Corrupt command (Niran POV)

Niran watches as his troops form up in front of the gates. They were a rabble, hardly fit to wear the uniform. He somewhat regretted using the local troops, but it would have been impossible to conceal his approach had he marched the main forces from the capital. It didn’t matter anyway. There was no one here who could match his magical might, and all these troops had to do was split the rebel attention until the dreadnoughts landed the elite troops.

The only true threat was the golem girl, and he had the device to lessen that. He could feel her energy, and he knew the device would only slow her, not disable her. That’s all Niran needed. He wanted her captured, so that he could unlock her secrets at his leisure.

But first, they needed to get past these laughable defenses. Niran waved a hand dismissively at the wooden gates, and they began to rot away, crumbling in seconds. The others feared the corruption. Even Victoria, with all her power, loathed it. Niran reveled in it. It gave him power. After all, everyone feared him, and fear is power.

Niran watched his magic gnaw at the gates, impatient to finish this. He would rather not be here at all, but Victoria held the power. For now, at least. Perhaps once this outside threat was dealt with, a change in leadership was in order. Certainly the Great One wouldn’t care. These days he was even less lucid than before, muttering about a key, and raving that purity would return. Even elder gods feared the corruption, it seemed.

As the gates crumbled into dust, he caught sight of his opponents. Barely more than a rabble themselves. And at their head, this so-called ‘hero’. He wields a potent blade, and the golem girl was beside him, along with his pet fire spirit. Leading from the front, how foolish.

Niran waved his men forward. No sense getting stuck in the melee, he had better things to do. Let the hero and his pets cut their way to him. Then he could end their pathetic little rebellion, and Niran could get back to more important work.

With a gesture, he signaled for the dreadnought captains to begin their assault as well. It should only be a few hours before this was all wrapped up. Niran watched the golem girl carve up the hapless soldiers, waiting for the proper moment.