Chapter twenty
An occult romanceTurko’s Ninth Army of Vallia poised to strike directly at our foemen’s capital city, Vendalume.
We were not a particularly strong army; but our formations were hardened, seared by the fire, still invigorated by victory. Layco Jhansi, renegade, would-be imperacide, murderer, traitor, was growing increasingly nervous and apprehensive at our attacks. No longer could he send with impunity columns to burn and sack the towns and villages of Turko’s Falinur. He lost men in numbers to hurt him. He must have suffered desertions.
For our part when we captured a town or village, we did not burn it. Of course not. The place was Vallian.
Of the people who came into our protection, those who were out-and-out mercenaries, paktuns who made a living hiring out as fightin
