To Raise Them Up

“Scath Kokori.” 

I looked up from my desk, scattered with the latest reports from my spies and commanders on the front lines. Death tolls, enemy movements, proposed strategies. All of them thinly veiled with desperation, every one of them saying the same thing:

‘We are losing.’

With a simple gesture, I set them aflame as I looked at my right-hand man, Captain Adalyn Belos. Older and wiser than me, he had acted as a sure, guiding hand, and now that I was the one in command, he had been invaluable in both aid and criticism, often in equal measures. 

“Report.” I ordered, my captain moving inside the door and shutting it behind him.

“It’s here.” He said, those two simple words splitting my face with an eager smile as I swiftly stood, grabbing my sheathed blade and belting it on with all the impatience and fumbling of an inexperienced lover.

“Good, good.” I breathed, eyes bright. “Bring them to the Underdel. Have all members of The Guard here meet me there immediately.”

He saluted as I brushed by him, heading for the door. For any unfamiliar with the layout of my keeps, the Underdel would make no sense to hear. However, it was, for all intents and purposes, a citadel under the actual keep. Citadel. Underneath. Underdel.

Weird name aside, it wasn’t a standard with Ryotian design. However, my experiments ranged from ‘frowned upon’ to ‘absolutely forbidden,’ and this one was no different. It was unknown to all but other members of the Imperial Guard, and hidden away from prying eyes of the spies that I wasn’t foolish enough to not believe were hidden within my ranks. After all, what use were military officers that you couldn’t control?

The light in the Underdel was dim but constant. While it seemed to be cliché or bad design, it ensured that only those who knew the layout and had walked on the uneven floor previously were unhindered. If someone was stumbling around, it was a good sign that they weren’t supposed to be there.

Before long, I found myself joined in the large, oval room by several other individuals, all clad in the shining, segmented platemail of the Imperial Guard. Two men and one woman gave me inquisitive glances as they looked at the elongated box in front of me, but I simply stood patiently until Adalyn entered the room, nodded once at me, and then left, closing the heavy stone door behind him and activating the magical protections on the other side, for our security as well as the rest of the keep’s safety. 

“Alright, Kokori. Why in the Dark Forest did you drag us here?” The woman, Leiana, said with a brashness that made the corner of my mouth twitch in amusement. If most other people spoke to me in such a manner, the conversation would shortly turn into a bloodbath, but this trio was one of the few exceptions, as were the rest of the Imperial Guard. It was a close-knit  group, one that shared many secrets, and the rudeness was nothing to take offense at. 

In response, I gestured to the box. “I present to you how we’ll win the war on this front.”

The two men glanced at each other. The Second Guard, Kil Gathor, and his apprentice, they were a deadly duo, but the apprentice was still new to our ways. If it had been up to me, I would have left him outside, but Kil would never have allowed it.

“Kokori…” Kil said in a warning voice, but I simply gestured at the box again. He shook his head and made for it, sliding the lid off with effortless ease and stepping back to regard the contents.

“You’re shitting me.” Leiana said as she looked at the corpse. One of the soldiers killed on the front, his corpse was still in good condition, save for the arrow embedded in his throat. The apprentice of Kil’s looked confused, but the Second Guard just gave me a tired look. 

“Kokori.” The warning was sterner, with a bite to the edge of it.

“You’re not doing what I think you’re doing.” Leiana said in disbelief.

“Not yet.” I replied. “But soon. I have secured around three hundred corpses suitable for reanimation. All I need is the Guard’s help.”

“There’s no way you’re getting it!” Leiana snapped.

“Do not desecrate the dead.” Kil said, folding his arms. “Their souls must stay at rest.”

“And so they will.” I replied, beginning to pace, circling the trio with my hands behind my back. “During the Demon War, I discovered something…interesting.” I smirked. “The reanimated can’t use magic.”

“What does that-” Leiana said, cut off by Kil’s gesture. The harshness had gone from his face, replaced by a guarded curiosity. It only took a look to confirm he understood the significance of that statement. 

“Mitharen?” Kil’s apprentice whispered. 

“Magic is tied to the soul.” Kil replied, and I nodded.

“Indeed. It doesn’t matter how powerful the being was in life, magic can’t be used by a corpse. I can use the most potent magic available, but I cannot cast it through them, nor can they cast upon command. Death remains absolute. Souls cannot return. So, their souls will stay at rest, even as their bodies are used.”

“That doesn’t solve, oh, the desecration of the dead!” Leiana yelled, making me wince.

