With a deep breath, Finn squared his shoulders. "Alright," he said, his voice rough with exhaustion but tinged with determination. "Let's see what we can salvage from this mess."
The air was thick and heavy with the choking smell of smoke, blood, and something worse - the undeniable stench of burned flesh. Finn resisted the urge to gag as he looked around at the scene in front of him.
Bodies littered the ground, a gruesome sight of his own creations and the defeated bandits. Tents burned, their belongings scattered like abandoned toys. The once lively camp had become a desolate wasteland, evidence of the fierce battle that had raged through the night.
Despite the carnage, a strange calm had settled over the area. The surviving bandits, their spirits broken by Alyssa's defeat, huddled in small groups under the watchful eyes of Finn's creations. The fight had gone out of them, replaced by a palpable sense of fear and uncertainty.
These were mostly the weak ones. The strong ones were of course scared, but they could not fight since they were too exhausted. The battle was a long one. It was a little bit over twelve hours. But yet the creations were still at full strength.
With a quiet groan, Finn straightened up, ignoring the protests of his aching muscles. He began issuing orders, his voice growing stronger with each word.
"Gloria," he called out, spotting his faithful assistant among the crowd. "You're in charge in my stead. Make sure everyone is thoroughly captured. We can't afford any surprises."
Gloria nodded sharply, her usually pristine appearance marred by soot and blood. "Of course, my lord. I'll see to it personally."
Finn nodded gratefully.
His gaze fell upon a sight that made his heart clench painfully. Hamlyn's body lay where it had fallen, his severed head a few feet away. The strategic genius who had been so instrumental in their victory now lay still and silent.
Finn would be dead without the help of Hamlyn since he did not know a thing about battle. Hamlyn put his all into his position for Finn and died.
I'm sorry, Hamlyn, Finn thought, a lump forming in his throat. You deserved better than this.
Forcing himself to look away, Finn scanned the crowd for familiar faces. "Where are the Eds?" he asked, his voice carrying across the ruined camp. "Oh, there you are."
The three hulking figures of Ed, Edd, and Eddy appeared before him.
Drew, standing silently at Finn's side, studied them intently. He could sense the change in them.
They had grown stronger, pushed to new limits by the crucible of battle. But they had not connected to the Astral Tapestry yet.
I need to tell my Lord about everything that happened, Drew realized. But not now. He must be tired. He seems quite different. His eyes are different. I will tell him once his thoughts are in order.
This was indeed true. This was Finn's first battle. Although he did not fight that much, looking at all the deaths that had happened would definitely change any human.
Oblivious to Drew's inner thoughts, Finn addressed the Eds with a solemn gravity. "You all have been given a promotion," he declared. "You shall take our late friend Hamlyn's position equally."
The Eds all knelt together, their eyes wide with amazement.
"Thank you, my Lord!" Ed's booming voice rang out.
"We are honored beyond words," Edd added, his eyes shining with unshed tears.
"We won't let you down, my Lord" Eddy promised.
Finn nodded, acknowledging their thanks with a small smile. He knew that to them, the positions were a meager thing - their true desire was simply to serve their creator. But it felt right to honor their contributions, to recognize the growth they had shown in the heat of battle.
Turning back to Gloria, who had returned from her initial rounds, Finn continued issuing orders. "Make preparations to take some of the stuff in this camp back to our place," he instructed. "The council needs to make use of all this. And..." he hesitated, his nose wrinkling in disgust, "...take care of this nasty stench."
Gloria's eyes went wide as she surveyed the chaos surrounding her. The atmosphere was thick with the metallic scent of blood and the nauseatingly sweet smell of burnt flesh. It was an odor that would linger for days.
"Of course, my lord," she replied, her voice steady despite the revulsion evident in her eyes. "I'll organize cleanup crews immediately."
As Gloria hurried off to carry out his instructions, Finn turned to Drew. The massive creation stood impassively, his body still bearing the marks of his titanic struggle with Alyssa. Despite the numerous wounds that covered his frame, Drew showed no signs of pain or fatigue.
"Drew," Finn began, his voice low and serious. "How many creations do I need to create for you to do your work?"
He didn't need to specify further. Drew understood implicitly what needed to be done. The camp needed to be secured, the prisoners suppressed, and order restored from the chaos of battle. It was a monumental task, but one that Drew was more than capable of handling.
Drew's mind raced, calculating the manpower required for each task. He factored in the number of prisoners, the size of the camp, and the potential for resistance. After a moment's consideration, he replied, "My lord, I estimate we'll need approximately 2,000 new creations to effectively secure the camp and manage the prisoners."
Finn nodded, his face a mask of exhaustion. He closed his eyes, concentrating, and new creations began to materialize around them. As the count approached 2,000, Drew opened his mouth to thank his creator, but Finn's next words caught him off guard.
"Okay, I am going to rest," Finn declared abruptly, his fatigue evident in every word. "This stench is killing me, and I hate seeing death. Make sure the bandit bitch is secure." His voice hardened as he added, "Do not kill anyone else. Once everything is done and I am fully rested, I'll get Gloria to come fetch you so you can tell me what happened with you and why it took so long to get here."
