Chapter 30: Chapter 23: To Live and Change

Janine had to run to keep up with Devoured and Ravager, who traveled at a leisurely pace. A hill, a protruding rock, a steel pipe—anything that ended up in front of Devourer had become a part of a flattened road, compressed by his incomprehensible bulk. Ravager punched holes in everything in her path, rather than leaping over jagged rocks. Devourer shifted his body, coiling closer to Ravager, and the commander picked up the game, folding her arms behind her back and standing upright, slowing her pace to a stroll. The two walked in a show of unity for the armies, and Janine caught up.

The illusion was shattered when they crossed ten kilometers and reached a canyon that encircled parts of the mountain range. Ravager leaned against a mountain, and Devourer hissed, his shadow dancing over the commander. It took Janine a moment to realize that the Second Army commander was shaking with rage.

“Are you trying to upstage me?” He thundered, and the politeness and warmth washed out of his voice. His baritone echoed through the canyon below the group.

“I simply followed the Dynast’s order, Devourer.” Ravager released her claws, licking something off of them. “The bitch was a threat. Now there is no bitch.”

“Except for the one before me.” He struck.

In her long life, Janine has seen city walls fall, some of them crushed by her own axe. She’d seen entire mountain ranges engulfed in flames, their sides melting from the intense heat and collapsing under the weight of a never-ending artillery barrage. What she had not seen was a mountain disappear from her sight. And Devourer did just that. His lower half moved so fast that her eyes simply failed to register the movement; only the throbbing pain in her eardrums and the shockwave crashing against her alerted her to the titanic moment when the tail connected with Ravager’s chin, cracking the mountain. The rift of destruction widened, splitting the mountain in two. Before the warlord could raise her paws to protect herself, the commanders swapped the stones that were falling on Janine.

“Apologies for the outburst, warlord,” Devourer said. “The Dynast gave us the order to take the city together!” His voice silenced the fallen avalanche. “We were to surround the city properly, cut off all escape routes, and bombard it into the stone age.”

“And how many people would’ve died?” Ravager asked, wiping her chin.

“And how many of our soldiers had died?” Devourer replied. “I reviewed the report, Ravager! The bastards tortured and murdered our emissary. Why did he even go in there?”

“He insisted on doing his duty…”

“I am sure the feeble Ravager couldn’t restrain a mighty Normie,” Devourer sneered.

“Techno-Queen had planned…”

“Something to slaughter us all; yes, it is obvious to anyone with half a brain.” Devourer rolled his eyes. “Scanners could’ve pinpointed the bomb’s location, and the sheer firepower of four heat rays fired by the crawlers’ main cannons would’ve melted her throne room, shield or no shield.”

“Along with the hostages,” Ravager said quietly.

“Along with the hostages.” Devourer nodded. “Tragedy and mercy. We wage war, Ravager. People can die. Techno-Queen was never a threat. She was simply a relic from an era that stubbornly refused to die, existing solely to add to my peerless legacy. You stole this triumph from me because you refused to wait for my arrival…”

“Your fault for being so slow, weakling.” A splash of Ravager’s blood landed between Devourer’s eyes.

He froze and closed his huge eyelids. Hearing the rattling sound of Devourer’s tail and the fur rising on Ravager’s neck, Janine lunged forward, landing between the commanders and kneeling.

“Blessed Mother, Commander Devourer, cease this aggression! Our armies stand near, extending a comradely paw to each other. It won’t do for either of you to shatter our sisterhood out of pure childishness.” I am dead. Janine decided, as their combined irritation focused on her. Might as well go all out. “Yes, childishness! For what reasons do you act like a cub who’s been denied her first treat? Commander Devourer, your ingenuity has led to the founding of some of the most prestigious cities in the state; why should you worry about missing out on a humble snack unworthy of the title of settlement? Once the Blessed Mother toppled the tyrant, her people willingly joined our ranks. I imagine that if we had bombarded them mercilessly, the situation would have been different, and if Iterna had recorded us conducting a more traditional siege, they might have used these materials to sow discord in our ranks instead. Commander Ravager, I understand your dedication to keeping our allies safe, but Commander Devourer has a point! If the Dynast had ordered us to work together, we should have worked together! At the very least, you should have informed him of the change in plans.”

They glared at her. Two godlike beings, annoyed that an ant has barged into their business. Janine could almost sense Ravager’s lips parting, revealing deadly fangs ready to pierce her skin for daring to take the initiative. Devourer’s silent disapproval was just as palpable. But she didn’t care. Soldiers must see their leaders united, never attacking each other in public. What was allowed for warlords and lower ranks wasn’t allowed for Ravager or Devourer, and by the Spirits, she will make them see the reason, or perish trying!

“Janine,” Ravager said. To calm herself, she placed a paw on her head. “Our duty demands the utmost sacrifice from us all…”

“Oh, be silent for a moment, gnat,” Devourer hissed, taking a deep breath that tugged at Janine like the pull of a sandstorm. “On principle, I agree with you, warlord. However, there is a larger issue at play here. Do you see these things?” Devourer’s head came down, stopping before Ravager. He turned his head to the left and right. “Do you know what they are called? Eyes! Anyone with eyes can see that you are reflexively lashing out at everything and everyone in your path in the misguided hope of being destroyed.”

