Training is going well with the new people confident in their roles. Soldiers have been freed up to work on their cultivation. The enemy is wary of our weapons. New barriers are stronger but burn through damn mana stones.
“We need to sort this out to support the Fourth Realm and hit the Willful Institute where it hurts.” Erik looked up.
“What about the Adventurer’s Guild?” Yui asked.
“They’re secured in the dungeons, recovering and seeing their families.”
“Yes, but they’re hot-blooded. You think they want to stay down there?” Flames appeared in Yui’s hands, setting the letter on fire.
If they went out fighting, Erik didn’t want to keep them in the dark anymore, at least not the key ones. Damn secrets are a pain in the ass.
Erik held his hands behind his back as he walked away from the table, looking at the ground.
“Adventurer’s Guild. The mercenary guild?” Aditya asked.
“Yes,” Evernight said.
“I know they have some reach in the higher realms. I’m guessing it’s not small?”
“No, definitely not,” Yui said, sharing a smile with Evernight.
“Alvans.” Aditya sighed.
Nasreen woke with a start, grabbing her sword as she noticed Lukas standing in the darkness a few feet away from the tree she was sleeping against.
“What’s up?” she asked as her heart slowed back down.
“Few hours till morning. Came to wake you.”
Nasreen let out a heavy breath and grabbed clothes from the pack she’d readied before going to sleep.
Lukas looked away as she changed her underclothes under the blanket.
“Any change?”
“Nothing yet. They’re holed up in the outpost. Pan Kun is sleeping off his mana fatigue. Heard what he did from some of his guards.”
She saw him shake his head in the moonlight as she grabbed pants and a shirt, pushing off the blanket to the cool night air. Goosebumps ran along her skin. “Fuck, it’s cold.”
Lukas chuckled. “Better than doing this in winter.”
“I’ll take the heat over walking in those damn snowshoes any day of the week,” Nasreen agreed, pulling on her remaining clothes.
“The mages shifted all the trees into place. I sent the wounded with a security detail down the new road to make it look like we went that way. They’ll circle back through the woods, with the mages erasing any signs of their passing, and take a teleportation formation to King’s Hill.”
Nasreen looked around in the darkness. She couldn’t make out the sleeping soldiers that lay in an all-round defense, back from their firing positions. Sentries talked to one another in the darkness, keeping one another awake.
“You think the road thing will work?” Nasreen asked.
“I hope so. Their maps are shit. Only new arrivals get updating maps. All they’ve got is some rough drawings unless the Willful Institute gave them real maps. They haven’t had the time to wander to King’s Hill to plot one out.”
Nasreen pulled on her armor and tightened up the side ties before looping her sword belt. “Are they doing anything up at the outpost?”
“A fight broke out, but it got put down. They’re getting sick and losing a lot of people. Nearly half of their reinforcements were wounded. The poison is spreading across them all. The nobles and commanders slept in the outpost. Just a matter of time now.”
“We have to buy that time.”
Nasreen grabbed her quiver. She’d unstrung her bow and secured it.
“How did the prep on the ambush location go?”
“We’ve got a hill switchback about six kilometers down the road from the outpost. Let them build up some speed, bunch up as they climb.” Lukas turned around as Nasreen stuffed her sleeping gear into her pack. “Some people from the Special Teams came down to assist and teach us how to do it right.”
“Shit, no way. I thought they hid in the shadows till the last moment.” She turned, heaving the pack onto her shoulder.
“Nah, they were out there teaching. Most didn’t know who they were. They were there at Vuzgal against the Blood Demon Sect. Just smart, how they planned it out, picked firing positions, where to place the traps and charges, what kind even. They picked out the hill because they’ll see over the trees and should be able to see King’s Hill in the distance with the road looking like it’s straight on. Then throw in some curves around different terrain and lead them off target.”
“You think the mounted are going to come after us, or they’ll come in formations?” Nasreen hiked her pack up on one shoulder as they walked toward where their mounts were secured.
“Mounts. They want in on the action. They moved them up into the outpost. You won’t believe this, but they have their infantry on this side of the outpost. They camped them on the dead. Instead of pushing them back, they pushed them forward.”
“That’s stupid. Sure, they have the high ground, but we come in, mounted in the middle of the night, or use some spell scrolls from the edge of the tree line…”
“Yeah, shitty way to wake up. Though they have mounted ready to charge out. So, we attack, we better be doing it at range and then running the hell out of there or else they’ll be on our asses.”
“Plant fire pots and blow them when you pass?”
Lukas paused. “Pretty good idea actually.”
“Not part of the army just for my good looks.”
“Who would think that Nasreen Fayad, daughter of the famous Emmanuel Fayad would be sleeping on the ground in the forest while fighting the kingdom’s armies?” Lukas laughed.
“Who thought that the leader of a mercenary company who lost his hand and most of his leg as tiger treats would become an outpost guard and rise to a Brigadier General?”
“Even got the hand and leg back,” Lukas said as Nasreen secured her pack to her mount’s back.
