chapter 15

Andries had already bathed and dressed in his usual attire, a long leather coat, shirt, pants, and boots. He then grabbed the metal staff he had taken from the corpse of Vilgefortz, holding it with one hand while resting the other end on his shoulder.

Accompanied by his mutant guards—Mathies, Blightborn, Wyrmblood, and Umbra—Andries cut an imposing figure. Other than Mathies, the rest were armored and armed. Blightborn carried two swords and a bow, while Umbra, with his four long daggers levitating through telekinesis, was a formidable sight. Wyrmblood and Mathies didn't carry weapons, relying on their innate strength. Felix, as always, nestled comfortably in Andries's satchel bag.

The group followed Tissaia through the streets of Gors Velen. Their rare appearance outside the mansion, rather than teleporting, drew curious whispers from onlookers. Andries noticed a significant number of mutants among the citizens. The crowd—humans, non-humans, and mutants alike—parted before them, treating the group with a mix of respect and caution.

"Anything new happening in the world?" Andries asked as they walked. "Did Nilfgaard start the war with the northern kingdoms?"

"Not exactly." Tissaia replied. "The kingdoms are now in a state of war, but it hasn't escalated yet. There are mostly small skirmishes here and there. As for other political news, the princess of Cintra was captured, or so they claim."

"How was she captured?" Andries inquired.

"That's the interesting part." Tissaia said. "They claim she was arrested in Aretuza, but from what you told me, she teleported away from the area."

"So, they got a fake?" Andries asked.

"That is the rumor." Tissaia confirmed. "I'm sorry you didn't get to find any blood samples from her, but I promise to find blood samples from other source children."

"That girl is actually a lot more interesting." Andries mused. "She teleported away, something even a source shouldn't be able to do. Vilgefortz called her the Child of Elder Blood. The stories I read are usually horseshit prophecies, but I'm sure there's something interesting about her."

"So, you want to continue hunting for her?" Tissaia asked.

"Not really." Andries replied. "If I find her, I would be happy, but I have more important things to do. For example, I have to attack Cintra soon."

"Attack Cintra with what army?" Tissaia asked, raising an eyebrow.

"An undead one." Andries said. "I managed to finish the undead control device and know how to control it easily. I also have the crystal you gave me and my sigils. I will control thousands."

"Don't you think you are moving a little too fast?" Tissaia asked, her concern evident.

"Maybe." Andries admitted. "But the world isn't going to wait for me to gather my shit. I have to move fast if I want this siege to work. I need the distraction the northern army can provide. Nilfgaard is a danger for every mage and I rather make sure they lose the war."

"You are right." Tissaia said. "Your plans would work better if you manage to get the Mutant Council on your side. The Council knows of your deeds, but in their eyes, you are simply a flag, not a king. They will probably see you as a tool they can use, you have to be firm when you talk to them, show them you mean to be a leader then you should prove to them that you are worthy of being a leader."

"How would I do that?" Andries asked, his curiosity piqued.

"Tell them about your plans." Tissaia suggested. "You don't have to explain how the devices work, but you can share the general idea about your devices and necromancy. Just don't give them details and lie about the specifics if needed."

"I can do that." Andries said, nodding.

"One more thing." Tissaia said. "I have been receiving letters from the kings on your behalf. King Foltest has heard of your claims and has offered to provide a month's worth of supplies if you plan on attacking Cintra. He only asks to be informed of this attack."

"Oh, now I can count on the mutant army." Andries said, a sly smile playing on his lips. "Truth be told, I wasn't so sure of the mutant army since you can't fight with an empty belly. I wanted to attack Cintra with an army of the dead, take the supplies, then call to arms for mutants. Now I think I can use them in the first battle."

"That is if they agree to serve you." Tissaia reminded him.

"Yeah, that too." Andries said with a chuckle.

"Remember Andries, this isn't where we will meet the council." Tissaia said. "I want you to show some force, scare them a little so they would show up in your mansion on your terms."

