Padrino and Sera moved swiftly through the rocky terrain, their footsteps muffled by the thick underbrush. They had barely escaped the Galdrosian fort, but the weight of their discovery hung heavily over them. Darius was alive—barely—and in the hands of their enemy. Worse still, the cryptic words of the female commander echoed in Padrino's mind: "The storm has already begun."
"What do you think she meant by that?" Sera asked as they made their way back to their rendezvous point, her tone a mixture of curiosity and concern.
Padrino clenched his jaw. "I'm not sure, but whatever it is, we're running out of time. Galdros is planning something huge, and they've been preparing for it longer than we realized."
They arrived at the hidden campsite where Niko and Grendar had been holding their position. Niko immediately stood, his face a mask of concern. "You're late. What happened?"
Padrino glanced at Sera, then back at Niko. "We found Darius. He's alive, but they're holding him prisoner. Worse, there's a new Galdrosian commander involved—she knew who I was."
Niko's eyes widened in shock. "How is that possible? You've barely been seen outside of Rimuru since your rise to power."
"I don't know. But they're clearly watching us, and closely. She said the storm has already begun," Padrino added, his brow furrowing in frustration. "We need to regroup and figure out their next move."
Grendar stepped forward, his voice deep and calm. "Do we know anything about this commander? Her background?"
Padrino shook his head. "Nothing yet. She's a complete mystery."
Sera crossed her arms, pacing slightly. "We should head back to Rimuru and warn the council. If this 'storm' is what we think it is, Galdros might be preparing for a full-scale attack. We need to be ready."
But Padrino wasn't convinced. "Rushing back now won't change anything. We don't know enough yet, and if we go in blind, we'll be at a disadvantage. We need more information before we act."
Niko, still troubled, nodded in agreement. "We could send scouts ahead to monitor their movements. That way, we can get a clearer picture of their forces and preparations."
Padrino considered this, then made a decision. "Alright, we split up. Niko and Grendar, you two will scout the surrounding areas and gather intelligence on troop movements. Sera and I will head to a contact I have near the capital. He might have insight into this new commander and whatever Galdros is planning."
With their plan set, the group moved quickly. As Padrino and Sera traveled toward the capital, Padrino's mind kept racing back to Darius. The general had once been a close ally, a man of strong conviction and loyalty to Earlshide. His capture and subsequent disappearance had left a hole in the kingdom's defense. Now that they knew he was alive, Padrino felt a renewed sense of urgency—not just to rescue him, but to uncover the larger plot at play.
After several hours of travel, they arrived at the outskirts of the capital, where they met Padrino's contact, an informant named Caldrin. The man was a wiry figure with sharp eyes that constantly scanned his surroundings. He was known for having his ear to the ground and could provide insight into the political workings of both Earlshide and Galdros.
"Padrino," Caldrin greeted him with a nod, his voice low. "I heard rumors you've been causing some trouble near the border."
"We've uncovered something big," Padrino said without hesitation. "Galdros is planning something. We need to know what you've heard about a female commander within their ranks—one with inside knowledge about our movements."
Caldrin's eyes narrowed as he considered the question. "Female commander… yes, there's been whispers. They call her the 'Black Widow'—no one knows her real name. She's been rising through the ranks quickly, ruthless in her methods, and fiercely loyal to Galdros. Word is, she's behind some of their more covert operations. If she's involved, things are about to get very bad for Earlshide."
"The Black Widow…" Sera repeated, the name sending a shiver down her spine. "What else do you know about her?"
"Not much," Caldrin admitted, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "But I've heard she's been working on something big—coordinating with Galdrosian spies inside our borders. She's been pulling strings from the shadows, destabilizing key regions."
Padrino's fists clenched at the mention of spies. Earlshide had already been fragile from internal struggles, but the idea that Galdros had been actively sabotaging them from within made everything worse.
"Do you know where she's based?" Padrino pressed.
"Rumor has it she's been moving between several hidden bases along the border. But there's one place she frequents—a fortress known as Blackrock. It's heavily fortified and nearly impenetrable. If she's making any final moves, it'll be from there."
Padrino exchanged a look with Sera. "Then that's where we're going next."
Caldrin raised an eyebrow. "You're either brave or foolish to think you can take on Blackrock. That place is a death trap."
Padrino's resolve hardened. "If Galdros is planning an attack, that fortress holds the key. We need to stop whatever they're planning before it's too late."
Caldrin gave a grim smile. "Then may the gods be with you."
As they left Caldrin's hideout, Padrino felt a growing sense of dread. The pieces were starting to come together, but the picture they painted was darker than he'd imagined. Galdros had been working in the shadows for far longer than anyone realized, and now their final play was imminent.
With the Black Widow pulling the strings and Darius held captive in a fortified stronghold, Padrino knew they were running out of time. The storm wasn't just gathering—it was about to break.
The path to Blackrock would be perilous, but Padrino had made his decision. He would face whatever lay ahead, because the fate of Earlshide hung in the balance.
And failure was not an option.