The sky was starting to brighten as team leaders were woken by the sentries. They gathered at the large metal urn that held the highly coveted coffee.
Nasreen took in a deep breath, drinking the entire contents of a cup in a few big warm mouthfuls. “All right, teams for the ambush point, grab your squads. We’ll be moving in ten,” she said. “Rest of you, get your people up and moving.”
The team leaders finished off their drinks.
“Grab food for your people too.” Lukas picked up a small crate and passed it to the team leaders as they passed.
“What is it?”
“Something called breakfast burritos,” Lukas said.
The team leader shrugged and headed off.
Lukas tossed Nasreen the wrapped package. She opened it and bit in.
“Mmm!” Her eyes lit up as she took another bite.
Lukas opened his and chomped down on it.
“Frig, the Consortium’s new cooks know a few things about cooking. Damn I could go for four more.” Lukas picked the last remaining pieces out of the wrapper.
==========
Stamina increased by 2% for 1 hour
Stamina regeneration increased by 7% for 3 hours
==========
“Stats are fucking decent too.”
“Now just ambush the hell out of these United Army pricks, and it’ll be a perfect day. Looks nice and warm, good breeze and shade in the trees,” Lukas said as they headed away.
Teams cleared their gear. Those moving on packed their mounts and prepared to leave, aiming to eat on the move.
Other teams packed their mounts and ate near the coffee urn, huddling in groups as their team leaders briefed them.
The teams, mainly archers and mages with a group of melee fighters thrown in, got into marching order. The most senior team lead walked up to the two officers.
“Ready to go?” Nasreen looked at the forty or so people, all armored and geared up.
“Yes, sirs.”
“Let’s get going then,” Lukas said.
They moved through the forest. After about five minutes, they r
eached the hill.
It looked just like they had left it the other day.
“Move into your positions. Let’s make sure we’re ready to give the United Army a nice good morning,” Nasreen said.
The teams spread out, taking the high ground of the hill. The melee team split to either side, covering the flanks with the mages and archers between them.
They pulled out formation plates and laid them down for the mages.
“How are the spell traps looking?” Lukas asked the mages’ team leader.
“Still strong, we’ll make sure they’re charged up.
“Good positioning. You put traps in the ground and along the hills?” Erik asked, lowering the scope of his rifle and glancing at Storbon beside him.
“We took what we learned from Vuzgal’s defense. Using just the road is one way to slow them, but taking out the sides of the road is more effective. Who checks a hillside?”
“Too right.” Erik shifted the camouflage sheet around him. “Jerky?”
“Sure.”
Erik pulled out some and passed it to Storbon.
They were on another hill looking through the trees at the switchback position the Beast Mountain Range Army was set up on.
“They’re moving like a good unit. Still using melee and ranged groups,” Erik said.
“They don’t have the gear or weapons for different group types. Functions well for them, greater command and control.”
“Guess all we can do now is just wait.”
Erik shifted in his position and got comfortable.
The BMRA got into their positions and settled down, lying in wait, not realizing who was monitoring them from above.
The sky brightened as the sun started to rise.
“Movement on the road,” Storbon said.
Erik used his scope to look. “They’re mounted, which makes me think that they’re impatient, but they’re here well after the sun is up so they slept in?”
“Kingdoms, sir. The people that have mounts have wealth and position, so they have people to take care of them.”
“Stupid way to run a fighting force,” Erik muttered.
The beasts’ footfalls thundered through the morning.
“Anything behind the first group?” Erik asked.
Storbon checked his map and relayed the question.
“Three more forces on the road. They’re racing to meet up with them. Each are about twenty minutes apart.”
“This is a prime little spot. Make sure that the army knows.”
“Sir.”
Storbon sent out sound transmissions before falling into silence once again.
“Here we go.” Erik tightened his grip on his rifle as Storbon raised his own.
The riders slowed at the switch back, bunching up as they fought to get up the hill. The rear forces pushed up as well.
They reached the top as the spell traps went off; riders and beasts were torn apart in the attack. Archers and mages stood from their cover, firing down on the enemy, focusing on those in the rear of the group. Many fell without even knowing what had hit them. Some riders tried to turn around in the tight quarters to flee. Their panicked beasts caused a stampede, fear overriding their rider’s commands as they charged forward.
It was over in a few short minutes. Erik scanned the ridgeline and the switchback road.
Mages finished off the dying and wounded and lay down more spell traps before taking their positions again.
Erik watched the second force ride up the hill. They paused at the base, looking at the bodies of men and beasts. A rider turned and rushed back to the rear. The leader slowly took his people up. Two people, side by side, picked their way through the dead, looting as they went. They pushed up to the other side, making it past where the attacks had been carried out. They seemed relieved, watching the hill for attacks. The force sped up.
Traps went off as mages hurled spells from cover.
Archers fired on the leading units outside of the trap’s range. Others focused on the riders in the rear that were fighting to control their mounts.
Some of the riders fired arrows up at the forest.
Erik reached out with his hand, feeling his connection with the earth element. He seemed to reach through it, to the ground under the riders in the rear.
