The March West

The March West is the eighth chapter of Tales of Sheol'gotha:  Shadow of the Abaddon.

Synopsis
The seventh legion departs Nazrin ceremoniously with trumpeting calls and tin music, and the sounds of beating drums taking them into the western wasteland between Nazrin and the God's Teeth mountains. Valon and Palus ride at the head of the column, and Gadden lingers close to immediately ask where the first plan of attack will be. He suggests the nearby keeps, however Palus describes a better solution of going to the more influential demons and avoiding wasting their time with lesser concerns. He describes their destination as Flagstone Keep, and following an insult to Gadden's importance the scribe moves further down the line.

Valon and Palus amuse themselves at discussing the lack of importance Gadden holds as Court Advisor, and though Valon recognizes that at some point Gadden was a fierce combatant, he feels that the vampire's talents had dwindled with his contentedness. His intents for killing Gadden outright are restrained by the knowledge that it would be seen as a bad move and would do harm to their campaign, likely sending soldiers deserting. In the silence Valon reflects on the departing of Nazrin and feels anxiety rushing over him, but Palus is unable to offer him any words of comfort other than to cement in the prince's knowledge that he is devoted to helping. The general suggests that they will both be happy, even if dead, because when Valon joins the Silver Legion and Palus joins the Starving Horde they'll find one another again.

Palus explains the rest of his plan focusing on getting the support of the four continental kings of mainland Sheol'gotha and swaying them to their side. He doesn't get far before Gadden returns, stating the soldiers need an opportunity to change their gear out to support their march. Gadden also takes the opportunity to reveal that the reason he'd suggested a nearer keep was because of the way the caravans would be dispatched from Nazrin to support them. Infuriated by the idea that Gadden had held onto the knowledge for the sake of being difficult, Valon sends him away and demands he gets out of the way. The legion continues moving and Valon orders Soltas, the scoutmaster, to go out and leave them food to scavenge and camp for the night.

The scouts depart quickly, some running, some riding, and some shifted into beasts with a metallic sheen to their fur from the charnium armour. They are not gone long before the gita detect something and Valon suspects a kill has already been made, though his thoughts turn to his other hungers, and then of his family. He broaches Palus carefully, but the shifter is distracted by something. Shaking off his haze, Palus asks whether Valon is enjoying being away from the palace, to which Valon tentatively admits he's enjoying his freedom.

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