NOVPUB
Chapter 237: Changing Skies
Changing Skies
Mountain Region, West of Three Hills
It was midday on the fourth day since they had arrived at the jungle at the foot of the mountain. Here, the weather was unpredictable. A drizzle could fall suddenly, even after a bright summer morning, leaving the air humid and heavy. This explained why their faces were tanned from the sun but glistened with sweat. Worse, insects plagued them relentlessly, while leeches latched onto their legs, making every step more miserable.
Many of Sir Arius's men, even the Crimson Knights, had already removed parts of their armor, opting for ringmail over their tunics. Sir Arius, too, had resorted to a stripped-down padded jack. Only his discipline and the weight of command compelled him to wear his cuirass despite the heat and humidity.
The nine-hundred-strong expedition continued their search, but despite initial findings, they failed to uncover anything conclusive. There was no cavern, no passable swamp, not even a bridge. They did find more traces, but they were old, nothing like what they had expected from a well-used path. Even the scouts were doubtful, prompting the need to broaden their search.
A somber feeling settled over the men. It felt as though they were chasing ghosts.
To make matters worse, the airship had been forced to leave after exhausting its reserve fuel. Without Sir Morton's reassuring presence in the skies, the situation felt even grimmer.
Before making his next decision, Sir Arius ordered a temporary camp to be established in a clearing deep within the dense forest to let his men rest.
The unforgiving environment was beginning to take its toll. Aside from injuries, many had developed fevers or other ailments. Fortunately, the few mobile medics they had brought from Midlandia proved invaluable in preventing fatalities and maintaining morale.
Hurried footsteps and low voices echoed outside the field tent, alerting Sir Arius. He was sitting nearby, his back resting against a tree where his tent was pitched.
The guard parted the canvas and peeked inside, reporting, "Captain Farkas is here to—"
"Let him in," Sir Arius said without hesitation.
Farkas entered, offering a slight bow. "My apologies for interrupting your midday rest."
"Don't be," Sir Arius gestured to a straw mat nearby. "Please."
Farkas gratefully lowered himself, his legs aching from hours of walking through the treacherous terrain.
"My apologies for the lack of hospitality," Sir Arius said, more as a way to open the conversation than out of concern.
Farkas waved it off. "I’ve eaten. I’m here to give my report."
Sir Arius leaned forward, anticipation clear in his voice. "Finally. Did you find something?"
"Something, yes, but it's not good," Farkas replied, prompting a tired sigh from Sir Arius.
"We found a living root bridge, but it's broken. We searched downstream, but crossing there is nearly impossible. Some of the men claimed to have seen figures moving, but it was only apes."
"Apes?" Sir Arius echoed, surprised.
Thinking the commander had never seen one, Farkas tried to explain. "The men who saw them described a goblin-like creature covered in fur."
"So it’s truly apes," Sir Arius said with a slight nod, his tone almost amused. Seeing Farkas's puzzled expression, he elaborated, "Lord Jorge used to keep them in his menagerie when we were younger. Have you ever seen one?"
"No, I haven’t," Farkas admitted.
"Ah, there used to be a peddler who captured small apes and trained them to perform tricks in the market. When we return, I shall invite him to entertain us," Sir Arius offered. 𝖗ἁɴǒ𝔟Ęș
"Are the creatures not dangerous?"
Sir Arius chuckled. "The peddler often dressed them in goblin costumes, but they’re hardly any more dangerous than dogs."
Farkas nodded. The last time he had visited the market in Three Hills, he had seen no apes.
Turning serious once again, Sir Arius asked, "So the bridge is no good?"
"It's a dead end. With its condition and the grassy patch of thick mud on the path leading to it, nobody has used it for a long time," Farkas confirmed.
Sir Arius pondered deeply before muttering, "These mountains are too vast, even for an airship to cover. I hate to admit it, but I underestimated them. Now that I see them for myself, I understand why Lord Lansius burdened us with so many rations to carry on our backs."
"Indeed. It would be impossible to rely on a supply chain this deep inside this wet forest."
