After a cryptic and rather confusing breakfast with Prince Xander my family and I split up to our respective duties for the day. There was much to talk about, but we had neither the time nor the luxury to waste.
There was work to be done.
"Good morning, Sir Shadowheart," Tichus said with a friendly wave.
"Tichus, good to see you didn't run away in the night," I said somewhat jokingly.
Tichus thankfully just chuckled and said, "One hard day of work isn't enough to see me running to the hills."
"I imagine. How did someone like you come into service under Prince Leopold?" I asked curiously.
Tichus put a finger to his chin and then shrugged. "Luck, I guess?" he said, sounding somewhat unsure of himself.
"How so? As in, you were just lucky to be found by him?" I questioned.
"Well…that's one way to put it. I suppose the simplest answer is that he instantly took a liking to me after he ran me over with his carriage a few years ago," Tichus said fondly.
…
"What?"
Tichus waved his hands in concern and then chuckled. "Wait, I can tell you have the wrong idea! It really was my fault. I was drinking too much, and it was late at night…I wandered into the road and…well, the rest is history."
It appears Prince Leopold is even more of an eccentric than I thought…or that's what it looks like on the surface. In truth, all of his bodyguards are incredibly strong. His ability to discern someone's talent or ability just by a glance…is it some kind of magic? Or just intuition?
"So Prince Leopold, the first prince of Tel'an'duth, hit a random drunken man in the street with his carriage, then hired him as a personal bodyguard and mage because…?"
"There's a little more in between that, to be fair. Prince Leopold had me healed in a nearby temple, and he told me to show him my skills in magic…so I did, and after that, he hired me. I swear I wasn't some kind of drunkard who wasted his days in an inn. It was just a one-night party with friends…that's why I consider myself lucky," Tichus said.
"Admirable. I feel like the stereotypical noble would have left you to die," I said.
Tichus nodded with a smile. "Yes, that is true. But His Highness, Prince Leopold, is anything but stereotypical."
"I believe that. Now, shall we?" I said, motioning to the open field outside of Curia.
"Yes, but I thought we would be getting reinforcements today?" Tichus commented.
But the moment he turned his head back to the city, a large group of about thirty or so people was marching toward us. They were all wearing robes of various colors and materials; some were Human, Elf, or even Beastmen. All of them had a staff or some type of wand on their belt. They must have been the earth mages sent from Prince Xander's forces.
And most of them are quite strong…on average, they are all roughly Experts, with two or three of them being Masters. But…that person…no way.
A wrinkled old face looked up at me. Her stature was short, but her shoulders were broad despite being in her twilight years. I hadn't expected to see a familiar face, especially that one.
"Ma'am, it's been some time…" I greeted.
The old Dwarf librarian from Forward University walked up to me, using her staff as support. Her lips turned up into a wrinkly smile as she said, "It's good to see you again, young man. I was afraid something had happened to you when you stopped showing up at the library. Imagine my surprise when I was told you were the Dragonslayer."
The librarian was always kind to me and spent much of her time explaining how the library's system worked or helping me find certain things when I needed them. She was a wonderful lady, but I was surprised to see her here, in the military with the mages, and to learn she was a Master mage.
"Yes, much has happened since we last spoke. But why are you here? I thought you were working at the university…" I said.
"I was indeed, and I planned on doing so until the day I passed. But current events have made me change my mind, so with the help of the Headmaster, I enlisted in the military again," she told me.
"Again? This isn't your first time?" I questioned.
"I was hired to work at the university after the war. I was quite surprised to be offered a job by a country I once called an enemy, you see," she said with a faint smile.
I see…she was on the side of Krunbar. That is interesting. I suppose Bowen really hired anyone, regardless of previous affiliation. This is probably one of the reasons why things went so wrong so quickly at Forward University…not that Bowen could have ever expected this to happen.
"I understand. Then we will be looking forward to your assistance in the coming days," I said with a short bow.
With introductions out of the way, everyone set to work on digging trenches, moving dirt, and piling up walls. With the inclusion of thirty mages, most at the Expert level, our efficiency increased drastically. We were even able to spare a handful of mages to create stone barricades from the dirt in the shape of large pyramids.
These pyramids lined the trenches' in-between spaces, making maneuvering through them that much more difficult. With a few jagged edges and spikes sticking out from them, hopefully, they would afford us more time. Time was well spent, and we nearly achieved our goal by mid-day. Tomorrow, we will start ripping up the road that led west. After all, making these pitfalls and traps wouldn't matter if the large road leading directly to the city was still intact.