“Small space.” I commented, causing her to flip me off. “Can you honestly tell me that you believe their remains are being desecrated? Our soldiers pledged their bodies to our cause, and the enemies killed died fighting them. For one, it’s a continuation of an oath, and for the other, sweet justice.”

She began to protest, again silenced by Kil.

“Let him speak.” He said. She looked extremely unhappy at this turn of events, but stayed quiet.

“War sees any dignity the dying have ripped away.” I began. “The soldier killed in hand-to-hand combat sees only chaos, and agony, and death. Bodies are stacked upon bodies and left for the crows, and the lucky few have their remains recovered and buried. Most of the time, we simply recover their personal effects and send them to any surviving kin, and we reuse their equipment for the next hapless recruit. That being said…” My gaze darkened. “Moral arguments aside, we don’t have a choice. The High Command may not be able to directly interfere on the front, but the opposition at home has grown powerful. Petty politics have seen our support eroded, and we no longer have the manpower needed for a continued assault, a ploy to try and force peace.”

“And humiliate you.” Leiana commented, anger fading as she listened to my reasons. I acknowledged her point with a nod as she continued. “Returning to ask support would weaken your base, and leave the front unguided.”

“And a request for peace would see no further campaigns. Ever.” I finished for her. “My plan would be stopped in its tracks and this all would be for naught. Stagnation would return and our true enemy would find exactly what they want upon their return. A fragmented world, countries at odds with each other, and our own ruling council fractured and in a cloak-and-dagger war of its own. Again.”

“You really think corpses can change that?” She asked.

“They did before. The dead held the demons at bay until the world found its feet again.” I said, something that she clearly didn’t expect to hear.

“That’s classified.” Kil drawled, making the other two give him looks, his apprentice’s being one of confusion and Leiana’s one of suspicion. 

“Since when do we give a damn about classified?” I asked.

“Spill, greybeard.” Leiana growled.

“It was before your time.” He replied. “After the demon war, the military command discovered Kokori utilizing the undead in his army. They forced him to cease his magic and put the dead to rest, sealing the details. I was only an apprentice at the time, but I was one of those assigned to burning the bodies and disposing of the ashes.”

“So it will work. I have proof.” I told her. “I will utilize them as shock troops and raiders behind the lines. All the suitable dead I’ll gather, turning this front into a victory. When it’s over, the corpses will be released from the spell and disposed of.”

Slowly, Leiana nodded. Kil’s own nod came about a minute later, but it was short and certain. “What do you need?”

“I’ll handle the corpses. I’ll need you two to run interference with those back home and come up with some reasonable explanations for our successes.” I said.

“Done.” Kil said. 

“Don’t make us regret this.” Leiana warned.

“I never have.”

I gazed down at the corpse as they left. “I love how everyone thinks that the actual reanimation is the hardest.” I told it. “In reality, the argument to allow your creation is where the difficulty of raising the dead lies. Isn’t it?”

“Well, that was interesting.” Leiana commented as they walked into the sunlight once again.

“Indeed.” Kil replied as they were greeted by Captain Adalyn.

“Ser. Sera. Apprentice.” He said with a bow of his head. “I don’t see any injuries, so I assume an accord has been reached.”

“Indeed, Captain.” Kil said. “Your commander will have need of your assistance. Maker guide you.”

“And you, Ser.” Adalyn replied, saluting as he headed for the Underdel. Leiana shook her head once again, snorting with laughter.

“Kokori always did know how to surprise us. I guess we’ll see how well it goes this time.”

“I’ll handle informing the rest of the Guard and running interference.” Kil replied. “Please locate suitable operations for this new…asset.”

“Got it.” She replied, touching two fingers to her head in a lazy wave before heading off. Once she was out of earshot, Kil turned to look at his apprentice.

“Not. A. Word.” He ordered, catching the young man off-guard.

“Uh…Ser?”

“When you are in the Guard, you will find many secrets. Meetings like that are of the norm, even if the specific content of this one wasn’t. We support and protect each other, and one’s secrets are all’s secrets. Do not breathe a word of that meeting to anyone, not even the queen. That’s an order.”

His apprentice’s eyes widened. “But…that-that-that’s tr-tr-tr-tr-”

“It’s not. We do not answer to the crown.” Kil replied. “We do what is necessary to ensure the future of the Empire. You will learn this as you train. For now, trust in me, as I trusted in the one who trained me.”

“Yes, Ser.” Was the worried reply, but the determination Kil saw assured him that no word would be slipped.

“If anyone asks, tell them you’re not at liberty to discuss it, and say you’ll leave to fetch me.” He said, turning to head for the stables. 

They still had a war to win, after all.