Placements

They each got assigned areas to defend, and corresponding armies to control. Vera listened intently everyone was placed on the map far from the border, only the blood mage took the destroyed fortress spot since it had many useful trails to communicate between them.

"Vera, you are assigned command over the force you just left. They will accompany you to defend this entrance, it will be the best proving ground for your defensive idea. They cannot cut you off from retreat, and must engage you in one direction. Supplies can be gathered outside the mountain range too, do you understand?"

"Yes…"

She was looking at the map silently, she was the most frontline person. The area did have two steep cliffs on it's side for protection from side attacks, but the front was just a open forest. She realized who she was going to lead to war was that group and wanted to protest, but the other armed forces were taken already.

"That settles it, Vera you will be given information by our scouts when you can begin your maneuver to the point."

"Alright, but can I request something?"

"What is it?"

"I want shovels, mining equipment and anything to help dig."

She needed the trench plan to work, so she wanted equipment for it. The blood mage still leading everyone, thought it over then nodded slowly.

"We can give you some, but don't expect much."

"That will do."

After the meeting she was about to leave but was stopped by the blood mage, he wanted to speak in private with her. She waited for everyone to leave and then he spoke slowly but seriously.

"The current army you will control is one you are well familiar with, don't kill any of them out of petty grudges."

She remained silent looking down, she didn't want to. Her heart was conflicted, she hated and both began liking their company.

"They are a group of former bandits that we recruited to use for blunt attacks, they won't be able to follow many commands but they will dig a hole for what you want. You are to prioritize holding that path at all cost, even if you must send them all to their deaths. That rail system might prove essential for their future operations, if we can hold it they will be unable to go deeper in the mountains."

"Is that all?"

She didn't want to speak anymore than this. It was clear in her tone and body language, but the blood mage didn't care.

"If you can't hold that path for one year consider your title as elder gone, if you want to get more advanced literature on necromancy get it now."

She walked out following him to a different tent, and it was loaded with books.

"We pulled everything out of the fortress before the battle, the idiot wouldn't know how to utilize it anyway."

She browsed through a selection and took four books. One on necromancy spells for building arrays for defending a place, another for more advanced undead, one for better refining dark energy into power for necromancy, and lastly a higher undead creation book.

"Good selection, bring the books back later. If you write any books on necromancy submitting it will give you access to a single rarer book on it."

"I get it, so am I good to go?"

"No, take this one. Mereth refused to study this one, but you will need it."

Body remodeling necromancy, it was a book on doing self necromancy. She never heard of doing it to yourself, but took the gift anyway. After leaving with the same scout group she returned to base.