many people, I'm willing to take the risk.”

The Captain and Mage Mette both broke into smiles, and the quiet desperation that hung over them disappeared at hearing of their city's salvation. “Thank you, General Ajani, Mage Keira. We can't offer much in terms of support until you reach the city. However we can make some noise, forcing the demons to focus more of their forces on the siege. That should help take some of the pressure off of you.”

Von cleared his throat. “I'm sorry to bring this up, but the Eldritch Council would like Mage Keira and our own forces to head to the coast. They have their own plans for an offensive using her undead.”

The General scowled at the mage. “We are still discussing our options. This new information should help sway the final decision. And when you send your message to the Council, remind them that I and Mage Keira are their allies, not under their direct command.”

“Of course, General. I'll make sure they understand that,” the mage said, bowing his head.

Nodding back, the General smiled at the newcomers. “Now then, I'll send orders for a spot to be cleared for your airship behind the lines, but it is safe where it is for now. I'd like to invite your officers and mages to supper in three hours. We can discuss things more comfortably there, and there are some officials from the camp who will want to meet you. I'll also have hot meals prepared for your men. Is that satisfactory?”

“Yes, General Ajani. That is most satisfactory,” the Captain said. “I'll let my men know, they'll appreciate something other than fish and demon meat.”

“Colonel Monero, please see them back to their airship, and find out how many seats we'll need. Gentlemen, if you'll forgive me but I have other duties to attend to.”

With a round of good-byes, the three men left. The General than turned to Von and Keir. “Mage Von, I'd like to speak to Mage Keira in private.”

“Of course, General.” Getting to his feet, the mage left them alone.

The General poured them both a glass of wine. “The Eldritch Council won't agree to this endeavour you know.”

“Yes. They want me under their control,” Keir said.

“Or dead. Mage Aleksander has been asking for more and more details on our coming campaign, and coming up with some well thought out reasons why we shouldn't risk it.”

“And I'm sure they're all merely out of concern for my safety as well as your men.”

“Of course. What will you do if you are ordered to the coast?”

“While I may not be a member of the Council, I will do my best to protect what's left of the continent and fight the demons. Even if I was the monster history claims I am, there isn't really another option available.” He didn't elaborate further, letting the General decide if that meant he'd follow orders or not.

“What if you went to Cristal Fleche in the airship?”

Keir sat upright in his chair in surprise, that thought had never occurred to him. “That is an interesting idea.”

“With you in the city, I'll need to go and get you. We can't let you run around without someone ensuring you are behaving yourself. And we still need your knowledge and power.”

“What about you? You won't have a necromancer to help you when you go on the offensive.”

“How long will it take to teach your students enough that they can continue learning on their own?”

“Three or four weeks at least for the top three. About two months for the rest. If I take the three for private tutoring and push them as hard as I can, they'll be barely competent in two.”

“You have a month,” General Ajani said. “I can quietly work things out with the Captain in that time, and keep the Council off our backs until you slip away, with my permission of course. Saving the city will not only help raise morale, but it will be a strategic location for defending our gains and striking further into demon held territory.”

“General, I think we have a plan. I'll make sure you have the necromancers you need for the spring, and I'll leave the planning in your capable hands. I think we can both agree, the less time I spend with the newcomers, the better.”

General Ajani nodded, and raised his cup in a toast. “To a future free of demons.”

Keir could definitely toast to that.

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Necromancer Unmanned will be updated every Tuesday. My other story Doom Valley Prep School will be updated every Monday.

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