"Portal yourself above ground," said Aldrich to Portal Girl. "I'm going to bring the people in the hangar back in here where it's safer. I don't want them to have any questions when they see you alive again.
They along with the rest of the world will come to know my power in time, but for now, I don't want to deal with questions."
Eileen nodded. She took in a breath, clasped her hands together, and then separated them. A dark purple line drew itself in the form of a circle in front of her. The circle filled in with distorted purple space that rippled like waves radiating out from a pond once a stone was thrown in it.
She stepped back, surprised.
"Hm?" said Aldrich.
"My portals, usually, they're pink. The color isn't like this," said Eileen.
"Do you sense that the portal is any different than what you're used to?" said Aldrich.
"No, I guess the color changed when my powers improved," said Eileen. "I guess I'll have to recolor my costume now. Pink to purple – I guess I don't dislike it."
No, it was a massive improvement, thought Aldrich. It would have been somewhat ridiculous for him, a specter of death, to land on a battlefield through bright pink portals. He did not voice this thought out loud though.
Instead, all he said was, "I'll see you aboveground."
Eileen nodded before she leaped into the portal. It closed behind her, zipping off into nothingness.
Aldrich walked over to the hangar as he put two fingers on his helmet, contacting Valera this time.
'Valera, it's time,' said Aldrich.
'Truly!?' Valera's voice radiated with pure excitement and bloodthirst. 'Are we to finally slay that beast? Ah, to triumph over it with my dear master, to rip off its head and hold it high for you, I have looked forward to nothing else this entire night!'
'Yes,' said Aldrich. 'But don't get too excited just yet. You're one of my heavy hitters. I'm putting you in reserve until the time is right. But everyone else though, get them ready. All the undead in that mega complex aside from Fler'Gan should be ready to fight.
Oh, and tell Fler'Gan to get the statue ready.'
'All these lesser undead will fight with my master before I do!' pouted Valera. 'But alright, my dear master. I will have them organized and ready to fight. What are your battle plans for this exciting night, master?'
'From what I can see from an aerial view, there's a massive army of fishmen gathered outside the forcefield. There are two 'leader' type variants that are noticeably larger and stronger leading the army. The commander, the one you warned me about, is located farther back in the army, near the rear.
The composition of the army is tougher. It isn't just generic fodder fishmen. There are shelled crab types that act like tanks and warriors and slithering mermaid types that function like mages with pretty advanced water control.
The mermaid types also operate their siege units, the sea anemones that fire hydroplasma. They create intense water shielding around the anemones to guard them against fire from within the forcefield, and if those anemone cannons are left to their own devices, I have no doubt that they can do solid damage to me provided my Death Essence barrier falls.
The layout of the army is a bit of an issue to deal with.
The commander, I'll dub it as 'Shrimp', sits far back, behind the main army. The two leaders that I'll refer to as 'Crab' and 'Mermaid' are the ones spearheading the actual siege and the army at the front.'
'Ah, your naming sense is still the same as ever, I see, my master,' said Valera, teasing Aldrich. 'Do you remember when you named your greatest mount, your risen frost dragon mighty enough to freeze entire armies with a single chill breath, as 'Ice?'
Getting his naming sense called out like this, Aldrich felt minor embarrassment. 'And here I thought you were on my side.'
'Oh, I like it, master. It is endearing, and it shows who you are. Straight to the point. Open. All qualities I admire about you,' said Valera.
'Okay, I promise that once I take down Shrimp and raise him, I'll have a better name for him,' said Aldrich. He sighed before he got serious again. 'Shrimp's position is quite far back, and he's shielded inside what seems to be a particularly strong water barrier.
Meaning he isn't in a position to fight and protect the main body of his army.'
'Shall we strike the rear, then? Where the commander of this army is exposed and isolated?' said Valera.
'I've thought about that, and it is tempting. A sudden rear flank to take out the commander just like that, said Aldrich. 'But no.
A rear flank will leave the inner district open to attack once the forcefield falls. And if Shrimp is as strong as you say, even if we break down that shielding, dealing with him will be an incredibly difficult task.
The anemone cannons at the front of the army will be the biggest issue at that point. Without taking them out, each of their shots will annihilate large chunks of my undead instantly while dealing with Shrimp.
It is better to raise a frontal attack, seize the anemone cannons, take out the two leaders, and massacre the brunt of the army.
That will force Shrimp out to fight, but without artillery support and, hopefully, his leaders raised and turned against him.'
Aldrich clenched his fists, readying his mind for the battle to come. A battle of incredibly large scale where death would hang in every inch of the air.
'The advantage of being a Necromancer, especially a Legion Necromancer, is that battlefields are where we thrive.
And a battlefield where two armies simply charge against each other, slamming the weight of their numbers and power against each other head on, that is where the presence of death lies thickest.
And death is my tool. It is mine to control, mine to use.
The more units there are, the more death there is, the more chaos there is – the stronger I get.
For every single enemy troop that dies, I add to my own.
For every grave that floats in a battlefield, regardless of whether it came from the lowliest footsoldier or the mightiest leader, is another chance for me to feast and replenish my health and essence barrier.
There is no better place for me to show the full extent of my power than in the carnage of a battlefield.'
'Master, if you speak of carnage and battle like this in front of me, with oh such vivid language, I will get all too much excited,' said Valera lustfully. 'And what of the commander? When it decides to act?'
'That's the largest uncertainty in this because all I know is that it is incredibly fast, strong, and durable, but I don't have a good idea of its other powers,' said Aldrich. 'That's another reason for a frontal assault.
Once I draw Shrimp out, I can stall it out with troops I've raised. That way, I can get a better sense of what it can do and then formulate the best way to take it down on the go.
Otherwise, in a rear flank where I would be fighting Shrimp first, I'd be going in blind, and that's a risk I'm unwilling to take with what's very likely an A ranked disaster."
'Then I will prepare our troops for your battle, my dear master,' said Valera, satisfied with Aldrich's plan. He appreciated her suggestion of a flank, and he knew that if she thought any part of his plan was not workable, she would have objected.
'Oh, right, and as for how our troops will make their entrance, well, I originally wanted them to swarm in through the sides where they would be unnoticed, but I have a much better option,' said Aldrich. 'One that will guarantee a far more dramatic, grander entrance. One that will make an impression.'
'Oh?' questioned Valera.
'I've raised another Alter. She can create portals that will give us much more flexibility in moving our forces. I'm going to send her to your location, so coordinate with her,' said Aldrich.
'She, is it…?' Valera paused for a moment of jealousy before returning to seriousness. 'Of course. I will test this woman and see if she is truly up to the task.'
'Good. As always, I'm always grateful that I can rely on you, Valera,' said Aldrich. He then cut off the communication as he passed through the tunnel leading back out to the hangar.