He twisted the power of earth and infused his will, his mana, into it.
Spikes shot out of the ground, piercing beasts and riders, rolling forward like a wave through the mounted force in seconds.
Erik released the spell, and it collapsed into dust.
The archers and mages quickly cleaned up the remaining forces. Some threw out powder, using spells to spread it over the dead.
Tombstones dotted the ground. Not one of the army went down to loot, focusing on their mission.
“Looks like they listened to your advice.” Erik lowered his rifle.
“Nice spell at the end there.”
“I could do something, so I did. Not like they’ll be telling anyone.”
Storbon shrugged.
“Let’s head to the next rally point. We’ll get in on the AAR and check out their positions up and down the road.”
“Don’t want to go back to the command center?” Storbon asked as they cleared away their gear and crawled back from the edge of the ridge.
“Bite me, Storbon.”
49
Unified
Erik blinked away the light from the teleportation pad. His vision cleared, showing Niemm’s special team fanned out around him and Jasper standing with branch heads Derrick and Lin Lei.
“Hey, Erik.”
“What’s up, Jasper?” Erik looked around.
“Blaze has administrative duties to take care of.”
“Got it.” Erik pressed his lips into a smile. “He never was a great lover of meetings.”
“No, not really,” Jasper snorted. “We have a meeting room set aside.”
“I’ve been in enough damn meeting rooms to last a lifetime. Let’s see what you’ve made of this place.”
Niemm made a noise in the back of his throat, but Erik chose to ignore him.
“Yes, sir. I guess Blaze isn’t the only one?” Jasper smiled.
Derrick and Lin Lei openly stared at Erik as they left the teleportation’s defenses and entered the town growing beyond it.
“If I could get away I would,” Erik muttered, clearing his throat and raising his voice as they left the defenses, looking out over the dungeon. “Looks pretty similar to Alva’s living floor.”
A dungeon core headquarters lay in the center, surrounded by administration buildings. Houses and apartment buildings had been crafted from different materials, creating roads. A section of the city was turned over to crafters. Another section was dedicated to training, another looking after and teaching the younger generation. Fields and animal pens were sown throughout.
Water dropped from above in a small waterfall, the stream weaving through the floor.
“The backup dungeons were all based on it. Instead of parks we have fields, and we have rows of apartment buildings to fit many people into the smallest area. Training grounds for mana cultivation and fighting, taverns, smithies, water treatment… All the things one could ask for in a city,” Jasper said.
They walked down the road. People nodded to Derrick, Lin Lei, and Jasper while staring at Erik and his special team.
Women washing laundry and hanging it out on their balconies chatted with one another as they stared at the group, making guesses.
“How are your guild members?”
“They’re happy for the rest. Most of them were fighting in the higher realms. We’ve passed on the information on the attacks,” Jasper said.
“We’re eager to fight. Either we or the Willful Institute must be destroyed,” Derrick said.
“I don’t think anyone is doing any destroying anytime soon,” Erik said.
Jasper gave Derrick a sharp look, making him close his mouth.
“So, the
Lord of Alva doesn’t pay visits for no reason, especially when I hear he has been on the front lines in the First Realm. How are things going there?”
“Their army made some advances, took an outpost, but now they’re all sick in their camps and can barely move. Major General Pan Kun and Colonel Yui are picking the time to strike. I don’t have much time here. I will be heading back to the First Realm after this.” Erik stopped and looked at Jasper. “I’ve come to ask the support of the Adventurer’s Guild.”
“What do you need?” Jasper asked.
“Fighters. For Vuzgal.”
“Do you have a plan?”
“Two groups, one to fight in Vuzgal. The second will be our strike force to make good on our counterattack.”
Derrick and Lin Lei shared a look, their hands curling into fists.
“It’ll be nice to have us all under one banner. I wonder what people will think when they see the Adventurer’s Guild and Alva Army fighting side by side.” Erik smiled.
Lord Salyn coughed, pain wracking his entire body. His lungs felt like they were made of iron; he had to force them to open and close. It was almost as if his chest was collapsing under that weight.
He had his feet in an aromatic bucket, the steam washing over him to cleanse him and heal him.
The dividing sheet between him and the other nobles was drawn to the side. Beyond, people were lying everywhere, fighting to breathe. Healing houses moved between their clients, using their healing spells on the nobles and those with enough coin for their services.
“What news?” Salyn wheezed as Drev approached, a scarf over his nose and mouth.
In the three days since taking Hunter Frontier, their forces had been driven to a stop by the sickness passing through them.
“Supply carts are dumping their goods away from the camps now. Many of them are fleeing with our supplies. Lord Ikeda has fallen sick, as have his Red Falcon Knights. Everyone thinks this is something the Beast Mountain Range people thought up.”
Drev paused to catch his breath. “We made it five kilometers up the road yesterday. Camps have been established, but we haven’t had messengers since yesterday.”
Seventh Realm Part 1: A LitRPG Fantasy series (The Ten Realms Book 8) Page 57