“How dare you?” Ravager’s muscles flexed, the skin of her neck and arms inflating like balloons. “You forget your place…”

“It is above you, now and forever,” the Second’s commander replied smugly.

“Is that so?” Ravager’s voice dropped to a whisper. “You lost the last time.”

“It doesn’t count.”

“What?!” Ravager blinked, more confused than angry. “Why?!”

“Because I didn’t win. Stay silent, woman; I haven’t finished talking. Sure, I’d have liked nothing more than to see your wreck get its comeuppance, but alas, the men and women who were so foolishly placed under your command deserve none of this shit. Look at the state of your forces. Open your eyes and see, Ravager! Power armor is falling apart, your warlords are wearing filthy rags, medicine is in short supply, wounded and dying everywhere, and soldiers are forced to scavenge like looters! Where are your supply lines? For once in your miserable life, understand what you are causing for the people under your command, insolent child!” Devourer’s head rose. “I do not know what the hell happened in your life to make you like this, and frankly, I do not care. The past has come and gone. It can’t hurt you; it has no control over you; only the present and the future matter. But if you want to act like a petulant child in need of a punishment, fine, I’ll treat you like one. I had a little talk with Dynast, and you are grounded, bitch! You may speak.”

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“What do you mean by this, Devourer?” Ravager asked cautiously.

“Why, the Third Army—the entire army, mind you—is to be stationed in Houstad. It is time for you to see what you have helped to build.” A hint of genuine warmth crept into Devourer’s tone, replaced by a mocking tone almost as quickly as it came. “Officially, the Third Army is to help the regional defense forces keep the peace. Unofficially, you are to resupply and replenish their numbers. And you are to rest. No killing allies, no sneaking into other regions to hunt or fight; just stay, sleep, or finally start acting like an adult and try to educate yourself to become someone worth looking up to. You can even call me; I’m a good listener and won’t judge, truly.”

“You have no right to do this to me, Devourer. You owe me for the Restoration Pact! I’d supported you! I helped however…” Ravager stepped forward and stared intently at the massive, serpentine figure. There was fear in her eyes. Fear not of Devourer, but of something else.

“And for that, I am eternally grateful to you, Ravager. However, my obligation to you does not excuse me from permitting you to reduce your army to nothing in order to satisfy your pitiful need for misery. Sort yourself out and leave the war to the professionals.” Devourer glanced at the distant city. “The old-timers are all the same. Cowards and idiots, resigned to a single role, handicapped by their past. Yet here I am, armless and legless, enjoying life, unlike you. I live instead of existing. Even your own children have changed, and in that they have surpassed you,” the serpentine New Breed said, nodding at Janine. “The day will come when the Wolf Tribe’s cubs will attend schools in the Core Lands and study alongside the Ice Fangs, and that is final.”

“Would that be true,” Ravager mused. “What a life it would be. You need me. I… This is all I know.”

“Learn something else,” Devourer said mercilessly. “Do not fall too far behind your children. Face the world you helped build, marvel at its excellence, and find a place for yourself in it! Or crawl away like a coward and prove me right.”

“You don’t get it! You haven’t seen what the people do in these regions! You have no idea how they operate or what they can do to your soldiers! Your conventional methods will spell disaster for your troops.”

“People are the same everywhere. Just because the fools in this region pride themselves on their brutality does not make them special. Civilization has always devoured barbarians in the end,” Devourer cut her off, smirking smugly. “Take Crimson Plague, for example, and his fire cult. They’ve been burning hundreds each month, raiding and pillaging everything in sight. So I have burned Crimson Plague and forced his forces to kneel on my way here. All without firing a single shot.”

“But.” Ravager drooled uncontrollably on the ground. “Crimson Plague is immune to flame.”

“Was. Also, flame is not the only thing that can set your body alight, my friend. Poison, carefully injected into his food by my agents, did just that to his nerves. This led to him experiencing excruciating pain, rolling around, and screaming for mercy. Since he had denied it to others, it too was denied to him, and he perished ignobly,” the commander laughed. “I am Devourer, and I am anything but conventional! I can adapt to anything, for I am the one who will ascend to the position of Grand Commander of the Reclamation Army. It is my destiny to command you and Outsider, to bring the will of the Dynast to every corner of this planet! No one is my equal! I will save humanity and bring it under the Dynast’s rule! Tales of my glory will ring forevermore! Now sit on the sidelines and watch how a true professional prosecutes the reconquest swiftly and efficiently. Never again will you dare to steal my thunder, Ravager.” He turned to Janine. “My apologies for the pompous speech; I still occasionally lose a hold of myself. No matter, nothing gets perfect without putting in work. Say, how about serving under someone competent for a change?”

