Several days had passed since their men and the remains of those who had fallen during the rescue of Ironhearth had returned. They had made significant progress on the fort, thanks to the nearby quarry that supplied the surrounding towns with the stone they needed for construction. A hefty sack of gold was more than enough for the Quary's overseer to grant them exclusive rights to the area until their needs were met. With the excess of jobs opening up, several miners and foresters made their way with the periodic wagon trails sent from the capital. To the guild, this was going to be a long-term mission, for it was better in the short term to quarantine the Ashvale hive and preserve their stronger fighters for the Brutes.
Caledryn stood at the center of a makeshift command tent, his head throbbing in pain from the recent development. They had one job, to watch the hive and report on its activities, yet they had barely been able to establish a perimeter before some jackass glory seekers from the Capital rushed headfirst into disaster. It's not like his people were unaware of the decrease in activity around the hive, they had fully planned to launch a scouting expedition to the surrounding areas to search for any signs of relocation. There was only so much they could do in such a short time, he just needed a few more days and this could have all been avoided.
"I'm telling you, Warden," a young officer cut through Caledryn's thoughts. "We can't trust them. That hive is a death trap, and this Ironflame guild, or whatever they call themselves; they're reckless idiots at best, traitorous at worst."
Caledryn folded his arms, his gaze fixing on the officer before him as he tried to push back the torrent of thoughts that simmered below the surface. "Reckless, yes. But what they have done might be a blessing in disguise. I doubt it was their intention, but we now have an open line of dialog between the Vanguard and the Ashvale hive. It's unprecedented.
"And if it's a ploy?" another officer interjected. "A distraction to pull us away or make us feel complacent while that hive prepares for an assault? Every day that goes by without action, is another day they multiply."
Caledryn sighed, stepping closer to the table where a detailed map of the region lay spread. He tapped the location of Ashvale with a gloved finger. "I understand your concerns, but this isn't just about Ashvale." He slid his finger to rest just outside of the capital, what is now referred to as either the Wastelands or the Blight Touched.
"The Brute Swarm are doing the same thing, left effectively untouched. The only thing preventing them from overwhelming us en masse is the fact that they can't seem to contain their bloodlust. Even so, if the reports are any indication, the waves are getting larger and more adapted to siege warfare. It's only a matter of time before they are at the capital's walls." Caledryn let out a long exacerbated sigh, taking a moment before continuing.
"As they say, we're facing an existential threat. Our forces here are already stretched thin. If we can leverage this Ashvale hive against them, even temporarily, it could buy us the time we need to prepare."
"Leverage a hive? With all due respect, Warden, they're monsters. You can't reason with them."
Caledryn's eyes hardened. "And yet, they haven't attacked us. They haven't moved against the town. They released potential captives not once, but twice, and this time sent them home with the remains of their comrades. What do you make of that, Lieutenant?"
The officer faltered, glancing away.
"I'm not asking you to trust them," Caledryn continued his voice firm. "I'm asking you to think strategically, and as foolish as it sounds, maybe hold a little hope. If we dismiss every unconventional solution because it doesn't fit our ideals, we'll lose this war before it starts."
A messenger entered the tent, his face pale and his breathing labored. "Warden, there's... an incident at the quarry. Smoke's rising from the northern peak. Reports of something moving, something massive."
Caledryn's stomach sank. "Send scouts to confirm. Prepare the men to mobilize." His thoughts immediately raced to the hive and what they could possibly be cooking up. His secondary thoughts were how foolish he would look in front of his men after all of this if it had turned out to be a ruse.
"Yes, sir!" The messenger snapped a salute before darting back into the chaos of the camp.
Caledryn turned to his officers, his expression grim. "Looks like we'll see what these Vescarid are really made of. Ready the defenses and inform the town. If we're lucky, this has nothing to do with the hive."
As the officers moved to carry out his orders, Caledryn lingered over the map, his thoughts drifting to Sasha and what she had managed to pull off a few short days ago. He didn't trust Darian, not entirely, but something told him the Ashvale hive was more than it seemed.
The northern peak loomed ominously against the early evening sky. Work was winding down for the day, a few last-minute operations before night fell and they wouldn't be able to see what they were doing. Smoke rose from the mountain's base, thick and acrid, curling through the air like the tendrils of some eldritch beast. The main work site of the quarry was often chaotic, but never like this, as teams of workers scrambled, some people were severely hurt or even lay dead under heaps of stone.
Scouts arrived at the scene first cutting through the fog that had begun to form just under the ledge the quarry was located atop. They approached cautiously, the faint tremors beneath their feet setting their nerves on edge.
"What the hell happened here?" one scout whispered, barely audible over the distant rumble.
"Explosion," another replied, his hand tightening around the hilt of his sword. "Probably hit a gas pocket."
Before they could speculate further, a low, guttural growl reverberated through the quarry. The ground beneath them shuddered violently, sending loose rocks tumbling from the cliffs above.
"Form up!" the lead scout barked, his voice sharp as he raised his buckler.
The growl deepened, turning into a resonant roar that echoed across the mountain. From the depths of the quarry, a massive form began to emerge. First came its head, a monstrous visage covered in rocky scales that glistened like obsidian in the remaining sunlight. Its eyes glowed a molten orange, filled with a primal fury that emanate an aura of flaming death.
The rest of its body followed an immense serpentine form that seemed to stretch endlessly. Its scales were jagged and uneven, giving it the appearance of a living mountain. Spikes jutted from its back, each one crackling faintly with energy, as though the beast itself was infused with the power of the earth.
"WYRM!" one scout shouted, his voice breaking with terror.