"I was actually hoping they could rule instead of me." Andries said. "Truth be told I don't want to be a king. I was just hoping to use my undead to cause problems for my enemies and have the power of a king so I could make my towers."

"That would be impossible if you are a tool for them." Tissaia said. "If the mutants think you are lower in rank than them, they will stop your action sometimes by making false promises and sometime by outright denying you. You have to establish yourself as higher than them."

"Sounds complicated but sure." Andries said.

Tissaia led Andries to a large mansion on the east side of Gors Velen. The mansion was guarded by groups of skinless mutants with tough flesh. Two bald mutants with green, snake-like eyes seemed to oversee the actions of these mostly mindless skinless mutants. As they approached, they were stopped by the bald mutants.

"Are you the Andries?" one of the bald ones asked. "The guy that claims to be the leader of mutant armies? The so-called king?"

"I am the leader of any mutant that accepts me." Andries said with a smile. "I would happily accept you and the council as my followers."

The mutant spat on the ground and went inside the mansion, leaving the group to wait for a long time, much to Tissaia's annoyance.

After a while, a very thin mutant with deathly pale skin and fancy robes emerged. He looked remarkably clean and composed.

"My apologies." the thin man said. "We were not expecting your arrival this soon. I would like to escort you to meet the members of the council."

"This is preposterous." Tissaia snapped. "I had informed the council of our arrival. They should have expected us."

"There should have been a…" the thin mutant began, but was cut off.

"SILENCE!" Andries shouted in his demonic voice. "This is the second time I have been insulted by the actions of mutants supporting the council. A simple apology won't do."

Umbra, sensing the tension, used a powerful mental attack to assault the weak minds of the skinless mutants, dropping them to the ground. The bald mutants tried to step forward but halted when Mathies, Blightborn, and Wyrmblood took aggressive steps forward, stopping them in their tracks.

"I... I am sure we can..." the pale mutant stammered.

"I said silence." Andries repeated. "The council came to this city and was accepted because of me, but they refused to even reach out to me themselves. Kings have sent people to meet me, but not the council. Now that I reach out to them, they act too high and mighty?! The council has one week to seek me out in my mansion. They will send messengers beforehand to inform me and Tissaia of their plan for a visit. If they don't, I will inform the city watch that the council and the mutants that support them are rogue mutants. Is that understood?"

"Yes... yes, my lord." the pale mutant said, trembling.

"Good. Now go and tell your masters about my decision." Andries said.

Andries, Tissaia, and his group began to walk away. Andries had to suppress a laugh, his outburst was just an act, a necessary display of power to assert his dominance over the other mutants.

"Good work back there." Tissaia said, her voice filled with approval.

"Thanks." Andries replied, feeling a sense of satisfaction.

Andries returned to his mansion, and it didn't take long for envoys from the mutant council to arrive with apologies and gifts, inviting him back to meet the council. He refused the gifts and sent them back, insisting that any meeting should take place at his mansion.

The next day, Andries had the city watch inform the populace that there were two groups of mutants: his supporters and the supporters of the council, as long as the council had not pledged their loyalty to him. He declared that each mutant had the right to choose their allegiance. It didn't take long for the council to realize that even their own supporters were ready to defect and support Andries.

By the second day, the council requested a meeting. Andries agreed to meet them the following day.

In preparation for the meeting, Andries had his servants clean the mansion and make it ready for his guests. He also began taking potions to strengthen his body and make himself look older, though the process was slow and his appearance barely changed over the three days.

By the third day, Andries had a meeting room ready. He sat on a well-made chair at the head of a round table, with a similarly lavish chair beside him for Tissaia. The other chairs were made of fine wood and were comfortable, though not as grand as his and Tissaia's. Blightborn, Mathies, Umbra and Wyrmblood stood behind him, alongside the seven half-undead mutants.

When the council members arrived at the gates of the mansion, Andries mentally connected to Umbra, instructing him and his golems to open the gates and lead the council members inside.