Perhaps when everyone clears for the day, I'll start by launching a few spells at it to break it up. The roads don't have any protective measures, so it should be fairly easy. Then again, the stones used could be used elsewhere, but I doubt we have the time to pick up and move every single brick back to the city.
We gathered for a simple lunch and a break, but we were interrupted by a handbell signaling for our attention. A man wearing a fancy red and gold uniform called out to us and extended a long scroll.
He spoke out directly to all the gathered citizens, soldiers, and refugees in a loud voice, "By the authority granted to me by the Prince of Luminar, His Highness, Prince Xander Maxwell, I hereby announce the formal drafting of all able citizens of the kingdom in the defense of Curia against the encroaching monster horde from the West."
Murmurs began to rise but were quickly silenced by the booming voice of the herald. The full account was given, and the terms were incredibly generous. Those who served, not that they had a choice, would be compensated by the crown with accolades for outstanding service and a guaranteed payment of coins for all.
Of course, everyone was also notified that those who attempted to flee would be imprisoned for treason and desertion, but the herald took a more natural and empathic approach. Everyone was told that running was simply not a viable option for survival. There was nowhere to go, and if they ran, the odds of them being attacked by monsters were incredibly high. And that if Curia fell, no place would be safe.
"His Highness, Prince Xander Maxwell, asks his people to fight for family, friends, and country and promises that the kingdom will use all available resources in the protection of this city and nation. For there is no future without Curia and her people," the herald finished, rolling the scroll back up and bowing deeply to the people.
An air of uncertainty gripped the populace, and I'm sure it was like that across every camp now that it was lunchtime. People were whispering about running away to Tel'an'duth or somewhere else, but the voices of reason seemed to be louder. A handful of people proudly declared their services to defend their homes. Others were excited about the opportunity to gain a salary and rewards when they have already lost everything.
But the voices that took over were those calling for revenge against, well, everything that had wronged them. Many cursed the traitors who burned their villages and killed their friends and families. Others damned the monsters that ruined their livelihoods and swore vengeance on equal terms. And a small minority of people looked to me, of all people, with proud looks. Soon enough, the entire encampment was roaring with renewed vigor, everyone having their own reasons.
"Things seem to be taking a rather interesting turn…it appears a few people want to fight alongside the fabled hero of the continent," Tichus mused with a grin.
"Indeed…let's hope things remain this way," I said quietly.
Tichus chuckled and said, "With you working every day amongst the common folk, I'm sure people have grown to trust you and put their faith in you. The story of the Dragonslayer isn't just a story anymore, at least to them."
…
"Maybe."
—
After a long day of work, and nearly expending the entirety of my mana supply on destroying the road and digging ditches, I finally laid down for a well-deserved rest. However, it felt like the moment I drifted off to sleep, there was a knock at the door.
Sylvia stirred next to me, and even in the dark, I could see her scowl at the door in annoyance. But if anyone was coming this late at night, it must have been important, so I opened it.
A guard knelt down to a knee and quickly rattled off in a hushed voice, "I apologize for waking you, Sir Shadowheart, but you have been summoned by Lord Vasquez. He wants to meet you at the barracks."
"Why? Are the scouts back?" I questioned, rubbing my eyes.
The guard stood up and shook his helmeted head. "No, Sir. A group of High Elves came into the city and requested to meet with Lord Vasquez. Lord Vasquez wants you to be there."
Another group not belonging to Prince Leopold?
"I'll get ready to leave right now," I said.
"We will prepare a carriage to take you," the guard said, bowing then jogging away.
I got myself ready in the dim light of a candle as Sylvia just watched me with sleepy eyes. "Being important is really annoying," she said with a yawn.
"It comes with the territory, unfortunately. I'll be back soon," I said.
"Be safe," she whispered before laying back down to sleep.
—
The carriage took me directly to the barracks, where I was ushered into a large waiting room. Waiting for me was War God Vasquez and twenty or so High Elves. All of them were exceptionally well armed, wearing bright blue plate armor with twin sabers at their belts. The only non-helmeted one looked directly at me, and I realized I had seen him once before. He was a guard for Princess…uh…whatever her name was. The same one that hit Mila.
I walked over to stand next to Lord Vasquez, and with a raised eyebrow, I asked the High Elf, "Who are you?"
"Marshal Vulen Cloudsun, Sir Dragonslayer," he said with a sharp voice.
A Marshal? If my memory serves me correctly, that was the third-highest rank in Tel'an'duth and the highest rank a normal person could achieve in the military. They are essentially generals who oversee large sections of the army and land. There should only be a handful of Marshals, and they all answer directly to the imperial family or the Grand Marshal.
