Rifi and Kaelin moved with purpose, their steps swift but cautious as they headed deeper into the western borderlands. The thick canopy of trees overhead cast long shadows across the dirt path, their surroundings eerily quiet save for the occasional rustling of leaves. The further they went, the heavier the air felt, the familiar hum of mana in the environment now tinged with something darker, more unsettling.
"We're getting close to the border," Kaelin muttered, his eyes scanning the forest. "Shouldn't be long before we encounter one of the scouting parties."
Rifi nodded but remained focused on his mana senses, sending out concentrated pulses into the surrounding area. He had learned to narrow his range, focusing his detection to avoid burning through his energy too quickly. The enemy had already proven adept at hiding themselves, and he wasn't taking any chances.
As they continued, a flicker of mana caught Rifi's attention—a faint, but unmistakable signature nearby. His eyes sharpened. "There," he said quietly, gesturing toward the left. "I'm picking up a group not far ahead."
Kaelin's hand moved instinctively to the hilt of his sword, his muscles tensing. "Friend or foe?"
"That remains to be seen," Rifi answered, his senses fully flaring out. "They're close. It looks like they are wearing Hepestus Legionary attire"
Within minutes, the forest opened into a small clearing where a group of worn-looking soldiers, draped in the black and red colors of Hepestus, had gathered around a makeshift camp. The men and women looked battered but alert, their eyes flickering with fear as Rifi and Kaelin stepped into view.
"Identify yourself, and state your purpose!" one of the scouts called out, rising from his crouch near the fire. His face was streaked with dirt, his armor scuffed from battle.
Rifi exchanged a look with Kaelin before addressing the scout. "We are battlemages of Hepestus" Rifi said. "What's the situation?"
The scout's expression darkened, but as he confirmed the identity of Rifi and Kaelin, he motioned for the others to gather around. "It's bad," he began, his voice low. "The attacks started three days ago. We've been patrolling the area, but it's chaos out here. Villages have been wiped out, and we've lost contact with most of the outposts. Survivors fled to the western encampment for safety. We're just trying to hold the border until help arrives."
Kaelin stepped forward, his voice tight. "Have you seen the enemy? Who's behind the attacks?"
The scout nodded grimly. "Corrupted beasts, mercenaries—highly trained. They're working together. We've managed to take down a few, but there's always more. They're using the beasts to overwhelm us, and the mercenaries hit us when we're vulnerable. The survivors we've spoken to say the attacks are coordinated, almost surgical."
Rifi's jaw tightened. "And the mana veins? Have they been affected?"
The scout looked at him in confusion. "Mana veins? We've heard nothing about that. All we know is that the attacks seem to be intensifieing—pushing further into our territory. "
Rifi exchanged a glance with Kaelin. It seemed the legionaries didn't yet realize the full extent of the enemy's plan. Enemy tried to made sure that the mana vein stuff would stay a secret, and that worried Rifi even more.
"Take us to the western encampment," Kaelin said firmly. "We need to speak with the commander."
The scout called one of his subordinates "I need to stay here, and make sure this coridor is open just in case. But Selmak here can take you to the encampment on a safe route. It's not far. You can reach it in under an hour. But be prepared—it's not what it used to be."
Selmak gave them a nodd "Follow me." Not wasting anytime, they rushed to the encampment.
As they approached the western encampment, the signs of battle became clearer. Scorched trees lined the path, and the air was thick with the acrid smell of smoke. The once bustling outpost was now a patchwork of hastily erected barricades and tents, its defenses clearly weakened by the recent assaults.
Rifi and Kaelin were led through the camp's makeshift gates, where weary soldiers stood guard, their eyes flickering with hope at the sight of the newcomers. Some of them were barely standing, bandaged and bloodied from previous fights. The atmosphere was grim, and the encampment felt more like a last refuge than a stronghold.
At the far end of the camp, a large tent bore the red banner of the Legion's leadership. The scout led them toward it, nodding to the guards outside. "Commander Edran is inside."
