Kingdom of the Weak

6. Dissent

“It is ridiculous!” Markus roared at someone in the Iron Legion command tent the next day. “The town wall is in no shape to defend the town! How many lives could have been saved if we could have relied on it? How many more lives will be sacrificed before somebody does something about that useless wall?”

“The town wall is not our responsibility.” Someone replied defensively. “Neither is the protection of the town! We were good enough to offer manpower to help out last night and what happened? Half our crew were killed, the other half were all injured! Yet you want us to pay for a new wall, now?”

“Or at least spare the manpower to help us build it ourselves!”

“We can’t spare any more manpower!”

“You mean, you’re too afraid of the other gangs to spare anyone!”

“Exactly! The moment we let down our guard, the moment our defenses weaken, we are done for!”

Remian scratched his head as he approached Max. “That sounds like a big argument.”

“It’s the fifth he’s had today.” Max said. “They’re all basically the same. All five gangs want someone else to pay the cost, and they’ll happily take advantage and raid their base while they’re away.”

“So who’s going to build the wall? Us?”

“With what? It’s just you, me, and Markus out here.” Max shook his head. “Even if we had help, where would we get the materials? We have already cut down all the trees nearby. There have been recent reports of people killed by Wilds two hundred meters out. See the current tree-line? That’s four hundred meters out. Two of the casualties we had yesterday happened before the battle even started; from Wilds attacking our woodcutters!”

“What about stone? The current wall is made of stone, right?” Remian squinted. “Sort-of?”

It looked more like a combination of stone and mud, rather.

“That stone came from the western hill. Quarry any more out of that hill and the hill would probably collapse, and then we’d have TWO fronts to defend the next time we get a Beast Wave.” Max gave him a sideways glance. “And next time, we might not be able to chase them away with a super-powered Light Bolt.”

The shouting ceased. Some infuriated gang members stalked out from Markus’ command tent. Markus was left scowling at their backs, empty-handed despite all his efforts.

“Hey, Remian. Good to see you back on your feet.” Markus noticed him there. “Is the barbecue open today? I could use a bite.”

“Coming right up.” Remian said.

While he was preparing the barbecue, Max and Markus talked. “We might have to build the wall ourselves, call for reinforcements early and hope the Prefect is kind.”

“What about the road? Isn’t that why we’re here?” Max asked.

“How can we build the road in peace with the Wilds at our backs? Given the size of last night’s Beast Wave, we would need to post at least fifty Legionnaires on security detail at all times, and you and I both know that the Legion can’t spare fifty.”

“Weren’t we supposed to set up a training camp and set the trainees on road-building? As part of their training?”

“With the Wilds at our back? Just keeping them from running away and deserting is going to be a challenge. How many trainees do you expect would arrive? How many do you expect we would need to guard the others? How many would be left to build?”

“Less than a hundred might arrive, we’d need a lot more than fifty on guard, leaving maybe a dozen to build.” Max figured. “At least for a few months, if we’re lucky.”

Remian listened while he worked, preparing the pit, fanning the flames, then looking about. “Do we have any meat?”

Max laughed. “Wait a minute. I’ll get it.”

He came back with five huge slabs of meat.

“Wow! Where did we get so much meat?” Remian stared.

“From you, actually. This came from the boar you killed with that light spell last night.” Max scratched his head. “There was this two-headed snake too, but I’m not eating that.”

Remian put the meat on, and the smells of barbecue began to waft around the camp.

“Yip!” the wolfcat cub poked its head out of Remian’s tent when he smelled the food. He wagged his tail. “Yiyip!”

“Well, somebody seems vigilant.” Markus commented wryly. “We should have him watch our backs for us.”

“I wish.” Remian rolled his eyes. “How about it, furry? Want to be vigilant?”

“Yip!” the cub wagged his tail happily.

“Fine! From now on that’s your name!” Remian pronounced grandly. “Vigilant! I shall call you Vigil, for short!”

Vigil looked at him sideways, then shook his head. But he didn’t seem particularly upset about it, so Remian decided the name would stick.

As congratulations, Remian gave Vigil the blackest, most burnt parts of the meat he so hastily cooked. “You can have the bones later too.”

Vigil growled at him a little, but then took a few bites of hot barbecued meat, and let out a delighted bark. “YIYIP!”

