Call to Arms

The Allied Army immediately prepared to leave. Extra hands were called into repair ships. And goods were loaded onto ships as fast as they arrived. Tomorrow, the Allied Army would depart for the Qhosnir Empire.

Meanwhile, on the eastern Yangtze river bank, the Qhosnir Empire awaited the reinforcements.

"Where are those dogs!" Emperor Gaozong of Song shouted angrily.

"Your imperial majesty, their envoy swears upon their arrival. They shall depart tomorrow for our shores," said Chancellor Lü of Yihao.

"Our army has already suffered major casualties. If we didn't fall back here our forces would have been beaten. Emperor Gaozong, without those reinforcements our army shall be defeated," General Han of Shizhong said.

"Moreover, your imperial majesty, the Kingdom of Icer, Dukedom of Kro, and Kingdom of Zhekid's armies are too wounded to provide any support.

If not for the late arrival of the Theocracy of Ionic's clerics and the Principality of Seyuet's army, we'd be in worse shape" agreed General Yue of Fei

"Finance Minister Duke Zhao of Ding and Quartermaster Colonel Zhang of Jun, and as Spymaster Major Qin of Hui report," said Emperor Gaozong.

"Your imperial majesty, we are running out of ration. The rats from Icer, Kro, and Zhekid keep eating their fill, without contributing coin," Quartermaster Colonel Zhang of Jun replied.

Furthermore, your majesty, the treasury is empty. We can't afford to pay our soldiers or our creditors," added Duke Zhao of Ding.

"Spymaster Major Qin of Hui what was Earl' vont Ballard's solution," asked Emperor Gaozong.

"We have not received news from our spies embedded in the Allied Army. I believe they perished in the shiver attack.

The last report I received was the Earl vont Ballard is now Imperial Prince Lukas' martial master and was promoted to marquis in the Great Eastern Empire, Kingdom of Fermion, and Rhaziesian Empire," Major Qin of Hui informed the emperor.

"So, my most trusted advisers are telling me the reinforcements are coming but we don't know when. The empire is indebted, and our soldiers are running out of resources. Is that the gist of it?" Emperor Gaozong asked incredulously.

"Yes, your imperial majesty," Chancellor Lü of Yihao replied meekly.

"If I wasn't short on soldiers, I'd put you, civil servants, to death. Well let's brainstorm. What are our best options?" Emperor Gaozong asked.

"If we need money, why not seize funds from the Silver Phoenix bank?" asked General Han of Shizhong.

Rubbing his forehead, Duke Zhao of Ding replied, do you not recall? Two months ago, Marquis vont Ballard closed his banks in our empire."

"It's still a good idea! There are still other banks open, seize their vaults!" General Yue of Fei agreed with General Han of Shizhong.

"If we seize the vaults, we hurt our citizens. However, we can force the banks to loan us funds," Duke Zhao of Ding grudgingly agreed with the generals.

"Why must we compel them?" Emperor Gaozong asked.

"Because it's open knowledge the empire is insolvent and cannot repay the loan. If we don't force them, they won't loan us money," Duke Zhao of Ding said embarrassingly.

"Has their loyalty towards the crown dissolved so quickly? Damn them to Tartarus! Generals send your most trusted men to clear out every bank vault and bring spoils to me," Emperor Gaozong demanded.

"It shall be done as you decree," responded Generals Yue of Fei and Han of Shizhong.

"Wait your imperial majesty! I can't explain it, but if you do this, you'll damage our already fragile state," warned Duke Zhao of Ding.

What the duke didn't know how to explain was capital flight. Capital flight occurs when businesses or governments remove their money from a country.

In this case, Qhosnir businessmen invested in safer oversea markets which traded away their currency to import foreign goods. The empire also purchased more expensive overseas goods to fund its army when the demons invaded.

Already, the Qhosnir Empire's currency valuation slid. The empire's currency had depreciation among currency exchangers.

In the past, a loaf of bread used to cost 8 coppers, now it cost 32 coppers.

The nominal drop in value led to a dramatic decrease in the purchasing power of the imperial assets. Duke Zhao of Ding did his best to explain import goods were becoming increasingly expensive.

"Duke enough! If you think this is a bad idea present us with another?" asked Emperor Gaozong.

"I don't have an answer. But I know stealing from our citizens is wrong. It shall only endure more distrust. And cause our currency to further devalue. I suggest we wait until Marquis vont Ballard arrives," Duke Zhao of Ding suggested.

"And what if our soldiers decided to leave before then? They've already gone a month without pay!" asked General Han of Shizhong.

"Most likely you'll be stealing their families' bank funds to pay them, what salary is that? To pay their military salaries with their bank funds! Or do you think them too dumb to notice?" Duke Zhao of Ding.

Hearing the duke's criticism certainly gave them pause.

