And the hellish spawn enslaved the Sons of Man
Those weak in spirit went into the service of demons
And the weak began to feed the Enemy of the Human Race with their souls
"Book of Sorrow"
Verse XXVI
Nox blinked at me as if I'd asked him to calculate a long-range interstellar jump. I stared at the elder unflinchingly, deliberately ignoring his huffing son beside him. That didn't mean I wasn't keeping tabs on him.
My brain instinctively tracked the movements and behaviors of every being within reach. Decades of war had ingrained that habit so deeply into my blood that I couldn't shake it even if I wanted to. But I didn't want to.
The conditions of my awakening didn't exactly set me up for a quiet retirement and peaceful old age. What was it the Council overseer had said? "You'll be awakened in case of a new threat to Humanity"?
Looks like my alarm clock broke, and the bigwigs in the Confederation Hall screwed it all up. Now I'm left to clean up the mess. I just need more information. But my source wasn't exactly forthcoming.
"Well?" I growled gruffly, and Dog's face twitched, hinting at an angry scowl. The kid clearly wanted to set things right. "Forgot where you live, old man?"
"Well, uh…" Nox bleated, flustered. "We all live on the ground. Walk under the sky, and under the Masters."
"And under the Raiders, and anyone else who just looks at you sideways," I said mockingly. The elder rubbed me the wrong way. We'd fought for our race, sacrificed ordinary civilians for victory, and died ourselves so the rest could live. But those "rest" had turned into spineless slime, worse than lyrdagi dung. "Name of the planet? Or do you not even know that?"
"Earth!" Dog finally snapped, spitting the word with contempt. "We live on Earth, stranger. Guess your brain's pretty scrambled if you can't even remember that. Or are you playing us?"
"Earth…" I drawled, eyeing the riled-up kid with interest. "That's a very interesting name. Do you know what it means, boy?"
I'd fought on the frontlines for over fifty years and undergone the Ideal modification well past my youthful idealism. I was likely older than anyone in this village and could afford to talk like this. And I knew damn well it'd piss Dog off.
The kid flared his nostrils and lurched forward, but Nox stepped between us. The elder shot me an apologetic look and quickly rattled off:
"He's telling the truth, Achilles. We're on Earth, and we don't know any other name for our home. Earth feeds us and protects us—whatever the smart folks call our world doesn't matter to us."
Earth… The Confederation's main planet had been encased in a solid crust of megacities long before the era of space travel. Greenery there was confined to reyz-food generators and the estates of the wealthiest citizens.
I'd have had to lie in cryosleep for who-knows-how-many years to find a log cabin made of real wood and a field of grass bigger than the Senate building's lawn in humanity's cradle. And yet, here it was—and more.
I looked past my two conversationalists. Mountains rose in the distance. A dense forest band hugged the base of the range, while a field dotted with copses stretched out before it. Above it all hung a bright blue sky and a slightly reddish star. That definitely wasn't the Sun.
A Class One planet. No doubt about it. Either the effects of terraforming had long faded—which seemed unlikely—or this was natural. The landscape was cohesive, the vegetation native. The ecosystem was homegrown…
So I was somewhere on the periphery. All planets of this caliber were tightly accounted for. Perfect conditions for humans were rare as hell in the cosmos.
Movement snapped me out of my thoughts. I reacted faster than I could process the situation. The freshly polished sword shifted just ten centimeters, its tip now aimed at the threat. I was ready to kill in an instant.
"Let's go, Father," Dog said, throwing me a hostile glance. The kid didn't even realize he'd been a hair's breadth from death. His impulsive step toward me could've ended badly. "We need to calm the people and get out. No point wasting time on this stranger. He doesn't have long left anyway."
"Why's that?" I asked immediately. Dog had spoken with too much certainty—enough to make me take notice.
"Well, uh…" Nox mumbled.
"Let's go, Father," Dog repeated insistently, giving me an odd look—like a trader sizing up goods for a deal. "Maybe it'll work out still…"
"Yeah," the elder nodded rapidly, turning to follow his son. "Maybe we'll get off with a little blood."
More like someone else's blood. I hadn't planned to go with the locals initially, but now I noticed something interesting. No one had invited me.
People were frantically grabbing their belongings and heading to the village outskirts. A crowd of about thirty had already gathered there. They took only the essentials, carrying everything on their backs. Nothing heavy. As if they planned to return soon…
And they were leaving me behind in the village. In plain sight. The lone stranger who'd caused the deaths of three Raiders. The conclusion? New guests would be arriving shortly.
