Hydromancy

[Bossanova]

<p>Water would become aggressive. Those were the words the Yha'Lei hydromancer had used to describe the way the river would react once the reagents kicked in. Water - elixir of life. But like most things it would become something entirely different once properly stimulated. The smell of steam mixed with chemicals and gravel filled the air and although it was impossible to see far in the mist the silence was testimony that he had indeed gotten value for money.This had been an experiment. For reason of safety it was impossible to see first-hand what had actually happened to the river water but the results were undeniable. Later he would order the bodies laid out in lines, organized into groups and then autopsies performed. The land would be useful and could be traded. But the fear. The fear this act would generate was the real currency. He'd learned with experience that it was important to stay in the front of people's minds. That silence should be punctuated with random acts of terror to both intimidate his enemies and as an introduction to potential friends. And his mind raced - he was collating and analyzing. This attack was strange. Strange even for him. The experiment was success.Coin had once been a motivator but it had become obvious that over the last few years it meant less as his list of allies became more exotic. Now coin was territory. Reputation. And when dealing with the religious it was often something much, much darker.His men were calm, comforted by the knowledge that the dark and evil magic used here had been used by them. Whatever had happened had been so alien that it was difficult to see the victims as people. They were simply objects swept up by a great wind. No-one spoke but there was a serenity in the air. A stillness. There was no blood, no fire. Just steam and that smell in the air.The grass had lost a lot of it's colour. Scouts returned from the forest and reported that even the forest animals had not escaped. Nothing had escaped. And the night before they had heard no screams.He wondered if he should perhaps fear his new friends.__________________________________________ Copyright © Bossanova | RunnyeyeThe Apocalypse Will Bloom</p>