“Au!” From the bushes, a low but powerful voice replied. Remian froze for a moment, then turned slowly to see Vigil’s mom appear right behind him.

“Whoa!” Max grabbed his sword.

Markus grabbed his spear. “Steady! Steady! Do not engage! Something seems… odd.”

“What? That it wants to eat us for breakfast?”

“No. That is hasn’t already done so by now.” Markus mentioned. “It seems to already have something in its mouth.”

Max and Remian stared. “Is that… a sword?”

Sword, scabbard and sword-belt, to be precise. Vigil’s mom carried the whole set in her teeth. She came forward, and put them on the ground, then backed away. Her ears pulled back against her head and the looked at Remian expectantly.

“Huh…” Remian hesitated, then shrugged. “Okay. I’ll trade for it.”

He gave her the biggest, chunkiest piece of barbecued meat on his grill. Her tail wagged as she chowed down on it.

“Well, what do you know. Our little agent here is taming the Wilds.” Markus remarked, amazed.

“Is that legal?” Max scratched his head.

“He killed the boar. It’s his meat. He can do whatever he wants with it.” Markus mentioned.

“But isn’t that our breakfast?”

“Uh…” Markus paused.

“Of course! This is for you, and you…” Remian distributed slabs of meat quickly. There were five to begin with. One went to Vigil’s mom, one to Markus, one to Max. Of the remaining two, Remian considered for a bit, then tossed both to Vigil’s mom.

“Hey! What about you?” Max asked, concerned.

“Awuu!” Vigil spoke up for himself as well.

“We still have more, don’t we?” Remian asked. “Bring out five more, please. She’s a big wolfcat, I’m afraid three won’t be enough.”

“Ruu.” Vigil’s mom murmured appreciatively.

After breakfast, the big wolfcat slipped away almost without a sound, and the little wolfcat began to snooze in the warm morning. Markus and Max went about their business, and Remian was left on his own.

“So… I might not be able to pull off healing spells… but maybe the opposite…” Remian looked around and found a nice little bush to practice with.

“Not going to work.” A dark figure appeared behind him suddenly.

“You’re back? I thought you were on vacation.” Remian scowled.

Death ignored it. “You may as well forget about death magic. I’m not going to cooperate.”

“Why not?” Remian protested.

“Healing magic either. You just aren’t cut out for it.” Death snorted. “For a guy like you, using Elemental magic like light or fire is one thing. Using Concept magic like healing and death… that’s beyond your grasp. You could do some serious damage to yourself and everyone around you by trying.”

“So you won’t let me try it because you’re concerned for me?” Remian summarized.

“Whatever. Just don’t try it.” Death warned him. “Magic requires a basis; for Elemental magic, natural mana will do. This place is rich with natural mana. But Concept magic requires a different sort of basis and you won’t be able to succeed or survive if you try it the way the nun taught you.”

“Meaning that I could do it if I had learned a different way?” Remian suggested.

Death gave him a scowl. “Forget it. Just… forget it.”

“Why don’t you teach me Elemental magic, then?”

“Since when did I become your teacher? Go find some human elemental mage somewhere.”

“Where in the Frontier would I find one?” Remian snorted.

“Try the airship that comes by every week. All of them need Wind Mages, don’t they?”

Remian paused. “That they do. They do, indeed.”

It was a sound idea. The problem was convincing the Wind Mage to teach him.

Maybe he could offer some sort of payment? Remian looked around. Other than the meat, all he really had to trade were the sword Vigil’s mom brought and Tan’s bow and arrows.

Maybe he could sell those off to Max, or even Mindy. Then he could use the money to pay the Wind Mage. What else could a Wind Mage want other than money? Magic items? Crystals? Remian didn’t have any of those.

But how much money would be required? For all Remian knew, paying the Wind Mage might require more money than building the wall!

Speaking of which… Remian glanced at the wall, considering.

“Yip?” Vigil stirred, woke up, then looked at him curiously.

“I should really do something about this wall.” Remian told him. “It really is useless as it is. Maybe I can hire workers… but of course, that will also cost money. It all comes down to coin, in the end.”

Saying that, he looked at the board again, then thought for a bit.

“Markus?” Remian called some minutes later. “I need to talk to the gang leaders! Can you tell me where to find them?”

He went to see them that very hour.