Scorched Earth

The first rays of sunlight started to flitter into Kyle’s bedroom.

Kyle slid out of bed alone. Abagail had vanished some point before he woke up. The timing was the last thing he had time to think about.

He focused on getting himself cleaned, fed, and ready for the day. Each was a challenge in its own way. Not impossible, but thrown into relief after the modest improvements in his life he’d enjoyed since getting isekai’d.

A hot shower became throwing a bucket of water on himself. A fresh breakfast became stale bread and whatever herbs he had left.

Thankfully, he still had one outfit ready for the occasion. He still had the red tunic and quilted undershirt from his journey to Castle Zoroman. There was also a leather cuirass that he could pull over his torso and tighten.

Resting on the table next to his cleaned plate was a black cylinder with a big red button on its end. Kyle carefully put it in his hand and moved to the door, taking one last look at the place he’d called home for as long as he could remember in this life. Then he stepped outside and closed the door behind him.

Kyle had left himself a few tools to rest against the side of his house. A pitchfork, a single-handed sickle, and a flail that he’d used to beat the chaff off of wheat. He looked to the ring of power on his hand. The restoratives he’d been forced to consume at dinner had helped perk him up, but he’d need to be sparing in his use of magic.

A burbling noise spat on Kyle’s shoulder. Blooby was sitting there, looking up as if to tell Kyle that he was being kept an eye on.

“I know,” he sighed. “Promise is a promise.” Kyle hefted the cylinder in his hand and made his way to the center of his village. “I’m going to need your help, little guy.”

Blooby made a saluting motion with its watery body.

“I’m sorry.” His thumb rested on the red button. “It’s going to suck for both of us.”

Kyle pressed down his thumb.

----

Togoldor checked the saddle on his horse. A true warrior never failed to prepare for battle. Any orc worth his weight in battle always made sure his axe was sharp and his quiver never empty.

His men were all doing the same across the encampment. None expected the peasants to put up a fight. There were grumblings amongst some of them that fighting farmers was a poor use of their skills. But the promises made by their Chieftain would surely make all of this worth it.

That was something Togoldor shared. He rubbed his hand over the diamond bracers he wore. With this bad boy, no other horde could stand against him. And then he could start having fun.

His daydream was interrupted by the smell of smoke.

“Chieftain!” A rider rode in from the distance, coming to a halt next to Togoldor. “Smoke rises from the peasants’ villages!”

“What?!” Togoldor looked at the rider. “Explain!”

“I do not know how, but the land burns!”

Togoldor’s eyes narrowed. “Tell the men to ride out. Now!”

----

High in the mountains overlooking the village, Benny saw the fires rage. Every structure had caught fire in an instant. Fire-elemental magic crystals had been strewn throughout the town overnight. On their own, such crystals were not a danger any more than other kinds.

But the magnitude of power released by the crystals, especially if it was done all at once? That was where the danger lied. It was a simple device, one that could send a signal to attuned crystals to release their power. It was the first thing Kyle had developed in the days after their fight with Demerius.

What he’d spent the lion’s share of his time working on was still in that tunnel. Benny still didn’t understand much about it. He barely understood the steel horse that had gotten Fiona’s attention, and this…!

Well, he’d learned to trust that peasant on this sort of thing.

Benny slid down back towards the cave with the rails sticking out and quickly found who he was looking for.

York was one of the last remaining members of the crew of bandits that roamed the forests between the villages and Trunsit. The only dwarf in the entire group, he’d stuck it out through everything. And now he was chewing on some lemongrass, waiting.

“Aye?” York spat out the lemongrass. “What is it, lad?”

Benny took a deep breath. “We’ve got the signal.”

York gave Benny a thumbs up. “Alrightie. Come’n help me make sure everyone’s strapped in.”

----

The hills and fields beyond the burning village were covered with horses and wolves.

Togoldor rode out towards the front, stunned at the fire spreading out before him. Not that it was done but that the peasants had considered it.

That champion was proving Demerius’s warnings were not hollow. The closer he came to the fire, the more he saw horses and wolves fleeing from the flames without their riders. Those riders were lying on the ground in town, dead.

What he saw standing amongst the fire reminded him of a story he had heard from his previous life. One of the greatest military men in the world once sought to bring a great empire to heel. His army marched across the empire’s lands to enforce their will, but found no food or supplies to sustain themselves. Bit by bit, the defenders burned the land rather than give up its bounty to the invaders. The army would eventually march home on an empty stomach.

Togoldor saw no peasants waiting to be given orders before him. He saw only one standing amidst the fire, standing amongst the bodies of his missing riders.

Kyle stared at Togoldor with a bloody pitchfork in his hands. Steam radiated off a sheen of water covering his body as the flames licked at him without effect.

The chieftain laughed at the top of his lungs. He would have to give the champion points for bravery. Only to take them away for stupidity; what would make him think he could hold off the horde alone?