Gwenis gazed through the window of his study at the majestic Arctic Mountains several kilometers away, lost in thought. After a while, he mused aloud, "What lies beyond those mountains?"
"Baldwin, do you know?"
Startled at being suddenly addressed, Baldwin hesitated before answering, "I have not personally attempted to cross the Arctic Mountains, but according to some who have been to the other side, there are more mountains."
Gwenis fell silent before probing further, "And what else? Just mountains?"
Baldwin, stealing a glance at Gwenis's expression and still unsure, replied, "Beyond many mountains, there are deserts, swamps, and forests. They say a tribe of barbarians lives in the swamps. They do not farm but survive on hunting and fishing. They are illiterate and speak an incomprehensible language. It is said they are not protected by Angenis..."
"They have no souls."
"But these are all legends. I am not certain if anyone has actually seen them..."
Baldwin peeked at Gwenis again, who was now deep in thought, and heaved a sigh of relief.
"Have these barbarians ever appeared in our territory or elsewhere?" Gwenis asked.
Baldwin grew tense, "Yes, it happened. I've served the Wintaling family for over thirty years, and there was an incident twenty years ago. The barbarians crossed the mountains into our lands, stole many people and food, then disappeared..."
Gwenis's eyes widened in confusion, "If they've appeared before and even plundered our lands, isn't their existence obvious? Why the doubt?"
"Do they only come once every twenty years? Haven't they appeared in recent years?"
Baldwin nervously replied, "It's not quite like that. Allegedly, they cross the mountains nearly every year, raiding the northern territories, looting people and food. But they usually don't come to our area, preferring the richer lands directly under the Duke of the North. It's said there's a lower gap in the mountains there, making it easier to cross."
"Coming every year, and you still question their existence?" Gwenis pressed.
Baldwin hesitated, "It's just... they're said to be unkillable, relentless in their annual raids. Rumors claim they are soulless beings, plunderers from hell, demons..."
Of course, Gwenis didn't believe these people were demons or from hell. He extracted more information from Baldwin, piecing together a clearer picture.
Firstly, a native tribe lived beyond the mountains. Likely due to environmental constraints, they didn't practice agriculture but relied on hunting and fishing. Annually, around March, they would cross the mountains, heading straight for the Duke of the North's territories to plunder food and people. After a few months, they would leave the North, showing no interest in lingering or settling.
At this point, Gwenis was almost certain that the crisis mentioned by the system referred to these northern barbarians descending to raid. He suspected that this time, instead of heading east, they were coming westward.
To reach a definitive conclusion, he also inquired about the occurrence of any major natural disasters, like volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, or tsunamis, in Targas or the wider County of Annon River Valley over the past decades. Although not entirely certain, given the most likely scenario, it seemed an invasion by the barbarians was imminent.
Struck by a sudden realization, Gwenis slapped his thigh and exclaimed to Baldwin, "Last night, Angenis came to me in a dream, warning of a great crisis soon to erupt in our lands. We must prepare in advance." Without waiting for Baldwin's reaction, Gwenis promptly left the room to issue orders.
Firstly, with only nine days until the crisis, specifics like the exact time or the enemy's route remained unknown, only that they were coming from the north. This vague intelligence required preliminary alertness.
Gwenis assigned eight reconnaissance cavalry to the northern mountains of the territory. In pairs forming four groups, they spread out in a fan shape, establishing rudimentary outposts at the highest accessible points on horseback along the mountainside. They erected simple watchtowers, around five to six meters high, sufficient for men to stand on and observe, while their horses were tied below. At any sign of trouble, they were to light the prepared bonfires and retreat to the castle.
Upon seeing the smoke signals, others were to do the same, ensuring no one foolishly stayed behind. His cavalry was limited, and Gwenis couldn't afford to waste any.
After the cavalry's departure, Gwenis headed to the manor. By now, the manor's people looked terrified every time they saw him, knowing he always brought more work. However, Gwenis had no time to be considerate. He ordered the felling of trees to make wooden spikes known as 'deer horns,' a movable barrier to block enemy advancements.
The required quantity was substantial, and with most of the manor's labor force conscripted into the archery squad, the task couldn't be completed in just a few days. So, Gwenis urgently recruited additional labor in Windermere City, welcoming anyone strong and willing, regardless of their background. He promised daily sustenance and a copper coin per week – a generous offer, considering castle guards only earned two copper coins a month.
Faced with such lucrative compensation, Gwenis quickly gathered hundreds in Windermere. However, the scale of this workforce movement caught Mayor Bone's attention.
Bone halted the workers en route to Targas, chastising Baldwin for poaching people. He also informed Baldwin of his intent to report Gwenis's transgression to Count Osborn. Moreover, Bone detained Baldwin and the entire group, sending a message to Gwenis demanding his personal explanation.
In truth, Bone cared little for the riff-raff and vagabonds. They were non-contributors in his eyes, unable to generate value or taxes, only causing trouble and affecting city order. If someone else had asked, or if the count had requested, Bone would have gladly obliged.
But Gwenis's request was different. His recent feather purchases had already raised Bone's suspicions, and this new development intensified his curiosity and caution. Hence, he sought an explanation from Gwenis.
Infuriated, Gwenis was initially inclined to march on Windermere with his conscripted forces. But on reflection, he recognized that confronting Bone directly would be a misuse of his limited resources.
Swallowing his pride, Gwenis approached Bone with gifts and gold coins, apologizing and explaining the need for lumberjacks to repair the castle post-snowfall. He assured Bone that the workers would be returned within a week, without fail, and offered two gold coins as an apology for the oversight.
Seeing Gwenis's earnestness, Bone relented, acknowledging the necessity and expressing trust and understanding. He apologized for the inconvenience caused to Gwenis, adding to the amicable resolution of their meeting.
As Gwenis led his team away, he glanced back at Bone, still waving goodbye. Returning the gesture with a smile, Gwenis thought to himself, 'You old fool, your days are numbered.'