The Greatest Sin [Progression Fantasy][Kingdom Building] Chapter 688 – Drawing The Bow

I hate philosophy.

- Written by Goddess Kassandora, of War, after Helenna’s infamous “Not Your Desne” was published.

Agrita stood on the edge of the port-camp in Gracja. This region was forgotten entirely by Gracja, fad for its ancient marvels and fad for its hosting of Arcadia and Olympiada. There area was rocky and mountainous, there was only one small port town, the main road led along the highway. Evacuation orders had not been given to this country, most of the people had stayed where they were. That ant the soldiers and sailors had company at least. It wasn’t purely a military camp.

The hos sat low on the ground, sprawled out into the mountains although the port itself was grand. It wasn’t even Imperial, although so additions had been made by the fleet of course. Massive temporary piers had been floated to the coastline and nail in with massive wooden stakes. Several battleships were docked there, the Kassandora everyone in the Empire knew. It was featured on almost every Imperial Fleet poster, she recognised it from the massive bridge, the tall bow and the four turrets, three guns each. The Hallin and the Aris were also there, although admittedly, Helenna did not know her ships all that well.

There was also another disgusting amalgamation of ships. That had to be the platform which would transport the tower, it was a massive barge. Sailors were affixing ropes to it, several heavy cruisers, smaller than the grand battleships and with two turrets each, were anchored close to it. Those ships would probably be the engines for the barge.

But Agrita was not here to inspect ships, she would be on the docks if that was her job. Instead, she was here to et her two field commanders, officially, as Iliyal had said, although she preferred to think of them as friends. Saksma and Olonia were coming here soon. It was exciting, it was beyond exciting. It was a hocoming on sorts, a hocoming in no one’s ho, true, but hocoming indeed. Agrita could still rember the excitent they all had when they were together.

So Agrita stood underneath a grey sky and waited for there was nothing else to do. It wasn’t the natural greyness of winter, the clouds were dark with soot. Whereas the snowfall itself was still light, the flakes themselves were heavy. They didn’t have the gentle wayward drift of snow, instead falling down like rain and splashing into grey puddles. Several piles of the silt-like material had already been collected and pushed aside by the troops. At least they kept the town clean.

Agrita stood and waited. Olonia and Saksma were hiking here, from the closest station, instead of taking a vehicle. Why? She rolled her eyes. Why? Because they were stupid she supposed, but that was neither here nor there. They were stupid, and they were her friends, and thus she had to put up with them. So Agrita stood and waited for what felt like a full day.

And eventually, they did arrive. Two tall figures, one with hair of gold, the other of actual pure white snow, walking around a rock. They stopped and stared at the mounting fleet that Agrita had gotten so used to staring at she was sick of it already. The great floating steel castles in the dirty grey waters of her Eparika, made terribly dirty. Agrita didn’t wait for them to get close to her, these two idiots wouldn’t see her in the first place most likely. She imdiately started her trek towards them. Over a large rock, down a small valley carved out by water flows, up another.

The pair was still stood there, staring at the ships, when she arrived. Like Agrita, they had Imperial combat plate underneath the long coats. Those coats would be ditched as soon as the battle started, if it started. Hopefully it wouldn’t. “Hey!” Agrita called. “It’s good to see the both of you!” Frankly, she had been terrified of what Olonia would look like. Of Lubska herself had not rang once since her return from Ibya, but Saksma’s retelling of her condition made it seem like the woman had given up on life. Now though? Olonia stared at the ships, her eyes wide, her lips curved upwards in an almost wolf-like smile. It was almost as if Saksma had it in reverse, Saksma herself looked like the one who was about to keel over from fear and shock. Agrita made no attempt to hide the fact she was inspecting Olonia. “You look good.”

“Mmh.” Olonia said. Saksma pursed her lips.

“I wanted the hike. Sorry for making you wait.” Saksma said.

“Don’t worry about it.” Agrita said, inspecting Olonia again. She… Well her eyes were colder, that was true. The usual cheek wasn’t there, but Agrita was sure that her eyes had changed just as much. Once one saw n lying in the field after a battle, it was hard to retain the doe-eyed optimism that everything would be fine. “Are you up for it?” She asked.

Olonia gave a slow nod of agreent imdiately. It was Saksma who delayed, looking around nervously. Oh. Agrita finally understood the problem. They had all fought in Epan Separation, but Saksma had not fought in the Surface War against Tartarus yet. Not at all. She cocked her head to one side. “Are you up for it Saks?” She asked.