Drew blinked, momentarily thrown by the sudden shift. He'd been about to suggest additional security measures, but it was clear Finn had reached his limit.
The mention of his delayed arrival made him look down in disappointment in himself.
He's underestimating these bandits, Drew thought, his strategic mind already analyzing potential threats. Killing them would be easier, safer. Why doesn't he want to eliminate the risk entirely?
But it wasn't his place to question his creator's decisions. "Understood, my lord," Drew replied, watching as Finn turned away, shoulders slumped with exhaustion.
As Finn's form receded into the distance, Drew turned his attention to the task at hand. His eyes scanned the ruined camp, taking in every detail with cold efficiency. He began barking orders.
"You ten," he pointed to a group of nearby creations, "begin constructing a secure holding area for the prisoners. Use whatever materials you can salvage from the camp."
The designated creations moved immediately, their faces set with determination as they began gathering debris and repurposing it for their new task.
Turning to another group, Drew continued, "You, start gathering all weapons and potentially dangerous items. Pile them here, under guard."
Drew's eyes swept across the battlefield as his commands were executed with precision. The carnage that once reigned supreme was slowly replaced by a purposeful bustle. Amidst the construction of new structures and the subdued prisoners, one figure stood out.
Alyssa.
Drew made his way over to where she lay, still motionless where she had fallen. Her body was full bruises and cuts. But even now, battered and defeated, she gave Drew a bad feeling. She said that she had a title too and he is not sure how she found that out.
We'll need something special to contain this one, Drew mused, his mind already formulating plans. Regular restraints won't be enough. Not for someone with her power.
He stood, gesturing to a nearby group of creations. "Bring me the strongest chains we have," he ordered. "And find something we can use as a muzzle. We can't risk her using any verbal commands or skills."
They nodded and carried out his order.
…
A few hours had passed since the battle's end. Finn had managed to clean himself up, albeit with just a bucket of water. It wasn't ideal, but it was better than nothing. He found himself missing the river, the simple pleasure of staring at its flowing waters. The camp was further from the river now, and while he could have walked there, exhaustion and laziness kept him rooted in place.
Finn asked Gloria to fetch Drew and the Eds. It was time to get some answers, particularly about Drew's sudden increase in power during the battle. He was so damn cool out there, Finn thought with fascination.
The group entered his tent, but it was Drew's entrance that caught Finn's attention. The massive creation had someone slung over his shoulder, bound in chains and wiggling furiously. Drew seemed utterly unaffected by his captive's struggles as he dropped to one knee in greeting.
Finn had to stifle a laugh, covering his mouth with his hand. The Eds followed suit, greeting their creator with equal reverence.
"Who's your friend there, Drew?" Finn asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.
Drew stood, and without ceremony, threw his captive to the ground that made the captive make a groaning noise. The aggressive move nearly broke Finn's composure again.
"It's the Bandit leader, my lord," Drew stated matter-of-factly.
Finn's eyes widened as he took in the sight. Alyssa, the fearsome leader who had nearly killed him, was now bound and muzzled. The contraption was strapped tightly around her half-shaven head, her scarred face contorted with rage as she glared at Finn.
It was too much. Finn burst out laughing, the absurdity of the situation finally overwhelming him. "Hahaha, this same girl who almost killed me is being personally imprisoned by the person who beat her. HI-LARIOUS." He wiped a tear from his eye, his body shaking with mirth.
Alyssa's reaction was immediate. The veins in her forehead bulged as she strained against her chains, her eyes burning with hatred.
But a single, menacing look from Drew was enough to make her freeze, fear replacing fury in an instant.
Damn beast, Alyssa thought, her eyes darting between Drew and Finn. I'm still tired from everything, but this man has never kept his eyes off me and still isn't the least bit tired. She lowered her gaze in frustration and could only be angry in silence.
As his laughter subsided, Finn's brow furrowed in confusion. "Why is she here though, Drew? Shouldn't she be with the other prisoners?"
Drew's response was immediate and matter-of-fact. "She is too strong to be monitored by anyone but me, my lord. And since you summoned me, she naturally must come with me."
Finn nodded, accepting the explanation. His expression turned serious as he focused on the questions that had been nagging at him. "Okay, first off, why the hell did it take you forever to get here?"
Drew's face remained impassive as he recounted the events. "A separate party had engaged us, my lord. We were outnumbered, and they possessed powers of the Astral Tapestry. The battle was... difficult. I was taking significant damage, even with [Bane of Rage] active. At one point, I thought we might lose."
Finn leaned forward, his eyes wide with shock. "You fell unconscious? How is that even possible?"
Drew nodded solemnly. "I shouldn't have been able to, my lord. But I did."
The tension in the room was palpable as Finn processed this information. Finally, he asked, "Why did you fall unconscious, Drew?"
His voice was steady as he delivered the news that would change everything:
"I made a connection to the Astral Tapestry."