"Stop!" I said quietly. My body was responding better now, and my voice came back first. Both men froze mid-step but didn't turn. "I asked a question."
"Who the hell are you to ask anything?!" Dog roared, spinning around. "Do you even realize what you've done?"
"Killed three bastards who were robbing you," I replied calmly. "Who raped your women and beat your father."
"You killed Raiders!" Dog spat. "Raiders from Wolf's gang! You've put us all in danger. And now you dare order my father around?! By what right?!"
The kid was big. He had that rural brawn—not honed by rigorous training, but natural. Like a wild beast, strong by instinct. I'd seen descendants of ancient Earth bears on remote planets. Dog reminded me of one now—bristling, feral, ready to pounce.
To an outsider, he'd look imposing and terrifying, especially against a lone, gaunt man. But this bear didn't know humans had hunted beasts for millennia. And killed them…
"By the right of the only man with balls in this village," I replied serenely. That dumb provocation was all it took.
Dog charged. Arms spread wide, ready to crush and smother his opponent. Head slightly lowered. Shoulders tense. Steps broad and wasteful.
Seven meters separated us. Plenty of time to size him up and set the sword aside. My physical condition was still crap. Bare hands wouldn't cut it.
I pulled a small log from under the bench and shifted my weight to my stronger leg. In one hand, a rag stained with Raider blood; in the other, a knotted chunk of wood. One moment, two…
I flung the rag at his face and launched myself toward him. Dog didn't falter. My calculations were spot on. The kid was too confident in his strength—a big mistake in his case.
I caught him on his second-to-last step, practically midair. Defending in that position was damn near impossible. He weighed a ton and had built up serious speed. The flat end of my makeshift weapon rammed into his solar plexus, and it took everything I had to keep hold of the log.
I stepped aside. A massive body thudded heavily to the ground beside me. Dog was tough as hell—he didn't even pass out. Just gasped desperately for air, eyes bulging.
"I asked a question," I said coldly, picking up my rag and sitting back on the bench. "Why's my time short?"
Nox stared helplessly at his son wriggling on the ground, not even thinking to protest. The other villagers stood quietly at a distance, waiting for the conversation to play out. That a stranger was beating one of their own didn't faze them. Sheep, through and through… What the hell had happened to reduce my race to this?
"Raiders don't travel alone," Doe said unexpectedly. The girl stepped out from behind the cabin's corner and stopped at a safe distance, eyeing me warily. She wore a different dress—intact but just as drab and gray. A scrape from Squab's blow marked her cheek. "Never. When they come for tribute, Wolf sends a big squad. Those… those three were just advance scouts."
Despite her fear, she spoke firmly. Something had shifted in her since the fight with the Raiders—like a flicker of long-forgotten pride awakening in a soul beaten down by hard labor and brutish treatment.
"Details," I prompted. Dog finally caught his breath and clambered up awkwardly. He avoided looking at me, but I could feel his hatred radiating. He knew I could've killed him and didn't. He should've realized that and softened up, but something went wrong. Or maybe I didn't know enough about this kid. Entirely possible.
"Boar and the other 'forager' commanders split up with their men to hit the villages," she replied as I watched the battered kid retreat. Nox lent Dog a shoulder, and the pair hobbled toward the other villagers. I didn't stop them. "The main squad waits at a set location. Messengers relay Wolf's orders and return, then we bring the tribute where they tell us. The Seniors take it there."
"Seniors?" The word hit me hard. It meant too much to me. Most of my subordinates had been Seniors—humanity's army backbone. The force that stalled the lyrdagi invasion, buying time to create our ultimate weapon: the Ideals.
"Yeah," she nodded quickly. "Boar's one of them. Strong warriors. They lead the Raiders. Terrifying and unbeatable in battle."
She stumbled on that last bit, and I winced inwardly. The "unbeatability" of these warriors was already clear. The Raiders' fearsome image was as far from reality as the lyrdagi homeworld was from Earth.
The only thing these bandits shared with the Seniors was the name—and they didn't deserve it. But some echo of the past must've lingered through the generations. The first wave of reyz-energy-modified soldiers had been paragons of honor and courage. Career officers, the army's elite. Now the title graced scum with homemade swords, ready to beat and rape women.
Some of my emotions must've shown on my face. Doe shrank back a step, poised to bolt.
