I didn't "sleep" for very long, as despite being as physically exhausted as a corncob is capable of being, my mind refused to allow me to sit on the sidelines for the remainder of the night. I had a few cute girls and a pair of adoring goblins to head back to, and on top of that, I needed to get an idea of the situation in Carverstead. Now "awake" in my corn body, but with far too little energy to consider activating any of my senses, I instead established a kernel link to the contingency plan that I'd laid back in town.
When I'd fallen into the hay wagon, I'd latched onto another fluttering moth and ordered it to remain on a wall in wait. Just in case. I'd almost forgotten about it until then, and while I appeared to be at least a few kilometers from Carverstead, I nonetheless activated the link. The distance certainly required more strain, but I was able to handle the higher demand in spite of my exhaustion. Sight returned to me as I looked up at the night sky through the eyes of the little moth, where I took to the sky and flew over the damaged town. The Grey Storm members were running up and down the streets, seemingly on the hunt for something, while the soldiers were frantically trying to help people evacuate or rescue those trapped in some of the ruined buildings.
I next flew towards the Belle castle, and it didn't take me long to see an irate Soundov storming down the road with his escort of guards. One of the cloaked men rushed past him, but to my surprise, the mayor grabbed him by the shoulder and pulled a hidden dagger against his grey-skinned neck.
"Where is your commander!?" he demanded from the mercenary, who was caught off guard.
I-I don't know," the man stammered as the armed guards drew their spears at him. "Grand is our leader, but Captain Dryden is the one that hired us. All I know is that we are to look everywhere for that corncob, no questions asked."
"Continue on your mission, I have arrived," a harsh, otherworldly voice stated to the mercenary as the headless horseman silently emerged from a nearby portal. "Mister Mayor, I apologize for making myself scarce, but the situation has changed. The—
"You're destroying my town! What kind of soldier are you!?" Soundov yelled. He was pissed. "That bell tower has been standing for the last 64 years, how dare you destroy such a monument so carelessly! And then the civilian casualties, I'm getting so many reports that some people have suffered grave injuries from whatever you're doing."
"Do not compare me to those copper-armored weaklings that you call soldiers," Dryden warned dryly as the guards lowered their spears. "Soundov, was it? As I said, the situation has changed. I was attempting to subdue the cultivator, who was most definitely in this town, but because of the incompetence of those around me, he managed to escape. For now."
"Copper armor is the only thing that the Capital sends to arm soldiers out here in Lorre," the mayor complained. "And even so, is this 'cultivator' worth all this trouble? How do you know he remains in town even?"
"He couldn't have gotten far, he is far too weak to do anything too strenuous. Why, he's likely too exhausted to move right now," Dryden theorized as he stepped forward. "My orders are direct, Mister Mayor. I will flip this town upside down, and leave no stone unturned in order to relocate this fugitive vegetable."
Before he could continue arguing his case, I establish a single telepathic kernel link with the mayor.
"Soundov, it's me," I whispered mentally as I landed my moth on a nearby building. "First, get rid of this guy."
"Alright, fine, fine, just get out of here," Soundov scoffed at the mage, who nodded with his neckless shoulders and took off into the air hovering. "Men, go out and help the other soldiers with the civilians. Gather them on the outskirts where it should be safer."
"Yes sir!" the soldiers chanted, before marching off.
Sighing with relief, the mayor frantically looked around, trying to catch sight of me.
"Tino? What's going on?" Soundov whispered. "Do you know why they're trying to hunt you down like this?"
"I have no idea, but listen, Lyka is safe, and so is Darotha," I assured him. "We were all out by the lake when that headless nutcase put up his barrier. I'm on my way now to let her know you're alight too."
"So she isn't stuck in town? Oh, thank goodness," the older man sighed while clutching his heart. "Thank you for that. Listen, I didn't want you to involve my daughter, since she is very much oddly drawn to you, but when you mentioned that you came from another world, I immediately thought of a legend of sorts."
"Legend?" I asked in earnest.
"The kingdom always covers up such notions, but there is a legend that is usually told by trade caravans in the wilderness," Soundov explained. "A man from another world, who tells marvelous tales of flying machines and sugar-food beyond anyone's wildest dreams. According to this legend, he resides somewhere in the Great Blackwoods near the northern border of Tundra and Lorre."
"T-thank you!" I stammered, elated and shocked to hear that there was potentially another person from my world here in this new realm. Was he human? Did he get forced into another form as I did? This tidbit of information filled me with hope, but before I could focus too much on this good news, the eyes of my moth spotted a large group of Grey Storm members retreating.
"I guess their 'master' is calling them back," Soundov scoffed as a bunch hurried past us. "Never set foot in my town again, you brood of jackals!"
"I can try to lead those mages out of town again," I explained. "My corn body is actually in the plains. I'm watching you with a moth right now."
"How bizarre," Soundov marveled. "But that shouldn't be necessary, I gather that the undead monstrosity is on the verge of giving up the search.
How I wished that was the truth.