The last Necromancer of Tantos

 Whoever this lad was he sounded like trouble through Gredaro's ears. He exited the Commerce Center with a troop of arcane colleagues, the pirates, and a few others who came there for business. Backshot talked into his ears as they progressed out of the area down the street. Thanks to his connections with Dippelboager, his colleagues, and Perdi he learned the wizards had gathered some fighters and mercenaries for hire. An Elf Wizard from Luvahan managed to hire some 34 Knights and soldiers. These are hired hands who hailed from various islands and other continents. Somewhere on one of the islands a female half-Goblin promised a crew of 42 pirates riches from some other plane. Gredaro scoffed at that. He could only imagine how much trouble that arcane user would be in if she entered one of those planes. According to Odolin One trio of known Wizards have 63 warriors look up to them from Evusia. Due to their fame those warriors rallied behind them. Appanos added another unit of 31 gunslingers, outlaws and renegades flocked to one wizard due to their curiosity.  Velenus boasted about a few engineer-wizards building a small force of 27 automatons for combat. As they passed a few buildings he heard about a Temple witch rallying 613 Dragon Knights from three different territories of the Gantronese Empire. Tallying up all the numbers in his head Gredaro estimated a force of 1,361 for their army so far. 

When they paused at a crosswalk Gredaro glanced over at them. They did not mention the rest of the arcane wizards' forces since that information was not handed over freely. Among the other arcane users driven from their homes spread the fear of spies. Gredaro looked around them seeing the many citizens of the Tante Republic minding their own business. It was as though there was no war going on. Focusing one eye on a family of half elves passing them he realized the Tante Republics were neutral in this conflict. It gave off an uncomfortable feeling this would bite the VUVR in the buttocks at some point. He turned around to see his rewards in the arms of the pirate crew and the mercenaries who looked ready to part ways for this day.  When it was clear to cross the street, they moved as one with other Tantus citizens walking alongside them. Most appeared wary of the wizards. Others avoided eye contact with the pirate crew. Making their way across the groups split up. Pirates and Mercenaries took a left turn, but had to wait for the traffic to clear. Gredaro and his fellow Wizards pressed on down the street with Dippelboager accompanying them. For several minutes they took the sidewalk up to a line of vehicles that appeared to be waiting for someone. One by one his colleagues stopped to enter the vehicles. He entered one of them with a sign on top that read Public Chauffeur. Riding with Eforahim and Veleus, Gredaro discussed some plans for future action. Their new Goblin Mage affiliate, whom they haven't even met yet already went ahead with the first attacks. 

According to some newspaper another battle was underway south of the Unknown Lands. Just the way it read he could not tell if it was over or if it was still going on. However, it depicted the coalition of allies as the victors. More was to be added to this story once the reports came in from Vestrisian reporters, journalists, and those big mouth Ruhonthrans. Rumors about some strange metal towers and islands was said to be found past the Arm of Lost Souls. One even mentioned more alien factions. Those were being dismissed by the VUVR claiming those were not clear enough. He only read comments from various representatives, politicians, and other higher-ranking officials. As their own little convoy took a turn something hit the vehicle in front of the convoy. Forced to come to a halt the convoy stopped at once. All of the arcane colleagues got out ready for an ugly encounter. What they found was something from a nightmare or some accounts that involve black sorcery. Five zombies with iron collars, five humanoids with signs of experimenting, and mechanical limbs holding swords flanked from one side of the street. Gredaro's body turned around to see more flanking groups of abominations, and zombified humanoids. He also spotted what caused them to stop. The leading vehicle hit a creature of large stature. It was hard to tell if it was something he never saw before or some mad creation. A steel shell could be seen behind the wrecked vehicle. Springing into action Gredaro's own colleagues took care of their attackers. Some were shocked with lightning sparks from the fingers, others flamed, a few were slammed against the brick walls of the buildings in the street they entered. The rest were gunned down with modern pistols and revolvers they chose to carry around. 

Gredaro did not get to check the true number of their attackers. He was not fond of counting, but it did help with morale to see how many cronies a hostile lost among their ranks. From his side of the street two groups of armed figures dressed up as skeletons poured out of two alleyways. He did not know how many were on the other side, but on his side of things one zombified humanoid shambled its way out. Behind it followed seven off world looking humanoids, and eight goons dressed in a dark green attire armed with various guns. Gredaro threw several fireballs at them hitting the zombie and nailing a few goons. In the alley he spotted five more cowering against the walls. He was shot at by the flanking goons who came under fire from the ones he was with. Gredaro was hit in the leg and the arm. An exchange of fireballs, sparks, objects, and bullets filled the one street causing a few fires. He did not know if anyone else was hit, but he did watch two more goons die. Six of the nonnatives died on his side of the street. Reduced to a smaller number the attackers slunk back into the dark alleys. Gredaro felt hands grab him up as sirens screamed from other streets. The stinging pain from being shot numbed his limbs. All he could do was let the arms of bystanders, and his colleagues get him on a stretcher. 