“Of course.” Saksma said. “If you’re going in, I’m going in.” Agrita bit her cheek to make sure she didn’t say sothing terrible and offhanded. That was the most hesitant agreent Saksma could have given.

“Do you know what’s going on?” Agrita asked. “I’m in charge, supposedly.” She stared at the two of them. “Supposedly. You have more experience than Olonia.”

Olonia gave a slower nod this ti. “It’s different though.” She said. “This is a full army.”

“Either way, you two are my friends, so I want your advice.” Agrita supposed she should be flat out with these two. Paida and Aliana wouldn’t need to be told, they would intuit it but this pair? Well, they could be dense sotis. “I trust you.” Saksma looked as if she was about to lt, Olonia’s smiled to herself.

“It’s still your command.” Olonia said.

“Olonia!” Saksma said. “Co on, you’re nicer than that.” She turned to Agrita. “I trust you too.”

Olonia raised her eyebrows and pursed her lips. “Do I have to say it?” She asked.

“You do.” Saksma said from her side and Agrita nodded.

There it was. That was the change Agrita had been expecting from Saksma’s reports. The old Olonia wouldn’t have to be prompted, the new Olonia sounded as if she was forcing it out. “I do trust both of you.” Olonia said.

“Really?” Agrita asked. Of Lubska sighed and nodded.

“I know how it sounds.” She said. “But really. But I have to see you in there.” She nodded to the ocean. Obviously not that, but the part of Rilia that lay underneath Ashen Skies. “It’s…” She shrugged. “I trust you can do it, but you know….” She trailed off. “It’s like knowing soone’s a good chef without ever tasting their food.”

Cooking, Agrita understood. And that taphor was perfect indeed. So chefs could be trusted straight up, Kassandora, Arascus for one. Olonia too, since the if soone doubted her leadership after Ibya, then they were nothing but a fool. But Agrita? She wasn’t even insulted. “Then I hope you dine well at the feast I will serve.” Agrita said.

“Do we know…” Olonia said and pointed to the barge. “I know there’s a tower involved. But...”

“That is my role.” Agrita said. “Tremali gave a list of beaches and I can choose one. We just have to raise it. I was hoping to plan it with the two of you.” Well, with Olonia more. Saksma was an unproven commander still, but that part didn’t need to be voiced.

“The ICDT tower.” Saksma said to both of the other Goddesses’ surprise. “There’s a cohort of mages coming. Maybe Elassa will be in the area? That’s not a promise though.” She sounded proud of what she said, maybe even proud of the fact that Agrita obviously looked surprised. Elassa? Since when was Elassa part of the plan.

“What?”

Saksma nodded and tapped her nose smugly. “Lookie here, looks like both of you didn’t know that.” Olonia shrugged and Agrita slowly shook her head from side to side. No, that, she did not know whatsoever. There was no play at even trying to hide it.

“Do you know when it’s coming here?” Agrita asked. She looked to Olonia, who just shrugged and then to Saksma, who made a nervous smile.

“Soon. Malam is bringing it, apparently.” She said.

“Malam!?” Agrita asked, even Olonia was surprised. “What?”

“The SIS is escorting it.” Saksma said.

“How do you even know that?” Olonia question’s was about as pleasant as a thorn wrapped in ice.

“I…” Saksma turned red for a mont. “I asked Arascus?” She said it as if she didn’t believe it herself.

“You asked Arascus?” Agrita repeated. “What? You just rang him like this?” She mid putting a phone to the side of her head, fist balled, little finger and thumb both extended. “Hey boss, so what are we moving and how is it being moved?” Saksma made a stupid smile.

“Ahh…” She said. “Basically, yeah.”

“BASICALLY!?!” Agrita scread.

“What?” Saksma asked.

“You an you just rang Arascus straight up and questioned him?” Olonia explained it in better terms that Agrita ever could. “And he didn’t tell you to stop wasting his ti?”

“He told not to ring again unless it was important but yeah.” Saksma said. “What?! He’s nice!” And finally, sothing within Olonia flared up. Agrita saw it even through sheer bafflent of what she was just hearing from Saksma. Was that humour? Teasing?

“Oh look at that.” Olonia practically purred. “A few phone calls and you’re already on the stage where you can’t say anything but the fact he’s nice?” She chuckled to herself. “My my Saksma, you’ve set yourself a high goal indeed.”