With my Dragon eye, I confirmed that the Marshal's soul was befitting his rank. He was a Sentinel and at the same level as a War God. There was another of similar strength, but as I looked over the group, I saw that one of them was far brighter than the others. And it was a familiar soul I had seen only once.
What? Why…why is he here? And why is he hiding and pretending to be a soldier?
"What brings you to Curia, Marshal Cloudsun?" I asked.
"My men and I have answered the call of Princess Arene. We will assist Luminar in Curia's defense against the undead horde. If this kingdom were to fall, our empire would be next," he said.
That makes sense. But wait, he said Ren and not Lauren? Did Ren reach out to these people personally? And why would Lord Vasquez want me here…we shouldn't turn any help away at this point, so the answer should be obvious.
"Kaladin. These men wish to fight alongside us. What do you have to say to that?" Vasquez asked me.
"I see no reason to turn away those who want to help us. Even if we are taking a majority of the burden. Marshal Cloudsun, will you be bringing a larger force?" I questioned.
I could see the hesitation if a larger Eleven force were to march through Luminar's lands right now. The kingdom is in a weakened state, and the War Gods are in a frenzy and are going to be concentrated entirely in the West, away from the border. If Tel'an'duth wanted…they could take huge swathes of Luminar's land, and there would be nothing we could do about it.
"I've sent a request to the Grand Marshal. A force is being mustered, but they will not be here in time for the battle. Instead, we would like to offer aid to Luminar officially through foodstuffs and manpower to defend the West from further attacks," Martial Cloudsun said.
"Well, that's not something I can decide on my own. But for those who are here now, we will be more than happy with your assistance," I said.
Marshal Cloudsun gave a short bow. "Then we shall make ourselves useful before the battle and take our leave now to rest. Thank you, Sir Dragonslayer and Lord Vasquez."
The Elves funneled out of the room, and only when the door was shut did Lord Vasquez speak again, "So…you noticed him as well?"
"I did. And that means you also noticed him. Is that why you called me here?" I asked.
"In a way, yes. I was curious as to what you would say, considering your answers and train of thought were exactly the same as mine," Lord Vasquez said, somewhat amused.
So he called me here just to see what I would say and what I was thinking?
"Kaladin. I understand you are only a simple knight in name only to Ren. But would you consider officially joining us? You know we have a spot open for a person of your caliber," he said directly.
So…that was his true intention.
"No. I feel that I'm already overstepping the boundaries that I once set for myself. This is an extraordinary time, so it requires it. But after this is all done, I'll be doing things on my own, so I have no intentions of being beholden to Luminar," I said firmly.
A smile crept up on War God Vasquez's lips as he stroked his thick mustache. "I understand…but I wonder if you'll be able to remain that way after everything is over. Fate has a funny way of dragging men into its fold, even if they don't want it."
"Perhaps. But I'm not one to answer to fate either."
—
Knock.
Knock.
Sylvia let out a long groan as we awoke yet again to another series of knocks just a handful of hours after the last. I turned in my sleep to find Sylvia staring up at the ceiling.
"Let's just take everyone and go live in the mountains…or on a deserted island somewhere…a place where people won't bother us when we are sleeping…or maybe we just kill them?" she said to herself in a deadpan, tired voice.
"Let's not do that…" I said with a sigh.
Two interruptions in a single night? The first one was one thing, but a second time?
I flung the door open to find the same guard as before. He was white as a sheet, and I suddenly had a bad feeling.
"T—he scouts have returned, Sir."
Damn.
—
A large group of us gathered in a meeting hall in the Duke's castle. It was a grand place with a splendid white wooden round table that could fit ten people on either side and had plenty of room to wiggle around. Fine tapestries hung down from the ceiling, and the red chairs were so plush I had to urge myself not to get too comfortable just in case I fell asleep. The entire space was befitting a Duke of a large city.
It was a shame I had to see this place during such a tragic time.
The atmosphere was oppressive, to say the least. All of the head nobles who brought their armies were present, along with Prince Leopold, Marshal Cloudsun, and Duke Godwin, who looked worse for wear after being forced awake so early in the day. And then there were another three men present at the front of the room.
They all wore the same red leather armor uniform with the Gryphon symbol of Luminar emblazoned on their black tabards. The three men were Gryphon Knights, but there was a problem. Four scouts were sent as groups of two…and only three returned.
Things did not go as planned.
"Knight Gallard, please give your full report now."