Just the sky, faces of helpers, and the tops of the flanking buildings hovered in his viewpoint. They carried him to another vehicle where he was slid inside next to another victim, one of their drivers. A pair of nurses climbed in the back to patch him up. One of them put syringe in him that injected a strange liquid into his body. Whatever it was it took him out. Gredaro woke up in a hospital bed for the first time in his life. His right leg, and left arm were in bandages. Flanking him was a bedside table, a tall lamp, and curtains on both sides acting like a divider. He was in a hospital gown with clear wires and tubes injecting blood into him from a hanging blood bag. Feeling himself again he wiggled in his bed adjusting himself. Two nurses came to his side assisting the Wizard. He wanted to object, but the words did not escape his lips. Making him feel like a helpless infant the nurses adjusted him and his bed. They left him alone to tend to other patients. 

At first he did not see his family standing on the other side of the doorway. Fytbak Magris the Goblin, his pupil Amerius, Gredaro's maid Icude Vozat, and his Mage in training Pasior entered the room. All four of them flanked the Wizard with distraught faces. Gredaro closed his eyes for a moment reciting an old phrase his master said to calm him down. It was an old incantation passed down from arcane user to arcane user that calmed people down. Amerius wiped tears from his own eyes. Pasior sniffled a little then cleaned up the tears from her cheeks. Fytbak was able to fight the tears back, but Icude let the tears roll down her cheeks. He looked at each of them searching for the words for them. Will you be alright Master was a question he saw in their eyes. None of them spoke for a few moments. 

"Is this the first time you have been shot?" Fytbak the half goblin from Cydnam asked him. It was indeed the first time. 

"Yes Fytbak it is." He answered feeling the stinging pain of the wounds. His eyes went to the bandages where he was shot. 

"Are you sure this is his first time?" Pasior asked the Half-Goblin. "He went up against some nefarious dark wizards, and mages three years ago outside of Oceanrest Var." 

"Pasior, I thought I told you not to say a word about that." He scolded the female Mage in Training. The short haired female teen gulped and slunk back a little in her robes and Tantosian outfit. An outfit he did not agree with, but at least it covered her. 

"Sorry Master." She answered. 

"Master? Who did you-" Amerius was cut off. 

"Never mind that for now Amerius, I want you to return to your studies. Once I am fully healed, we will begin practicing all that you have learned. As for you Pasior do not wander the streets alone. There are plenty of dangers in these streets despite this nations neutrality." He commanded both of his pupils. Amerius nodded obediently, whereas Pasior folded her arms turning away. 

"Fytbak see that they obey my commands. Icude continue helping Perdi." He ordered the two members of his formed family. 

The door opened again, Odolin, and Eforahim entered with Dippelboager behind them. Gredaro sent his family off back to Perdi's place. He waited for them to leave the room before he addressed the trio of partners. Both arcane wizards, and the middleman held smug grins on their faces. One of them held a newspaper in his hands. Eforahim held out this paper to Gredaro's face. It was some newspaper known as THE COURIER DAILY. Below the name of the paper read the title of the first page story. LAST NECROMANCER OF TANTOS DISTURBED an article by Regine Backlasher. Just reading the title confused him. 

"What is this?" Gredaro asked them. 

"This means our movement will get more notice! Plus, donations and extra volunteers will flock to our ranks. Bringing this necromancer out of the shadows has stirred up the local gangs. None of them can operate without the local authorities sniffing them out or catching them red handed." his colleague explained. 

"While I am healing our movement will begin receiving recognition? What could I do during that time?" Gredaro asked them. 

"You could keep track of donations as they come in while inside Perdi's home. Plus, that lad with the ship has just been notified. Backshot and her pirates found him." Odolin told him. 

"How long have I been out?" He asked them. Something he should have asked from the very beginning. 

"Well, you were sort of in a comma for a full day. That did not bode well with your um family." Dippelboager replied to him. 

"In case you are required to lead troops I went ahead and requested for someone to fill in for you." Eforahim informed Gredaro who gave him a perplexed expression. 

"Who? Who did you contact?" Gredaro forced himself upright with his good arm ignoring the stings. 

"A Zhenrai Warrior from Ivodra." Eforahim answered.