Saksma blinked as she processed the words, then turned to Olonia. “Excuse ?” She said coldly. “What?” Olonia smiled smugly, closed her eyes and shook her head. Her white hair was a cape of snow behind her. And her tone was terribly cheeky. It even made Agrita’s blood boil when she heard it.

“Nothing, nothing, it’s just nice to see.”

Saksma turned red, then crimson, her eyes shot wide and Agrita stepped away. She did not like her friends arguing. “It was about you for one! Because you’ve been all but dead for how long?! I worried and worried and what? This is the thanks I get?!”

Olonia smiled and shook her head. “No, you’re wonderful for worrying.” Olonia said. “I’m just surprised you have a direct line to Arascus.” Saksma rage did not cool even by a single degree.

“Oh now you don’t want to talk about it! What? Are you suddenly fine Olonia? Has standing at your balcony cured you now?! That’s all it took!?” Olonia stared at Saksma for a mont, then said nothing. Instead, she leaned forward, stood on her tip toes to sling her arms over the taller Saksma’s shoulders and ca close.

“You’re the best Saksma.” Olonia said quietly. “And I would not have done it without you. And you’ll have to do it again, and I know you will.” She took a deep breath. “I’m on the verge of falling apart right now, so please, just let joke about sothing stupid.” Saksma stood there, utterly stunned. Her eyes went wide.

“Alright.” She said quietly. “Alright. Sorry.” She took a deep breath. “I didn’t want you to go back in. I still don’t.”

“I know.” Olonia said. “But I have to, and if it’s going to be with anyone, then it’s going to be with you.” Agrita pursed her lips. Great. And she herself? What was she now? Third wheel to this arrangent? Saksma must have felt the consternation, or maybe Agrita was just easy to read. She extended an arm out to include Agrita in the hug.

Of Rilia joined the pair, putting her arms around the two of them. She was the shortest. It wasn’t that bad when compared to Olonia, but Saksma had a full head over her. She squeezed into the hug. And for a mont, they could have been on a Rilian field, under the sumr sun, with the sll of warm bread wafting in. Or maybe in a Doschian town, each with a mug of beer. Or maybe in Lubska, sitting that smooth grass of theirs and joking and laughing with each other. For a brief hug, the war stopped for Agrita. Hopefully, it stopped for Saksma and Olonia too.

“There’s five of us.” Olonia said “And there’s three of us here.” She said. “And I’m not going to let the five beco four.”

“No.” Saksma said. “Five will not beco not four.”

“Don’t even say that.”

Soon ca sooner than of them had expected. The conversation was jagged. Olonia did not hesitate to speak, but she did not speak much when she did. Saksma and Agrita had to do most of the talking. And sohow, Olonia ended up apologizing to Agrita too, for the fact that she said she said she didn’t trust her leadership skill. Agrita had not taken it into offence then, the apology was just baffling. Then to Saksma again, for making her worry. Then apologizing for the apology. It was stilted, but at least it hadn’t been the nightmare scenario that Saksma had talked about, where Olonia simply refused to communicate.

But soon interrupted their conversation. Malam appeared over the horizon in an entrance that only Malam could do. The Goddess of Hatred stood at the head of a convoy, a pair of tanks by her sides. She turned around a corner near the shore. Behind her were SIS armoured vehicles, heavy APCs with six wheels each. Each one with a turret on top. And then ca the ICDT tower.

“Wow.” Was all Agrita could even say as she stared slack-jawed at the monolith of steel painted silver and white, bearing the heraldry of the Empire and of Rilia. Tower One was written down the side in huge bold letters. Agrita had expected sothing like a flagpole. Maybe as tall as a lighthouse. Sothing that…

Well, not a needle that was as wide as a bus was long and as tall as a skyscraper. She swallowed a nervous globule of spit. Saksma stared at it in awe. Olonia shook her head. “Where moving that?” Saksma finally broke the silence. “Raising it I an?”

“I…” Agrita didn’t know what to say. There better be a full company of mages. It was mounted on a land-train, a massive wagon that slowly pulled the entire structure spread across ten wagons. “I think so?”

And Olonia ca in to save them. “Do you think we can’t?” She asked quietly.

“Of course we can.” Saksma said, although she sounded as if she could be saying that the sky was green.

“When I was in Ibya.” Olonia said. “There was no escape, Arascus did the impossible and broke the Ashfront.” She nodded towards the tower. All we have to do is lift that into place. I don’t think it compares.”

Agrita and Saksma didn’t have to speak when they glanced across Olonia at each other. Was that supposed to be motivation?