“Commander Ravager is competent, sir.” Janine stood at attention. “Her methods may be unorthodox, but she brings results. And I can’t leave my pack or the villages in my care.”

“The more, the merrier, I say!” Devourer’s smile grew wider. “Bring them all; the Second could use your expertise.”

“Our loyalty is to the Blessed Mother and to the tribe, Commander,” Janine responded. “The Blessed Mother delivered us from demise, and to her, and it is to her and the Tribe that we owe our very existence. This is not a debt we can ignore or discard.”

“Ack, this stinks.” Devourer glanced at Ravager. “About that pet project of yours. I’ll foot the bill.”

“Till Ingo has already agreed to treat them for free,” the Blessed Mother responded.

“How in… Never mind. Hop on, comrades!” He slapped his back with the tail. “Drinks are on me! First one down… loses!”

“Challenge accepted, Devourer.” Ravager smiled.

****

“How are you?” Janine asked Martyshkina. She wanted to ask, ‘Are you okay?’ but that question felt hollow even for her.

Marty wasn’t okay. It was as clear as day. The warlord had ordered her pack to board the crawler, while she forced herself to joke and brag. Her laugh sounded strained even to Janine’s ears, who followed the warlord after their packs had settled in.

“I… don’t know.” Martyshkina stood on a small observation platform atop the crawler’s spire, staring at the distant sun. She raised her trembling paws. “It’s cold. And painful.”

“Your daughter,” Janine stated, stopping beside her. Marty had lied to her earlier, saying everything was fine.

The crawler was on the move, circling the city. The machine was so large that a simple turn in place required a much larger berth than the camp could provide without risking crushing the soldiers of the Second Army.

Laughter and cheers filled the air. The Second Army brought large vats of nutrient paste, hermetically sealed. Devourer no longer lived up to his name; he preferred regular cuisine and never tasted human flesh. On this day, he allowed the soldiers to sample the exquisite dishes synthesized by the feeder and ordered them to bring out his personal stash of alcohol. Champions of both armies accepted the challenge, renewing the oaths of sisterhood and brotherhood, and soon drunken bodies littered the plains, often embracing in their slumber, while two demigods continued to fight, surrounded by the awe of soldiers on both sides.

Ravager and Devourer gulped down bottle after bottle, threatening to deplete the Second Army’s supplies. The Blessed Mother’s belly had disgracefully bloated, turning into a barrel of flesh. Yet she persisted, somehow managing not to burst as she kept pace with the larger opponent, her body digesting the alcohol as quickly as it poured in.

First cringed, not even trying to explain to the Iternians what was going on. Alpha lied, claiming it was part of the Reclamation Army’s national games.

“I can’t stop thinking about the last battle… About… My cubs, Jani,” Martyshkina choked out the words. “I promised my soulmates to look after the cubs, and they all… I outlived them.”

“You kept your promise.” Janine rested her elbows on the railing. “I saw your granddaughters dating boys back in the village. Sweet girls, all twelve of them.”

“Have I?” A flash of anger ran through the amber eyes. “Have I really, Jani? I can’t stop thinking about how I failed her, even for a moment. I knew of the possibility of a taint in her blood, yet I allowed—I damn well allowed—my beautiful princess into the pack. I could have kicked her out and sent her far away to live safely as a hermit, away from danger, away from war, away from…”

“… from making her own decisions,” Janine grabbed her friend and turned her around to face herself. “You can’t live your life for her, Marty. I…” There was something in her throat that made her words flow quickly and passionately. “Not a day goes by that I don’t think about my cubs and what I did wrong in raising them. Every morning I am afraid I will never see them again; that is why I tried to push some of them away to safety.”

“You too?” Marty smiled. “I saved some tokens and offered her a place at university…”

“And an apartment in the Core Lands,” Janine finished, and the two women laughed mournfully and hugged. Like in their childhood, Janine found her snout on Marty’s shoulder and Martyshkina’s snout on her own. “It’s a most damning feeling, Marty. To know how to save, yet having to let go,” she whispered. “But we can’t enslave our cubs; we can’t force them to do our bidding all their lives. Whatever the situation, all we can do is guide them, educate them, support them, and always be in their lives when they need us. And you have done that. You have never abandoned your family; you have watched over your cubs every step of the way, and they have lived their lives as they have desired. It’s time to let them go and live.”

“It’s hard, Jani.” Marty replied, and something wet dripped on Janine’s fur.

“It never gets easier. Not to my knowledge.” Images of her dead cubs, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren threatened to overwhelm her. “But we have to live. We must forge our own path, endure new wounds and heal, and rediscover how to be happy. For the fallen deserve nothing less. One day we will see our families again in the Great Beyond, and how can we look them in the eye if we waste the gift of their sacrifice? There is enough tragedy in the world, no need to add to it. For now, we must live for those left behind, Marty. Our strength can save thousands. Thousands of people who think like us. Mothers and fathers who lack the strength to protect their families. Take solace in aiding them. And our pain is not special.”

They stood together, grieving for their loved ones and supporting each other as the loud competition continued and the laughter of the soldiers filled the air.