As the council entered the meeting area, Andries observed the group, noting that four of them seemed to be in charge.

"Welcome." Andries said with a smile. "I am Andries, the leader of the mutant armies. It is a pleasure to finally meet you."

"I am Tissaia De Vries, Andries's advisor." Tissaia introduced herself.

"I am Vesperia, the alchemist." a mutant woman introduced herself.

Vesperia was slender and graceful, yet muscular. She looked young, with long black hair streaked with silver. Her emerald green eyes had slitted pupils, and her pale skin had patches of green scales. Her long fingers ended in black talons. She wore a modest dress typically worn by healers and alchemists.

"I am Draugor, the warrior." the next said.

Draugor was a large, muscular man with eyes that looked like liquid metal. He had tanned skin and short brown hair. He wore metal armor and carried a sword at his side.

"I am Eldrin, the sorcerer." the next said.

Eldrin was a frail-looking, thin man with blue eyes that glowed slightly. His white hair seemed to shift and move like wisps on his head. His pale, almost translucent skin contrasted with the robe that covered his body. He held a staff for support, which Andries sensed had more than just a practical purpose.

"Seraphina, the Beast Mistress." the last one said.

Seraphina was a wild-looking, fit woman with an athletic, lean, muscular frame. Her serpent-like eyes had vertical pupils and a hypnotic golden hue. Her wild yellow hair cascaded down her back in untamed waves. Her olive skin was exposed by her sleeveless leather vest, and she wore pants and boots with two short swords at her sides.

"I apologize on behalf of the council." Vesperia said. "We didn't mean any insults, we were simply not ready for you. As for the guard at the door, his insult was out of grief. After the Battle of Sodden, mutants were hunted by Nilfgaard, and many of them blame you for it."

"And you thought it was a good idea to put him there to meet me?" Andries asked, his tone cold.

"We wanted you to know not everyone saw you as a savior." Seraphina said.

"And how did that work out for you?" Andries asked, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

"Not that well." Seraphina admitted.

While they spoke, Eldrin the sorcerer's eyes flickered with different colors as he studied the mutants standing behind Andries.

"So, are you willing to pledge your loyalty to me?" Andries asked, cutting to the chase.

"No, we aren't." Draugor replied. "We wanted to see what the so-called leader of the mutant army looks like and how he behaves. You're not ready for it. A simple insult makes you angry enough to almost start a fight. I doubt you know anything about war or leading a kingdom."

"If a king allows people to insult him, he might as well bury himself alive." Andries countered. "As for leading a kingdom, I have plans."

"What plans are you…" Seraphina began.

"Those men, how did you make them?" Eldrin suddenly interrupted, his eyes fixed on the mutants behind Andries.

"Make them?" Vesperia echoed, confused.

"Necromancy." Andries stated.

"That's impossible." Eldrin said, shaking his head. "Necromancy isn't what people think it is, it wouldn't work like that. I studied necromancy extensively and never reached that level."

"I have devices and artifacts that can help me." Andries explained. "The same devices and artifacts that will help me build towers that will use magic as a source of energy."

"He is telling the truth." Tissaia affirmed. "The reason Aretuza is restored is thanks to his devices. I believe he can make those towers."

"I accept you as my leader and king." Eldrin said, dropping to his knees.

"Just like that?" Andries asked, surprised.

"Just like that." Eldrin confirmed. "I heard of your battle and how you destroyed a firestorm with a flick of your finger. I didn't believe it at first, but if you can do all of this, then that isn't out of the realm of possibility. People were willing to follow Vilgefortz for his power alone. I see no reason not to follow you for the same reason."

"That's good. How about the rest of you?" Andries turned to the others.

"I... I really don't know what to say right now." Seraphina admitted, her voice conflicted after seeing Eldrin kneel.

