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~~It strikes me that this chapter is rather short and consists of little but Leviath Stu firing his laser or however that meme goes. Give me a day and I'll see if I can remedy this.~~

OK, updated with Chapter 6. Also, we're at the point where we have to warn for Maren spoilers: if you're planning to play Maren cold, bail on Chapter 6 when Sionna talks about reading a book by lamplight.

5
Battleground

Magecraft was generally not spoken of in public - not in detail. Commonly known as "magic," it was thought of as a dark art that allowed the caster to fly up in the air or bend space and time. There were many forms of it devoted to such tricks, of course, but magecraft's basic nature was completely different.

Magecraft could tamper with the very fabric of the universe - it was, in other words, a manmade supernatural phenomenon that could bring about ends through artificial means. It harbored endless possibility - to the point where, theoretically, nothing was impossible.

Legend holds that its origins lie in the ancient past, invented by the first emperor, Rygius, he who subjugated and brought order to our universe. Its secret arts are passed down from master to pupil, and those who can wield them are called "mages." The field had its underachievers, but most mages were employed throughout the universe by kings and others in positions of power as prophets, alchemists, and military officers - or else sent as assassins to the battlefield or to enemy lands.

Lord Leviath, it was said, had achieved his current formidable level of power by training under Vahn, the great mage of legend. If it wasn't bizarre for such a talent to be leading a brigade of foot soldiers onto the battlefield, nothing was.

Cain became my teacher. He lectured me on martial strategy, magecraft, even government and economics...but he told not a thing about Lord Leviath. Nothing more than a halting "we are each like him in our own way."

How, I wondered, did Cain think himself to be like Lord Leviath? I myself had no idea. Perhaps it was connected to some unpleasant business.

~*~

Dawn broke on the second day - the day I was finally to join the battlefield. Pure white armor had been prepared for me, to go with the white saddle on my pure-white horse.

"Just like a little doll," Eugene offered with a smile.

Cain stood right behind me throughout the battle; I merely issued his directives as commands. Even then, his lieutenant Gaillard had to repeat my orders, as my little voice wouldn't carry across the field.

Even from afar, the other units were magnificent to watch. As I suspected, Gerhard's blue and Giovanni's violet squadrons led the charge to break the enemy lines. "Leviathan," the blue unit was called - it was composed primarily of Gerhard's former pirate associates. They were fiercely cohesive as a fighting force, their actions well-coordinated. Gerhard's fiery sister Maria even joined in the fight.

In contrast, Giovanni's Kirin was a surprisingly disciplined and effective cavalry unit. Giovanni himself, at the head of his troops, stood out like a peacock in his brilliant violet armor as he cut down enemy soldiers. One could not be deceived by his feminine appearance; he proved a most fluid and graceful god of war.

Providing support from the rear lines were the archers Cain and I led. The unit specialized in ranged attacks, but it also had the vital task of providing an up-to-the-minute situation report on the ongoing battle.

At the very rear, Lord Leviath surveyed the battleground, surrounded by a personal guard of soldiers in silver armor. Kiefar, one of his chiefs of staff, was close by his side, as was Eugene. Eugene's unit didn't seem to have taken part in the battle.

Several hours passed since the battle had been joined. The proceedings seemed, in a word, lopsided. To begin with, thanks to squabbling within the family of one of the feudal lords, the establishment troops outnumbered the opposition troops with whom we were allied five to one. As one can imagine, our front lines became more and more fractured as the pitched battle raged on, threatening to crumble.

Suddenly, in a cloud of dust, a cavalry unit of silver knights broke from our flank - Kiefar's Iceblade. I realized that there were intermingled with them soldiers clad in blue-grey uniforms instead of armor.

Then I heard it - a voice from behind me. I turned around, and Lord Leviath had one hand raised high. Then he brought it down, as if to point at one spot in the enemy lines. His eye gleamed with a frightening ferocity, and the gold within seemed to burn. Burn like fire...

The skies above the enemy ranks thrashed like a wild beast - then, in a heartbeat, burst.

"ATTACK!" Kiefar's sharp voice rang out across the battlefield.

The earth below seemed to quake with the soldiers' war cries. My own horse bolted to run with the tide.

The battle was over by the time I regained my bearings.

And I saw all the carnage, all the blood--

What had happened within the enemy ranks then was to me yet unknown.

All the bodies, all the flame--

Before my eyes lay enough death to last a lifetime - but as always, I didn't feel a thing.

All the savagery, all the--

This--this was magecraft!!

6
Shiva

Come nightfall, the army began to move west for a two days' march. I lacked the stamina to ride the horse all the way, so I slept, exhausted, in the supply wagon. I remember occasionally awakening to gaze blankly at the puffy white clouds stretched out across the blue sky, then falling asleep again amidst the scent of hay.

When I finally roused myself on the afternoon of the second day, Gerhard's troops - first Maria, then others - would bring me food and fuss over me in different ways. They were a rough bunch but fond of children and seemed to form a tight-knit community.

