POV Smith
Rain pattered against the roof of the abandoned barn I'd commandeered as a command post. It fell in streams through the gaps in the roof, a detail was busy scaling the rafters to patch the holes or redirect the water with tarps. The ground had long ago been reduced to a muddy slurry.
The squelch of muddy boots heralded the arrival of the last few. Colonel Isser and her staff saluted before joining the rest of us at the table. "Sir."
"Two days ago we took care of the last of the 49th, now our scouts report the 11th and 66th are pushing northeast to the crossing at Lodi…" I set the scene quickly for the officers with the information I had at hand.
"Lodi…" Temur traced the map before tapping it. "It was the site of lady Aneria's greatest victory."
"It will soon be the site of a far more significant battle as well…" I cut her off. "Colonel Ponatoski and her brigade are marching up the west bank of the Lobau. We'll march there directly, in two days time we should fall upon their regiments attempting to cross the Lobau."
"What of Lady Golmor?" Dickem asked as she scratched an old wound.
I sighed. "Special ops said she left Heston last night with her mercenaries in tow. She called the regiments to rally near Ivarstead."
"Sir… who are the special ops you seem to hold on such high regard?" Beul asked.
"It's two of the seven beauties…" I replied slowly. Several of them immediately made gestures to ward the daemonic away. They had become… notorious for a couple reasons, but I had five of them on loan for the campaign and I would make use of their intelligence gathering abilities.
"Regardless, the intelligence they supply is invaluable and accurate beyond a doubt." I overruled any protest and continued moving forward with the brief.
"We have a few days to bring phase one to a close and complete operation Mercury. The adventurers also are unwilling to extend their contracts, so we have until the end of the month, eleven days before we lose our scouts."
"We could hire locals to act as scouts." Dickem interjected.
"No, source mounts for your platoons." I looked at Dickem, Temur, and Beul.
"Your soldiers will take over the role. The regiment will foot the bill for the mounts." They nodded and I moved on. Thunder rumbled and I cast a brief glance upwards.
"The wizard Liscia Noura will be joining us before we arrive at Lodi, even if we must destroy the bridge, they must not cross the Lobau."
At the mention of Noura the atmosphere of the room brightened. Who wouldn't feel better fighting alongside a caster of their three magic? The strongest of wizards were rumored to be able to use tier four, and a few of the greatest heroes were rumored to use the mythical tier five. I finished the brief and dismissed the colonels to their troops. In the morning we'd march, this weather be damned.
With the storm continuing through the night it was a miserable morning as the camp was broken down. Cloaks and bedrolls were drawn tightly about oneself as they fell into formation. The whole army moved through the river of mud that was the road with dread, feet weighed down by their second mud boots. I pulled my cloak tighter and hunched over my horse as I took my normal position in the column.
We slogged north, the storm beating at our back the whole time. I cursed those stupid mountains. How much water could they dump on us? As it was I'd ordered the troops to walk beside the road as it turned into a stream. Hell, the troops were muttering about the dragons crying. Superstitious fuckers.
Regardless, the march slowed to a crawl. Supply wagons got stuck and after a few long hours just trying to get them to budge I gave the reluctant order to halt. Makeshift tents were pitched below the trees as the army sought some shelter from the elements.
I sat under a makeshift tent, watching water roll off one side into a puddle. I grit my teeth before relaxing… there wasn't anything I could do about this weather. If it was hindering me this badly it would hamper my enemies just as much. The Lobau would most certainly flood. A terrible prospect for everyone. I imagined the farmers and towns along its banks would suffer terribly from this.
I glanced at the Corporal under the tarp with me. "How long will this storm last?"
She closed her eyes for a moment before replying. "Shyora isn't sure. It still rains on Aucterfith."
"What of Golmor?" I asked as I stared at the opaque wall of water a few feet in front of me.
"She is skirting the edge of the storm."
I nodded. "That will be all for now… get some rest."
"That is not my master's instruction." She replied. I shook my head. Fuck these special ops. They were just a pain in my ass.
A sudden breeze blasted the rain sideways. I squinted against the haze and watched a half dozen figures struggle to keep their tent from being blown away. This storm would force everyone to duck and wait it out. I wanted to curse. It had been going so well…
This campaign... Damnation. The storm was rolling right over the Lobau, so the secessionist regiments stationed far to the west were still free to maneuver under what was probably light rains. No doubt they were rallying to Golmor and marching east with all haste.
"Brother of my master, there is a message from my master." The corporal spoke.
"What?"
"Noura thinks this storm is magical in nature, she's disappeared into the mountains to study it."
"Fuck…" I grumbled as I flung water by simply standing. This damn rain…