"How about this." Andries proposed. "I admit I am not great at leading a kingdom. I know how to make towers that will use magic to improve crops and control the sea and storms. But I have a long way to go in learning how to rule a kingdom. If you kneel right now and pledge yourselves to me, I promise your words will be second only to mine."

The others exchanged glances, weighing their options. Eldrin was already on his knees, and after a moment, Vesperia knelt, followed by Draugor and finally Seraphina. Andries nodded, then ordered them to stand and offered them seats around the table.

Andries, Tissaia, and the council gathered around the table, discussing their future strategies and plans for combating their enemies. The council informed Andries of their resources, 500 mutant hounds, 50 hound masters 300 failed experiments, 150 combat-ready mutants, and hundreds of non-combatant mutants. They revealed that they had established a small town south of Brokilon, complete with extensive farms and mines, paying taxes to Verden. Over the past two years, they had built a strong community.

Andries shared King Foltest's offer of assistance if they were prepared for war. He outlined his plans to attack Cintra and detailed his strategy for what would follow. The council and Tissaia were initially confused about his post-Cintra plans until Draugor, understanding Andries' vision, finished explaining it.

"A lot can go wrong with this plan." Draugor said thoughtfully. "I will personally oversee the soldiers to ensure nothing goes awry. I like this plan. At first, I kneeled because Eldrin kneeled, but I see that you might be a good king. If we pull this off, I will follow you to the gates of hell."

"Good to hear." Andries responded, his confidence bolstered.

Tissaia added, "There are also mages willing to help. Not all of them are comfortable with necromancy, but they won't object since you've become renowned. There are about fifteen, including Lyetta."

"Fifteen mages are a great number." Eldrin said. "Mages can significantly impact a battle, especially if they can teleport people."

"They are mostly combat mages." Tissaia clarified. "Around five of them can safely open portals. These five can teleport groups of around twenty."

Vesperia turned to Tissaia, asking, "An enchantress of your great power can help a lot in the coming battle. Are you going to join us?"

"No, I can't join the battle." Tissaia replied. "I have to take care of Aretuza. After the events of the conclave, the academy might be in danger. I will help in political ways if I can."

"Political help would be good." Andries acknowledged. "We must prepare for the coming battle. There are many raiders in the northern lands. They can be used for my undead army."

"If you can't use the corpses, then we can feed them to the hounds." Seraphina suggested.

"Yeah, that would be good." Andries agreed.

The council reached an agreement and departed to prepare for the upcoming conflict. They planned to meet in the mutant town south of Brokilon and start their operations from there.

Over the next few days, Andries completed his necromantic device. The device was a cubic object with a negative energy crystal in the middle and a placeholder near the crystal to hold two sets of brains. The back of the device could be opened to access the brains. Andries attached multiple leather straps to the device so he could wear it on his back, ready for the battles to come.

Eldrin, testing Andries' resolve and methods, sent a few individuals from the council's punishment list to him. Andries meticulously transformed them into half-undead, ensuring they retained their mutant nature without further mutation. This process bolstered his army with five more soldiers.

After a week of preparation, Andries and the council, along with a retinue of a hundred, departed Gors Velen. Lyetta accompanied the group, traveling in a carriage alongside Andries. His own carriage was an imposing structure, pulled by mutated horses that Vesperia had engineered. These horses were massive, consuming everything from grass and meat to tree bark.

Surveying his retinue, Andries noted the hounds he had been told about. They were enormous, muscular beasts, larger than humans, with teeth capable of cutting through flesh and bone. Each hound master, a mutant with a mental connection to their charges, managed over ten of these fearsome creatures, thanks to the combined efforts of Vesperia, Eldrin, and Seraphina.

Andries, constantly consuming potions every day to ready his body for the upcoming battles, found himself slowly growing stronger. Draugor's lessons in close combat were also helping him prepare physically.

The group's progress was slow but steady. Although they had ample supplies, they decided to bolster their reserves by hunting the Scoia'tael in the Jay Forest, near the road from Gors Velen to Petrelsteyn Castle. They soon discovered a Scoia'tael camp. Waiting for nightfall, Andries, Lyetta, and Eldrin combined their magic to extinguish every fire in the camp, giving the mutants a significant advantage.