"Your majesty, I believe the imperial family has some Great Eastern Imperial coins. We can pay them, with those?" replied Chancellor Lü of Yihao humbly.

"You want me to pay my imperial army in foreign currency. Won't that make a mockery of our empire?" Emperor Gaozong asked.

"No, it shows you're a benevolent sovereign. You'll pay our soldiers in coins their families can use to purchase goods. Please your majesty it's a good plan," said Duke Zhao of Ding supporting Chancellor Lü of Yihao's idea.

"We'll do both. Generals send you most trusted me to raid the bank vaults, and Chancellor Lü of Yihao see it our soldiers are paid in foreign currency.

Are there more objections? Okay, generals what news from your Intelligence Commander," the emperor decreed.

Your imperial majesty, the demonic army is stopped a week away," General Yue of Fei read the scout report.

"Damn! Only the gods know who'll get here first the demons or the reinforcements. What news of our western outpost?" asked Emperor Gaozong.

"Gone. Everything's destroyed," General Han of Shizhong gave the depressing news.

The emperor did not let his expression change, none of the other officials could tell what he was thinking. He had long since learned that he liked to deal with things all at once.

"Tell the army to prepare for war!" Emperor Gaozong.

***

Ibrahim Dervish returned to the demon army camp. The demons watched him enter but didn't move to intercept him. The former Lord vont Dervish did his best to walk toward the commander's tent without bringing too much attention to himself.

Since losing his fiefdom of Korce and nobility, he was forced to live incognito as well as stay constantly on the move. There remained a 500 reward for his corpse. And a couple of faithful bounty hunters remained on his tail.

When the demons invaded, he signed up to join the Qhosnir imperial army. The night before the first battle, he deserted for the demonic army. For his servitude Lord Bilal, promised him a far larger and wealthier fiefdom if for his servitude.

Outside the command tent, the demonic guards dismissively waved through the entrance. Ibrahim vont Dervish sold his soul to Thanatos for his hopeful return to nobility and security.

"Ah welcome back Weasel. How was your time serving as a tick on those imperial dogs?" lord Bilal asked jokingly.

Lord Bilal gave Ibrahim Dervish the name Weasel when he defected. Now Ibrahim Dervish answered more to the name Weasel than his own. Like a baptism, he was reborn as a new man.

Weasel prostrated himself submissively, "It was fine your grace. The Qhosnir Empire is impoverished. They haven't paid their troops in a month. They are also running out of supplies. Overall, the army is demoralized and hungry."

"That's good Weasel. Your report matches the other spies," Lord Bilal said pleased.

"Guards bring him a fine meal," Lord Bilal sneered.

The guards brought in a bowl of chicken soup and a loaf of bread. They threw the bowl and bread on the ground as a person might do for a stray dog.

Weasel immediately dropped to the ground and began slurping and dipping the bread in the soup without an ounce of dignity. All noble etiquette and grace were gone.

Now he resembled actual weasel nibbling on a chicken leg. His whiskery mustache twitched in excitement.

The demons laughed as they watched the man eat. They enjoyed psychologically abusing humans until every ounce of humanity was gone. Seeing Weasel licking the bowl, they laughed more.

"Come, Weasel, I shall reward you further. Hold out your hand. You must shed blood for the journey," Lord Bilal smiled showing his razor-sharp teeth.

Weasel tensed and reluctantly held out his left hand. The demon grabbed him by the wrist and ran one of her sharp black nails across his palm.

A red line of blood oozed from the cut. The demon leaned down and licked the blood from Weasel's palm. Red drops ran from the corner of her mouth.

A sadistic smile spread across his face. Lord Bilal grasped Weasel's wrist and told him, "Don't let go of my hand no matter what you see or hear. If you do you won't live long. One of my competitors shall have you in minutes. Do you understand?"

Weasel nodded, "I understand. I won't let go."

The demon smiled and said, "Try not to piss yourself."

Weasel took the demon's hand. Immediately a round portal appeared. The demon led him forward and they stepped through it together.

Weasel was hit by a wave of heat so intense that each breath burned his nostrils. They walked across a blasted black landscape. Smoke rose from cracks in the barren rock.

Demons and demon spawns did not only inhabit the demon realm, there were humans here also. The humans were performing menial tasks and were slaves. A demon overlord stood to watch over them and cracked them with a whip to hurry them along.

Lord Bilal jerked Weasel's hand bringing him from his shock at seeing humans. He staggered along behind him keeping pace.

They walked for half an hour before the demon brought them to a halt in front of a flaming lava pool. The stench was so intense Weasel's lungs burned and he had trouble breathing.

Demon guards stood at attention. They looked like palatial guards standing outside a throne room.

"We are here to see the master. I've brought another human for him that seems sorry," Lord Bilal announced.

The demon guards waved their hands and another portal appeared directly in front of them.