As they stepped into the tent, they were met by the sight of Commander Edran—an imposing figure, his broad shoulders carrying the weight of countless battles. His armor was dented and scratched, but his gaze was sharp, his presence commanding. A map of the western region was spread across a wooden table, marked with hastily drawn lines indicating areas of conflict.
"Legionaries," Edran greeted them, though his brow furrowed in confusion. "I wasn't expecting reinforcements so soon. We sent a request to the City Lord for aid, but it's only been a few days. How did you get here so quickly?"
Rifi stepped forward, shaking his head. "We do you mean "request"? We were sent here to help deal with the beast that started wrecking havoc in the west. That was the last information we received."
Edran's expression darkened, and he let out a heavy sigh. "That can only mean one thing" he repeated quietly. "The situation has gone from bad to worse out here. We've been under attack for days now. We sent a messenger back to Hepestus to request reinforcements, but…"
He paused, his jaw tightening. "I guess he never made it and we've heard nothing. I fear he was intercepted by the mercenaries."
Kaelin cursed under his breath. "So, the City Lord has no idea what's happening out here?"
Edran shook his head. "Not unless the messenger made it through somehow. I doubt it, though. The mercenaries are cutting off communication lines, isolating us. We're on our own for now."
Kaelin looked at Rifi "At least Serra will inform him about what we know. That will probably be good enough."
Rifi's stomach churned. The enemy wasn't just attacking—they were isolating the entire western front, cutting it off from the rest of Hepestus. "We encountered a group of mercenaries on the way here," Rifi said, his voice grim. "They were highly trained, working with corrupted beasts. We dissposed of some of them and the others took off runing. It should be possible for a scout to get to Hepestus now, before they regroup again and close us off."
Rifi took the scroll with City Lords seal on it, Edran immediately understood what this meat. Without much though he went to the entrance of the tent and gave the command to the legionary standing guard.
Rifi exchanged a look with Kaelin before addressing the commander. "What's the situation?"
Edran's eyes darkened, and he motioned toward the map. "We've lost contact with several villages, and more survivors keep trickling in, each with a worse story than the last. The mercenaries are coordinating with the beasts, hitting us hard and fast, and we're running out of options. Somehow they seem to control the beast, constantly keeping us pinned down here. Who exactly hired them I dont know, but my money is on City State Argos. I had to call all my Legionaries back to this encampment as to not incurre big loses. We do have some strong mages scouting the nearby area, but we couldnt afford to keep the border under control with out current numbers. As to their goal, I am guessing to rain our mana stones from the mana veins."
Rifi studied the map, his mind racing. "The mana veins, not the mana stones" he said quietly. "That's what they're after."
Edran looked up, confusion flickering in his eyes. "Mana veins?"
"They're draining them," Rifi explained. "We saw it at the Quirina Clan's village—a major vein, almost completely depleted."
Edran stared at him in shock. "Draining the mana veins? But that is im—"
"Impossible?" Kaelin finished. "It would seem they found a method. If they drain enough of the veins, Hepestus will lose access to its primary energy source. They're not just trying to weaken us—they're trying to cripple the city-state entirely."
Edran swore under his breath, running a hand through his hair. "This changes everything. If what you're saying is true, we're dealing with something far worse than just raids and beasts. This is an organized attack on our infrastructure."
Kaelin nodded. "And it's not going to stop unless we stop it."
Edran swore under his breath, his face pale but resolute. "If what you're saying is true, this is far more than just a series of raids. This is a coordinated strike against our infrastructure. We need reinforcements, we are barely holding as it is. Without them, this camp won't hold for much longer."
Rifi nodded. "Serra should reach Hepestus by tomorrow. With the scout now that you sent now, reinforcements could be mobilized within the next few days. But until then, we need to gather intelligence. There's more we're missing."
Kaelin stepped forward. "We should focus on the mana veins first. Me and Rifi will join the scouts to ensure nothing goes wrong."
Edran considered this for a moment, then nodded. "It's a sound plan. I'll send the best scouts we have left. We need to know exactly what we're up against. We are lucky that you got here when you did, withouth you it would be impossible to do anything other then protect our encampment"
Rifi and Kaelin exchanged a look of grim determination. Time was running out, but they weren't beaten yet.