The hounds were unleashed, tearing through the elves before they could even reach their weapons. Those who managed to arm themselves were swiftly overwhelmed by the failed experiments and other mutants. From his vantage point, Andries watched the massacre, which quickly turned into a surrender. The surviving elves, now prisoners, had been spared for Vesperia's purposes. Andries and the council were adamant: rape was forbidden, but turning the elves into mutants was another matter entirely.

Andries, with Umbra's assistance, set to work on the bodies. Opening skulls, he carved sigils on them and used necromantic magic to close them. He then placed an unharmed brain into the device on his back. Activating it, he raised twenty undead soldiers. This task took the entire night, prompting the group to camp there.

Through this night, Andries realized that Umbra was not merely a reanimated mage but an extension of himself. Umbra's intelligence and personality were a direct result of their deep mental connection. Andries even discovered that by closing one or two eyes and reaching out with his psionic power, he could see through Umbra's eyes.

The group resumed their journey the next morning once Andries had completed his work. The undead marched alongside them, a sight that prompted Lyetta to teleport back, unable to tolerate the presence of the undead. She assured them she would join the main battle when called upon.

In two days, they reached Petrelsteyn Castle. The guards were horrified at the approaching party and prepared for battle. Andries, seeking to avoid conflict, led his followers off the main road temporarily before rejoining the path to Risseberg.

Upon reaching Risseberg, they bypassed the keep, heading towards Cidaris. Along the way, they actively hunted down any Scoia'tael and bandits they encountered. Their strategy remained consistent, using hounds to track camps at night and launching surprise attacks. Though they lost two failed experiment mutants and five hounds in these skirmishes, they gained ninety more undead, sixty prisoners, and about forty new normal hounds. This time, he didn't carve runes on all of the undead as it would have taken too much time.

Their slower pace due to these encounters meant it took them a week to reach Kerack city, where they were denied entry out of fear. Undeterred, Andries' retinue continued toward the mutant town, well-supplied from their successful raids.

By this time, Andries had physically matured to look around fourteen thanks to using alchemy, his body strengthened through alchemy and training. His real age was sixteen by then, his birthday had passed during the second week of their journey.

They arrived at the town by nightfall. The townspeople, curious about the returning council, came out to greet them. The town, decently sized with mostly wooden houses, featured massive farms and alchemically enhanced livestock. Andries was particularly struck by the sight of a cow the size of a cyclops, wondering how such animals were slaughtered, a question answered by the sight of two large mutants accompanying the cow.

The town had more people than Andries expected, resembling a large city but with wooden walls and less well-constructed houses. Andries was escorted to the largest house, a stone mansion, while areas were prepared to house the undead. The necromantic device was left running, its energy drain minimal and quickly replenished by the crystal.

The next morning, after resting, Andries, accompanied by his bodyguards, visited Vesperia's lab. There, he found Vesperia and her mutant apprentices working on the prisoners.

"Hello, Vesperia." Andries greeted.

"My lord." Vesperia responded with a bow, echoed by her apprentices. "What brings you to my humble lab? Is there something you need?"

"I have extensive knowledge of alchemy." Andries said. "I was hoping to assist in creating new mutants. We both know that's what will happen to the prisoners we captured."

"Yes, that is our plan." Vesperia confirmed. "I intend to turn them into skinless mutants. We call them failed mutants, a term people are more comfortable with. I use psionic commands to control them. We use ghoul mutation since it is easy to find ghouls around."

"Well, I can assist with alchemy, mutation, and psionics." Andries offered. "I am a strong psionic and have practiced implanting commands in their brains."

"I would appreciate the help, but…" Vesperia began.

"Great, let's get to work," Andries interrupted.

