Two months after Damon got the summons from the herald of the Duke, Damon prepared himself for the journey to Abegnog.
For this journey Damon selected fifteen of his personal guards. These guards had underwent the same kind of bodily training that he subjected himself to. Over the course of months he had modified their bodies by increasing lung and heart capacity, increased muscle mass and bone density. This was like his own supersoldier program that he had started. Weather they were mages or warriors, those who volunteered for this program grew much stronger physically even without their magic. They were much stronger and faster than regular soldiers even taller as some of them even grew to almost seven feet.
These men were the most equipped soldiers in the army. Apart from their standard cuirass and breastplates, their coats had red embellishments on their collars to signify their positions. Their weapons consisted of a short sword which resembled the roman gladuis, two revolvers and an extra weapon of their choice.
Four six horse carriages were prepared for the purpose of this this journey all doning the the banner of his house which was a sigil of a cross, crow and skull.
He also had few crates of wine, beer and whiskey as gift for the Duke as there was nothing else that came to mind for him to get.
Before he left for Abegnog, Damon had placed Sir Barksdale incharge of operations in Merula. This meant that other department heads were to give regular reports him.
The journey to Abegnog was rather quiet, regular stops were being taken to allow the horses rest. Their meals consisted of dried beef jerky, dried fruits and water which they ate in the two weeks of their travels.
By the time they were ten miles away from the city, they could see the castle on the hill and hear the sound of sea waves and croaking ships .
Abegnog was a large city by the sea which made it a very important trading hub. According to some people it could boast of a population of up to five hundred thousand not including the population of the small villages under the region. This made Abegnog the largest and most prosperous region, even Ronalla with all its mines couldn't compare to all the splendor Abegnog has to offer.
Damon had already started fantasizing about the kind of rest he was going to get when a guard tapped on his window.
" My Lord , a merchant caravan is being robbed right in front of us,the robbers seem to be mages.what should we do?" The guard asked .
" Do nothing, keep to the road but if they breathe towards us for a second kill them all." Damon replied.
The five rogue mages as if controlled by some spirit saw the group of carriages coming with a banner and thought that it was a good Idea to rob them.
They quickly sorrounded the convoy and their leader announced, "quickly surrender your carriages and perhaps we'll gift you your lives."
Immediately fifteen of the guards stepped out of the carriages all prepped for battle. The mages having being trained to be ranged fighters all stayed at least twenty meters away from the convoy not knowing that the soldiers had weapons with an effective range five times their distance.
" Surrender as penance for your trespasses and you will be forgiven, resist and die" captain Jonas the head of Damons guards shouted to them.
Their reply was to snicker at the soldiers comment " we... surrender? Do you not see the foolishness in your words". The mages who seemed to be their leader replied while brandishing a gauntlet with a red magic gem in the middle and then continued " this equipment allows me to cast spells that are not of my composition, this makes me as strong as a double element mage. It also allows me to cast without incantation so I as again surrender your carriages and this time we will offer you a swift death."
" Tell captain Jonas that he could kill all but take one prisoner, I think I have found an extra gift for the Duke ." Said Damon to one of the guards.
At Jonas signal the soldiers quickly pulled out their revolvers loaded with anti magic bullets and fired into the mages position ending their lives immediately.
The mages not moving made things easier as they become stationary targets. The dead mages were the lucky ones as their leader who was shot in the shoulder had a reaction so severe that Damon didn't even know was possible. The mages seemed like had gone into an epileptic shock due to the magic overload. His body had started twitching like a robot that suffered a glitch. In the end his life ended of his affliction.
" Forgive me my Lord , it seems like we have failed our mission , the last mage died of a magic overload." Jonas reported.
Damon sighed and then replied " gets some boxes from the merchants , use it to put the heads of those bandits. Let us use it as a gift to assure the Duke of my loyalty."
The convoy then left the bewildered merchants whom they had saved from death and headed into the city without any further issues.
The city was magnificent, crawling with people and businesses. This was the first instance of a metropolis Damon had seen since he had arrived in this world. It was dirty but still it was a marvel to behold.
By midday the convoy arrived in the castle, that was almost ten times the size of his castle , a most beautiful work of architecture.
Damon was welcomed by the Dukes knights all of them dressed in full plate armor and yellow cloaks with the sigil of a stag on the cloaks.
Damon followed the knights into the Duke's great hall, his own six of his own guards followed closely carrying the crates. Then Damon laid his eyes on the Duke, a mountain of a man with sharp piercing blue eyes , a bald head and a full beard sitting on a throne gilded with purple velvet.
" Greetings your grace, I'm Damon Merula, your vassal of the Merula plains."