The Mountain Wyrm reared back, its massive head towering over the quarry. With a deafening roar, it slammed its body against the walls of the pit, sending boulders crashing down and shaking the earth causing many men to stumble and fall to their deaths.
"Fall back to the fort!" the lead scout commanded. "Get word to the Vanguard, now!"
The scouts scrambled to retreat, their movements frantic as the wyrm lashed out with its tail, crushing a nearby watchtower into splinters. Those who were too slow were swept aside like leaves in a storm, their cries lost within the destruction this natural disaster gave life and wrought upon them.
At the Vanguard encampment, Caledryn stood at the edge of the fortifications, watching the distant smoke rise. The trembling ground beneath his feet confirmed that this was no ordinary incident.
The messenger returned, having not made it very far before receiving updates on the situation and turning back to meet with the Warden again. "It's a Mountain Wyrm, sir. Massive, possibly an elder. It's already destroyed the quarry."
Caledryn swore under his breath, turning to the gathered soldiers. "Sound the alarm. I want every able-bodied fighter armed and ready to move. Prioritize the ranged units, we'll need mages and archers to keep that thing at bay." This all sounded so very familiar, why did it somehow make sense to him?
The camp erupted into action as soldiers scrambled to prepare. Caledryn turned to his second-in-command, Orion, a seasoned Scout who had dualclassed with Knight, a strange combination, but one that made him perfect for this role. Often Caledryn felt that Orion should be running the show, but for whatever reason, likely direct contact with Darian, the guild chose him to lead.
"What about the town?" the knight asked, his brow furrowed.
"Evacuate as many as we can to the fort. If the wyrm moves south, Ashvale will be its first target," Caledryn replied. "And send word to Ironhearth. If they're still in the area, we could use every blade we can get."
The knight nodded and strode off to carry out the orders. Caledryn adjusted his sword belt, his expression grim.
"Let's see if the hive stays quiet, or responds to this threat as we are," he muttered to himself.
Darian's eyes narrowed as he extended his awareness through the hive mind, reaching out to the drones patrolling the outskirts of the hive. Their impressions came back to him in fragmented waves—distant tremors, thundering crashes, and an unnatural disturbance in the earth.
What is this…?
Caretaker's presence pressed gently against his mind, a mixture of curiosity and concern. "The ground trembles with purpose. Something ancient stirs to the north."
Darian turned to the brood-mothers, Lilithar and Nyxalith, their towering forms observing him with unwavering attention. "Ready the hive. This disturbance is too great be dismissed. Prepare the hunters and prowlers to defend the perimeter. The Mireguards and Razormaw will stand by for reinforcement."
Lilithar's thoughts came through with a tinge of excitement. "Is it the humans? Have they finally come to challenge us?"
"No," Darian replied, his voice calm but firm. "This is something far older and far more dangerous."
Nyxalith tilted her head, her mandibles clicking thoughtfully. "Should we retreat deeper into the hive? Fortify our defenses?"
Pondered this for a moment. "We need to assign drones to aid the two of you in descending deeper. Should something go wrong, the two of you must survive at all costs. As for the rest of us, no. We cannot afford to appear weak. If this threat moves unchecked, it could jeopardize everything we've built. We will face it head-on if necessary."
He strode toward the hive's main tunnel, his thoughts rippling through the hive mind as he sent out commands. Drones scurried in every direction, and as his instructions hit them, they turned on a dime, scurrying off to fulfill their newest task. Hunters poured through the nest, heading toward the surface, their spines began oozing deadly purple toxin as they prepared for combat. Most of the Prowlers were already out and about, but as the significance of the threat reached them, they began the tireless task of stringing web, setting traps, and establishing ambush positions in the dense forest surrounding the hive.
As Darian reached the surface, the cool evening air struck and greeted him like a long-lost lover. He did truly enjoy his time on the surface and should they survive the oncoming attack, he vowed to do so. He stepped out onto the ridge overlooking the forest, his gaze drawn to the horizon. Smoke rose in thick, curling plumes, darkening the sky and carrying with it the same faint acrid scent of burning timber and stone that so many others likely experienced along with him.
The treetops swayed violently, and in the distance, he caught sight of something massive moving through the forest. The ground rumbled beneath his feet, each tremor sending vibrations through the hive.
"What do you see?" Caretaker's voice resonated in his mind, calm but probing.
Darian's claws flexed as he considered the scene before him. "Destruction. A beast of immense size, like nothing the hive has ever faced."
The casters coiled around him hissed softly, their eyes glowing brighter as they sensed his unease. Darian turned to them, trying to soothe his newest children before responding to Caretaker. "Summon reinforcements. If this creature moves toward the human hive, we will intervene."
Lilithar's psychic voice returned, filled with Disapproval. "You would risk the hive to protect them?"
Darian's jaw tightened. "The humans are necessary for the balance we aim to create. If they fall, we lose the chance to prove we can coexist. This creature threatens more than their lives, it threatens our future."
Caretaker's voice carried a note of reluctant agreement. "Then we will stand. But know this, King Darian. The hive will only follow as long as you remain unbroken. The moment you falter, they will devour you as readily as any foe. This includes your mind, you mustn't threaten our purpose."
"I will not falter," Darian replied, intense unease washing over him at Caretaker's words. He knew he had gotten on Caretaker's nerves more than a few times, but to hear his guardian make such a blatant threat… He would have to address this sooner than later.
He raised his hand, channeling a surge of mana into the Vescora beneath him. The hive responded with a roar of energy, the ground beneath trembling as his forces began to mobilize. The swarm was ready.