Sir Arius exhaled sharply. "At least five mountains, judging by their peaks, spread across an area as vast as the distance between Three Hills and Korimor, stretching deep into Umberland. Without good traces, it may take countless expeditions and years to cover them all, and now we’ve exhausted every lead."
Farkas seemed to share his frustration. He massaged his temple before slowly turning and asking, "Sir, what do you think of the Lord of Korelia's last prediction?"
Sir Arius’s gaze sharpened. The words of the Lord of Korelia, as he was still referred to by many, echoed in his mind: If you don't find them, they'll find you, likely before the end of the month. "Do you think it will happen?"
Farkas gave no verbal answer, but the conviction in his eyes spoke louder than words.
Sir Arius gave a slight nod and muttered, "The question is... will they find us first, or will we run out of food first."
***
4426, The Last Month of Summer
The Third Imperium had crumbled, and news of its demise had likely reached the furthest corners of the Promissia continent. Yet the recently divided province of South Midlandia, despite having ended its last conflict only a few months earlier, enjoyed a summer of relative peace compared to the other great provinces.
Farmers watched their crops turn golden as the season drew closer to harvest. Meanwhile, all manner of travelers now used the roads, which were kept in good shape at the Black Lord’s command to ensure smooth passage for his armies. And there were indeed plenty of army movements.
To everyone’s surprise, the Black Lord’s forces remained active beyond the usual forty-day period. At first, the presence of soldiers was intimidating, but their discipline was unmistakable. Soon, it became reassuring as reports of bandit dens and criminal rings being uncovered and brought to justice spread across the land. Support for the new regime began to grow steadily.
After further consolidating power, Roderic's allied clans managed to convince the Nicopolan rabble to form a fighting force. Enticed by promises of food, over a thousand men eagerly joined, marching through the underground stone corridors despite their lingering suspicions. They had never heard of such a cavern system running through the mountain, and its existence perplexed them.
Yet, their discipline spoke volumes. These Nicopolans were no mere peasants. They carried their own arms, and their bearing hinted at hardened experience.
"These Nicopolans even bring their own armament," one of Roderic's staff remarked with a chuckle as they read the latest report, drawing hearty responses from the others.
Roderic and his staff were leading three hundred men along a different, older, and narrower route. Light from their enchanted gemstones illuminated the path, casting a bright glow on the stone walls.
"Who would’ve thought that rabble could be such an elegant solution," another quipped wittily, prolonging the good humor.
A wide smile spread across Roderic's lips. Everything was falling perfectly into place.
Victory had been nearly lost, yet ironically, it was the hated Nicopolans who had made themselves available. Their deaths would poetically pave the path for his people's ascendance to greatness.
As for himself, everything would be his. Even if his Centurian bride refused him again, there would be plenty of others, and he could leave her to rot in the dungeon. In this regard, Roderic might even get lucky and expand toward Korimor, claiming the much-beloved Lady of Korimor for himself.
The only lingering issue was that the Nicopolans would inevitably learn about the pass and the cavern system. It was as good as a hidden Imperial highway between Nicopola and Three Hills, bypassing the arduous detour through Umberland that would otherwise take weeks.
With thousands of outsiders marching through, secrecy would become impossible.
But Roderic and his allies had already crossed the point of no return. They had burned their bridges behind them. There was no turning back now.
Even the elders’ vehement opposition, which had led to the siege of the stone fortress by their armed supporters, no longer mattered. With a hundred men guarding their families deep within the fortress and its vast network of chambers and underground corridors, their safety was assured.
Light flickered at the end of the tunnel. The advanced party, led by a fighter whose high-tier gemstone granted him night vision, had reached the stone gate and opened it fully.
The campaign to crush the Shogunate’s army and the Black Lord's hegemony was about to begin. Fifteen hundred men would march against a weary and weakened force of nine hundred. Victory was no longer in question. The only uncertainty was how much blood would be spilled before their ambitions were realized.
***
PS: Link to Map is always on the footnote (post chapter note)
