As if in answer to Annan's words, two knights and a black carriage bearing the Bone Emblem emerged from the rain later that day and stopped before the City Lord's Mansion.
They were envoys of the Empire, bearing Emperor Tatuun's order: Lord Annan was to bring his troops to Montreal Mountain within a month.
"I'll be there."
Annan watched the Bone King's envoys ride back into the rain to notify the other lords.
They had one month to prepare.
To encourage the Hellfire Legion, Annan had chosen to live at the camp lately. Whenever government affairs needed discussing, he had Olmedo come to him or contacted him through a Teleportation Gate.
The Fourth Legion put out an open call for recruits through the Voice of Freedom: Whether you were a dragon, giant, vampire, or an orc, goblin, or kobold—Ratfolk were pouring in like a tide, leaving nothing in their wake. Take up arms and fight for yourself! Become a hero and defend your home!
By the second day of recruitment, the registration desk was packed.
Most of those who came were neither orcs nor goblins. They were humans.
Most were residents who hadn't read the notice closely and had come to enlist. A few had been stirred by the call to arms. The rest insisted, with absolute conviction, that their ancestors had been elves, orcs, or even dragons.
Annan couldn't be bothered to explain reproductive isolation to them. But he didn't want to dampen their enthusiasm, so he assigned them to the reserve force of the Three Great Legions. They wouldn't have to leave their regular jobs, only train on a few set days each month.
Nearly a week passed, and the Fourth Legion numbered just 156: ninety goblins, thirty-three orcs, thirteen white dragons, five elves, three ghosts, two kobolds,