It was then that I was able to get the first glimpse of my new surroundings since I awoke. The battle-hardened troops around me continued their breathless march without pause; even Eugene, so delicate at first glance, marched on tirelessly. I was shocked.

Lord Leviath sat astride a magnificent black charger, continuing on alone somewhat at a distance from the rest of the troops. I wondered if it was safe for our commander to travel unguarded, but Giovanni greeted my question with outright incredulousness; he said that there was no need for worry, as Lord Leviath's skills in swordsmanship and magecraft were unrivaled in the army.

Behind us, I could see black shadows scattered about the road. I wondered who they were - whether they were lonely.

Late that night, our troop reached the national border. We were far from my home of Metamoria - we had reached the faraway neighboring country of Shiva. We were ordered to make camp and await further instructions while Lord Leviath and his two chiefs of staff were in negotiations with our next employer.

They returned after a week had passed. After another nighttime upheaval, we finally straggled across the border to an abandoned fort deep within the mountains. Enclosed by high ramparts and surrounded on all sides but the south by high cliffs, it was clearly built with defense in mind. We wiped off the dust and opened the shutters to let in some fresh air, boarded up the gaps in the stonework, and somehow, a castle that was nothing more than a ruin became livable.

I passed the time in intensive instruction with Cain. I knew it wouldn't be long until our next battle. This time, we would be aiding resistance fighters who were revolting against the misrule of their sovereign. I'd heard that Lord Leviath usually supported antiestablishment forces, minorities, revolutionaries - those against those in power. A great many of his soldiers believed that they were part of a force for justice, but I found that to be a simple misperception. There is no right or wrong in war. There is only death - like an antlion's pit.

Anyhow, I had no objection to my studies of the art of war; I viewed them as a challenging intellectual exercise. I was sufficiently motivated that I think I was able to put Cain's mind more or less at ease over the one-month deadline that so troubled him.

As for the other Knight Captains, Gerhard and Giovanni conducted military exercises in the mountains, drowning themselves in liquor and amusing themselves with their card games between occasional arguments. Nothing ever changed with them. Kiefar and Eugene rarely left their rooms; I often wondered just what they were doing in there. They really didn't seem to have much in common, but I'd occasionally spot them having tea together on the balcony.

The mysteries surrounding Lord Leviath only deepened. No one knew his movements; thanks to his teleportation skill, he could be anywhere. There was, however, one incident I witnessed late one night.

I was up reading a book by lamplight - I hadn't been able to sleep - when I heard the sound of an carriage pulling up to the front garden. Through the window, I saw a man in a cloak descend from the coach. I could tell it was Kiefar from the stiff way he carried his tall frame and the blond hair that shone in the moonlight. He held something large at his side.

It moved. It was a person - a young girl. Her hands were bound, her mouth gagged. Kiefar dragged her into the castle, easily overcoming what little resistance she was able to offer.

I've seen something I wasn't meant to, I thought to myself.

Judging from his character, I wouldn't think it above Kiefar to kidnap a girl from the nearby village and do unspeakable things to her. The man exuded a certain charm that was difficult to resist.

I wanted to watch. I wanted to see what kind of death this girl would meet.

Before I knew it, I was opening the door to my room and finding my way in my nightclothes to the dark, cold corridor outside. I fumbled my way down the hall, following the sound of Kiefar's footsteps. His even gait failed to stop at the entryway to his own room.

He rounded the corner and climbed a half-flight of stairs. His destination...was the solitary chamber reserved for the lord of the manor. Lord Leviath's room.

Kiefar gave a cautious knock. "I've brought her."

After a bit, the door opened a hair. Orange lamplight shone through the crack. Still holding the girl, Kiefar entered. I held my breath and hid behind a large candelabra.

As soon as the door closed, the girl unleashed a muffled scream, but only briefly - it cut off abruptly, and a inky black silence settled over the environs.

I remember that a long, long time passed to my mind.

I then heard a sound from within, and the door slowly opened.

"Lord Leviath!" Kiefar appeared, almost scampering out.

"You saw it yourself - a complete failure! Take the girl with you and get out!" Lord Leviath's voice came low from within; the irritation and bitterness in his voice was palpable. The girl's limp form was thrown into Kiefar's arms with a thud. Kiefar himself was sheet white.

"My deepest apologies......I should have known that no peasant girl's blood could revive Lady Elis. But next time...next time...!"

"Spare me your excuses. Bring the girl back to her home while it's still dark."

"Of course; this is no time for idle prattle. I'll clean up after the matter - see to the girl."

"You'll kill her, you mean......you intend to disobey my orders, Kiefar?"

"N, never!" Kiefar knelt to affirm his loyalty, but the door slammed square in his face.

Kiefar took the girl in his arms and left. I remained behind, frozen in place.

Girl's blood...Lady Elis...revive...failure.

Deep sorcery was being conducted in that room, I could tell. Lord Leviath had some sort of unspoken objective. Was it connected to his wanderings with a mercenary army?

I never told anyone what I saw that night. Not even Cain. I'd glimpsed an even deeper well of death than I could ever see through one mere murder. Here was the air of a deep secret - the scent of midnight, ever potent no matter how much time passed.