Seeing that the two were in agreent, Tangere nodded and continued the briefing.
"My Plague Zombies will shadow the main Undead Legion, acting as a screen to mop up any enemy vanguards that break through the lines."
"Branric, your Scarecrow division will integrate with the zombies. We provide mutual cover to minimize attrition."
"Caesar, your Sword and Shield warriors are on salvage and reconnaissance duty. They need to secure high-value corpses and loot while keeping eyes on the battlefield's flux."
Tangere was no stranger to coordinating mixed-unit tactics. He had cut his teeth fighting alongside the Stoneheart Horde's regular army, coordinating with Undead cohorts, Cave Spider swarms, and Sand Scorpion battalions. He knew the rhythm of this kind of warfare.
"Gentlen, make no mistake. We are marching into a at grinder."
Tangere leaned forward, his expression grave. "I expect my orders to be executed without hesitation. If I say run, you run. Don't think. Just move."
"I have no intention of dying on this battlefield, and I assu you share that sentint."
Caesar and Branric shook their heads in agreent. They were here to assist and gain combat experience, not to throw their lives away in a blaze of stupidity.
"Hey! Anyone ho?"
Just as Tangere was about to dismiss them, a youthful shout cut through the heavy atmosphere of the tent.
Tangere, Caesar, and Branric exchanged sharp glances.
They were situated in a small tactical tent, but it was pitched in the dead center of the command core. Random soldiers couldn't just wander in here. More concerning was the silence from their guards—no challenge, no alarm.
"Let's see who it is," Tangere said, taking point. He turned and swept the tent flap aside.
It was a girl.
She wore tribal war paint—two colorful stripes across her cheeks—and feathers woven into her hair. On her back, she lugged a beast-hide pack that looked big enough to fit a grown man. She was petite, her features obscured by the gri of travel and the paint.
"Hi there. I'm Aurora. I'm an Awakened, sent by Lord Kraken to assist you."
"We're going to be partners in this campaign. If you need anything done, just say the word."
Though she was undeniably female, her voice had a rough, boyish rasp to it. In fact, the first impression she gave the three commanders was that of a wild child—a tomboy who had lived her life in the bush.
"I'm Tangere. Co inside," Tangere said, his eyes narrowing slightly.
He had noticed a crucial detail: Aurora was standing exactly one inch outside the periter of their magical wards. She was technically in the public zone, which was why the sentry spells hadn't triggered. Yet, she had projected her voice directly into the tent.
She was smart.
Aurora was a newly ascended Legend rank, a Survivor who had clawed her way to Lordship.
"Thanks!"
The scene that followed was surreal.
The four of them had barely entered the tent when Aurora dropped her massive pack with a heavy thud. She rummaged through it and pulled out three fist-sized, glowing ores, shoving them into the hands of Tangere, Caesar, and Branric before they could even sit down.
"Local specialty from my domain. They're called Starflare Stones. Great for feeding to pets or mounts—high chance of triggering an elental awakening."
"First ti eting you guys, and I didn't have much else prepared. Just a little token. Hope you don't mind!"
There was no doubt about the value. These were rare reagents.
For Caesar and Tangere, who commanded biological forces, mounts and beasts were essential.
"This... I can't..." Caesar hesitated. The young warrior was honest to a fault.
He coveted the stone—he was already planning to ta a dragon beast, and this item would be invaluable. But he had co for war, not a social call, and his pockets were empty of anything worthy of a return gift. He felt ashad taking such a valuable greeting gift without reciprocation.
"We accept your generosity," Tangere interjected smoothly, saving Caesar the embarrassnt. "And these are for you."
Tangere produced three ornate wooden boxes and handed them to the girl.
"These are Plague Totem Poles. Plant them in your territory, and they create a sanctuary zone that grants immunity to most biological blights."
"Wow! Thank you!" Aurora didn't stand on ceremony. She snatched the boxes with a wide grin.
She was genuinely thrilled. Tangere's gift addressed one of her domain's most critical weaknesses. Her territory was dense with forest and wildlife, and her beast taming efforts were constantly plagued by strange, magical infections.
Internally, Aurora was doing a victory lap.
The Boss is a genius! The Kraken Playbook works every ti!
Trust in the Boss, get the goods! Hell yeah!
Deep inside, the inner Aurora was fist-pumping. This strategy of "lead with a bribe" was sothing she had learned directly from Kraken. Their shared philosophy was simple: proactive generosity was the fastest way to infiltrate a group and secure alliances.
Give a little, take a lot.
As Aurora bead, eyes curving into crescents, Caesar and Branric shot grateful looks at Tangere.
Tangere smiled but said nothing. He might have been a lone wolf in the past, but he knew the chanics of leadership. You couldn't be a Lord if you didn't know how to buy loyalty or smooth over social friction.
In truth, Tangere knew she was coming. Orion had briefed him, though he hadn't known her na or appearance. Orion had simply said a "probationary mber" was joining their cell and that Tangere needed to vet her capabilities.
"First off, Aurora, welco to the team."
"Now, I need a sitrep. What is your specialization, and what forces have you brought to the field?"
The atmosphere shifted instantly from social to martial. Even Aurora straightened her posture, the playful grin vanishing.
"Sir Tangere, I am a Beastmaster. I have brought ten thousand Quadrifur Brawnbulls, equipped with light barding."
"The Quadrifur Brawnbull is built for endurance and speed. They are capable of heavy charges, but their main utility is load-bearing. They can carry ten tis their own body weight at a full gallop."
She finished her report and stared at Tangere with wide, expectant eyes, like a student waiting for a grade.
Tangere's eyes narrowed in thought.
A unit that combined shock cavalry potential with heavy logistics.
Sending flesh-and-blood beasts like the Quadrifur Brawnbull into a direct charge against the horrors of this war would be suicide. Tangere wasn't about to let a new ally bankrupt her forces on day one.
He turned to Caesar.
"The Brawnbulls are a perfect force multiplier for your infantry," Tangere said, his voice carrying a subtle weight of instruction. "I suggest mounting your Sword and Shield warriors on her bulls."
"It transforms your unit into heavy dragoons. It gives you the height advantage for reconnaissance, drastically increases your salvage capacity, and improves your mobility."
"Furthermore, if a charge is absolutely necessary, a shield-wall cavalry charge is far more devastating than a stampede of unmounted beasts."
It was a tactical order, but also a hint.
This was Caesar's chance to build a true cavalry corps. If the boy was smart, he would take this opportunity to bond with Aurora's legion and learn everything he could about the Quadrifur Brawnbulls.
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