"Don't worry," I smiled warmly. "You've got nothing to fear from me. You stopped at handing over the tribute. Ever seen the process yourself? Know what to do?"
"It won't work, stranger," she shook her head. "You can't trick the Raiders. Boar was supposed to return to the main squad and report the tribute size. If he doesn't show…"
"They'll come here in force and punish you all," I nodded, getting it. "Know how long they'll wait for Boar to come back?"
"No," she shook her head again. "But they don't usually leave right away. They drink, eat… entertain themselves…"
Her voice cracked on that last word. I'd already seen some of the Raiders' "entertainment" and doubted it varied much. I felt a pang of pity for the girl, but I couldn't overhaul this world's rules overnight. Still, I was here now. The rest was fixable.
"Where's the elder planning to go?" I asked next, and she suddenly dropped her gaze.
"I don't know," she said uncertainly.
"Got it," I smiled. I didn't buy her words for a second. The girl was scared—of me, the elder, the Raiders, everyone. Right now, I was her biggest fear. I'd have to work with that. "You know, people usually lie for two reasons. When they're afraid, or when they want something. See the difference?"
"Not really," she replied timidly. She didn't know how to react. I wasn't demanding answers, accusing her of lying, or threatening her, but I'd flat-out said she wasn't telling the truth. The simple life here bred simple solutions. Maybe I was wasting my time, but I needed at least one loyal person who knew the local ways.
"It's easy in the first case," I continued calmly. Nox was saying something to the crowd in the distance, pointing my way now and then. Doe was clearly uneasy about the elder's words but didn't rush off. "Someone deceives another to gain something—praise, a discount, profit, info… Lots of options. They choose to lie and own the consequences. Clear?"
"Yeah," she answered softly.
"The second case is trickier," I went on. "Fear comes in all shapes and sizes. Fear of death, punishment, for loved ones' lives… The key is, you can understand their position and meet them halfway. Help them overcome it, share the burden. Clear?"
"Yeah," she nodded, more confidently this time. That dumb alias "Doe" hovered over her head, sticking out like a sore thumb. Building trust always starts small.
"What's your name?" I asked.
"Doe," she replied, puzzled.
"Your real name?" I clarified.
"Yeah," she nodded quickly, then bit her lip. It took just a few seconds. "Irma. That's what they called me… at home…"
"You've got a beautiful name, Irma," I smiled warmly. "Tell me what you're afraid of."
She darted a quick glance at the crowd. I followed her eyes and spotted Dog's still figure. He was watching our conversation—or rather, her. Only now did I realize the villagers had all gathered. But for some reason, they couldn't leave without Irma.
The whole time we talked, I'd been feeding data into my BAS (Battlefield Assessment System), and it was sorting it neatly. Preliminary results flickered through my mind:
She'd said she wasn't local. The villagers were waiting for her—not me. They were heading into the forest to ride out the danger.
Meanwhile, the main Raider squad would come here. Eliminate the threat, punish the culprit and anyone involved. Me. Not right away—maybe closer to evening or morning.
After that, Nox would likely go grovel to Wolf himself, begging forgiveness. The villagers would return and resume their normal lives. Everyone's fine with that. Except me.
Analysis complete
Estimated enemy squad size: 20–35
Estimated mobile group count: 3–5
Likelihood of full squad arrival: 27%
Likelihood of reinforced patrol arrival: 79%
Estimated arrival time: 7–17 standard hours
Likelihood of civilian casualties: 89%
Civilian evacuation recommended
Likelihood of pursuit by enemy mobile groups: 68%
Preliminary combat potential assessment: Required reyz-energy for threat elimination—425 units
Calculating energy matrix selection…
Warning! Current reyz-energy reserve insufficient! Connection to Central Core or external replenishment required!
That wasn't good. The BAS rarely got it wrong. Jumping into a fight now would be a mistake. I needed time to recover. Maybe more energy. Handling a big group would be tough. I needed enough RE (reyz-energy) for at least Regen. In my current state, avoiding wounds was unlikely.
"I need to go," Irma broke the prolonged silence. "They're waiting for me."
"Of course," I smiled warmly. "Take care."
"Thanks," she said, slipping past me.
"By the way," I mused aloud, and she slowed. "About your fears… What'll you do when the Raiders come for you at your real home? That's where you're taking the villagers, right?"
She stopped and turned to me slowly. Her eyes held the agony of a tough choice. But I believed she'd make the right one.
"What do you suggest?" she finally forced out.