Necromancer's Descent

83 - A Chance to Rise

Rosalin's Point of View

I stare quietly down at the dense dark rye bread I'm slowly munching on for breakfast, while feeling stuck in my thoughts.

The mess I made in Avenfort was really the easiest part of my plan. Compared to everything else that has to happen, it's comparable to throwing a childish tantrum, and learning a bit from it.

Honestly, right now I'm not even strong enough to defeat Mia, and my plan is to go up against a being, which is practically a demi-god, while Mia was panicking over fighting with said demi-god's minion.

That, and I have to not just raise an army from scratch, I have to convince that army to let me raise them.

Not because I have to.

I really could just forcefully raise them and make them fight, but...

I don't want to do that.

All the ghosts and those who died on that battlefield have already been used and sacrificed by their families and by their rulers. If possible, I want to honor their feelings just a bit more than that.

They're people that literally gave their lives for this land, and the people who live in it... but convincing an army of people that have suffered and sacrificed already, when I'm not just a necromancer they fear and hate, but also someone that hasn't suffered the same way, and never trained for war, sounds like an impossible task.

I glance to Theodore, who's quietly looking towards the battlefield.

It's not like I couldn't use Theodore to convince them.

He's already a commander, and has died with them, so he should hold some level of regard... or at least familiarity in their eyes... but is it alright for me to hide behind someone more experienced or more charismatic than me?

I'm the necromancer, so whether I want to or not, I'm going to be the center of the army. It's my words that will be rung over the battlefield if I order them, and it's my words and heart they have to trust, when they fall and are forced to rise again... and again in what will probably seem like an endless cycle of suffering.

Can I be a person like that for them, if I just let someone else convince them? or if I just force them to obey my orders?

I remember Claudius' magic before, that made Johannes kneel while Claudius spoke to him.

I don't want to be that.

I already concluded, that what they're seeking is a hero. A hero of kindness, confidence and control.

I take a deep breath.

How would a hero convince them though?

A speech?

That's what they do in movies and books, right?

But... doesn't that only work because the people are already motivated?

Isn't it just flair?

Can it actually move their hearts?

I can't help but to feel like saying some of the things I remember from movies in real life would be... embarrassing... pretending to be confident while saying things that are, quite frankly, a bit cheesy.

If I just speak bluntly, will that be enough? But it's not like my honest feelings have any confidence.

It's not like I have paper to write anything down on either.

Though... reading things out loud would reduce my presence the same way it does in school.

"...Theodore...if I made a speech, do you think the ghosts of the battlefield would listen? Do you think it would have a chance to work?"