Andries dove into the work enthusiastically. Though Vesperia and her apprentices were initially wary of his presence, they quickly grew accustomed to his eagerness. Andries assisted in mutating the prisoners, converting them into desired forms. He also played a crucial role in the brainwashing process, embedding command words into their minds. Together, they used alchemy and psionic manipulation to ensure the skinless mutants obeyed their designated handlers.

Once most of the prisoners were transformed into skinless mutants, they cleaned up and convened with the rest of the council in a meeting room. When Andries and Vesperia entered, the three council members stood and bowed before taking their seats to begin the meeting.

"So, we are gathered here for the attack plan," Draugor said.

"Yes, the attack plan," Andries echoed. "It's simple. We will use the mages to create a bridge over the river from Kernow to the other side. We will then attack Coldwater, targeting soldiers and those directly serving Nilfgaard. Civilians should not be harmed. Afterward, we will move south to Ortagor Keep, where I will set traps, possibly summoning spells, for the Nilfgaardian army."

"Ortagor Keep is not well defended," Draugor noted. "It's away from the river and not a port city like Cintra, so there are likely around a thousand soldiers there."

"A good sneak attack would make the keep ours," Seraphina added. "We have just over a thousand soldiers, but they fight better than normal humans, so taking the keep shouldn't be hard."

"What happens after taking Ortagor?" Eldrin asked.

"We'll go east," Andries explained. "First, we'll head to a village called Smallton, then north to the north of Armush Mountain. We'll go east and wait for the Nilfgaardian army to follow us. We need to send scouts to check the passage through the Armush Mountains. If it's passable, we'll move the army and our supplies through it. If not, we'll avoid the mountain and go north, using the mages to create another bridge to get us back."

"You might be thinking too highly of mages," Eldrin cautioned. "I don't think they can maintain a bridge long enough for an entire army to cross."

"I can create a device for that," Andries said. "It will take time to finish, but I'm envisioning a device that feeds stone and uses the mages' power to transmute the stones into a functional bridge. It needs testing, but I believe two to three mages could keep the bridge up for about three hours."

"If we have time, we might be able to expand our armies," Vesperia suggested. "Lady Tissaia said she could help diplomatically. Perhaps we could ask her to send letters to other kings, requesting their prisoners for our experiments to strengthen our mutants."

"I like that idea," Andries agreed. "If the mutations fail, we can always add them to my undead armies."

"I am starting to like this plan," Seraphina said. "If things go as you say, we can flank the Nilfgaardian army and attack Cintra."

"That is if they send the army from Cintra," Draugor countered. "Even then, we will have to fight ten to one against the enemy. I think we shouldn't do this once and then head to Cintra. It would be better if we keep executing these small attacks, killing as many as we can, and adding to our armies."

"That might attract a bigger army to the area," Seraphina noted.

"No, I like Draugor's plan," Andries said. "If they send more soldiers to the area, we'll just gain more soldiers, be it prisoners or undead. It might take a long time, even a year, but we will eventually have enough soldiers to take the city."

"I have one question," Seraphina interjected. "What should we do with the elves that aren't fighting for Nilfgaard? Should we turn them into mutants or kill them?"

"We can turn them into mutants," Vesperia suggested.

"I think we should accept them," Andries proposed. "The reason Nilfgaard has the support of elves is that Nilfgaard accepts them slightly better than the northern kingdoms. If we allow them to live peacefully in our land, many non-combatants might avoid helping Nilfgaard."

"Yes, I agree with you," Eldrin said. "This might cause some problems with the human population, but we are mostly mutants, so I don't think our people would mind elves, dwarves, and other races. Nilfgaard isn't the most trustworthy kingdom, and if they betray the elves, we will gain thousands of supporters."

"Then this is the plan," Andries concluded. "Get ready for the war to come. It will be a long war and take many days to prepare for, but it will be worth it when we are a kingdom of our own."

The council members left the meeting area and headed to their rooms. Andries knew he needed rest, as a great journey lay ahead of him.