Chapter 14: Arrival
Personal System Calendar: Year 00012, Day 1-14, Month III: The Imperium
Imperial Calendar: Year 6857, 1st to 14th day of the 3rd Month
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Waiting for Word
It was now the third month of the year, and within just a couple of days August would know what Baron Kirka had planned for the retaking of his village. August had prepared fifty units during his free time to assist in whatever capacity would be needed to prepare them for the assault. He would not be careless enough to send only a small contingent of soldiers without proper intelligence, so he had dispatched members of Talon Two to gather detailed reconnaissance about the current situation in Kirka Village.
The village itself was classified as a large village by Imperial settlement standards. At its peak, nearly nine thousand five hundred families had called it home, but years of decline and chaos had reduced that number to just above the minimum threshold of one thousand three hundred twenty families required to maintain large village classification.
With the village's current reduced population, retaking it by force was more manageable than it might have been at full strength. August had sent Talon Two ahead dressed as ordinary travelers seeking rest before continuing their journey, allowing them to observe the situation without drawing suspicion.
Today they were returning to Maya Village to deliver their detailed reports about Kirka's current state.
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The Grim Report
The situation was worse than initial assessments suggested. The village was crumbling both externally and internally, left in severe disrepair with lawlessness running rampant throughout. The villagers' condition was poor, living under the control of bandits who had seized power after the legitimate authority fled (Acting Chief Toffer).
Approximately two hundred bandits held the village, led by a war veteran turned criminal named Lance Sellot. According to Talon Two's estimates, most of the bandits ranged from Advanced to Expert classification, with the highest-level individuals being Experts. By their assessment, arresting or neutralizing them would not prove overwhelmingly difficult, though caution would still be required given the numbers involved and the fact that they held the civilian population as effective hostages.
Upon arrival at Maya Village, Ragnar Martin, leader of Team Mandibles, immediately reported their findings to August in the village's command center. The intelligence was comprehensive: bandit positions, patrol patterns, civilian locations, structural weaknesses in the village's defenses, and potential approach routes that would minimize civilian casualties.
"Lance Sellot is a former Ogind Auxiliary Commander," Ragnar reported, his broad-shouldered frame standing at attention despite the informal setting. "He is knowledgeable with tactics and has organized the bandits into something resembling military structure. They have watch rotations, designated quarters, and a chain of command. This isn't just a rabble that is meant to be kicked. They're disciplined enough to be dangerous."
August absorbed the information, nodding slowly. "Civilian casualties?"
"Their primary concern," Ragnar confirmed. "Sellot keeps the population compliant through fear, but he's smart enough not to kill productive workers. The villagers are malnourished and overworked, but alive. That will complicate any form of overt frontal assault. I recommend we make covert operations before we start the main attack."
"Understood. We'll wait for Baron Kirka's decision on timing and approach. Good work, Ragnar. Have your team rest and prepare written reports for the Elder Council."
For now, they would wait for Baron Kirka's decision, which August would hear directly from the wagon master of the Amaryllia when the large wagon returned from its circuit.
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The Thirteen Stooges Arrival
By the end of the first week of the third month, the large wagon Amaryllia has returned at Maya Village's gates. Along with the wagon came a pleasant surprise: a group of familiar faces, children who had now grown into young adults and some already adults in their own right.
The Thirteen Stooges could only gape at what they saw. This was not the village they had imagined based on August's stories years ago. The settlement they remembered from his descriptions had been small, struggling, barely holding on. This place looked like a town, though it was still technically classified as a village by population count.
August and Angeline were there to greet them at the main gate. Sadly, Milo and Nina were not present, still away at the Grand Solis Academy, but they would be excited to learn that their childhood neighbors had finally arrived.
"Welcome to Maya Village," August said, his voice carrying genuine warmth despite the formal greeting. "I hope your journey was comfortable."
The Thirteen were still mesmerized, processing that they had finally arrived at the place they could only have dreamed of when they were younger. The stories they had heard about the village paled in comparison to the reality before them.
This was simply magical. The forest integration, the beasts roaming freely alongside humans and beastfolk, the careful planning evident in every structure. The houses were designed with purpose, naturally integrating with nature rather than fighting against it. Trees were predominant in the design of every structure, with at least one or two ancient and fruit bearing tree trunks incorporated into the living spaces. Massive farmlands stretched inside the walls, defying conventional wisdom that dictated settlements should be purely residential with agriculture relegated to undefended external fields.
They were still standing at the gates, processing the flood of new information. Upon entry, they noticed the armed guards watching their movement with professional alertness rather than hostility. Then upon fully entering Zone Two, they saw an Imperial barracks positioned near the entrance, with the village's own barracks directly across on the other side. The strategic placement ensured both forces could respond quickly to threats at the main gate and man the walls, while maintaining separate command structures.
Looking ahead, they could see the village perfectly framed by the gatehouse. The road inside was cobbled stone, a material they could not quite identify but which seemed to shed water perfectly while providing excellent traction. It cut through the center of Zone Two while other roads connected to it in an organized grid pattern. The main road stretched further and led toward another gated section, the entrance to Zone One visible in the distance.
The road was busy with ongoing construction. People moved to and from the farmlands with purpose, and visitors haggled at market stalls lined along the main roadway, bargaining and selling with practiced ease. The commercial activity suggested a thriving economy rather than a struggling frontier settlement.
Then they saw people close to their age, the oldest among them, riding atop massive wolves. The Grimfang cavalry was out on patrol, and the sight of humans casually controlling such fearsome beasts left them momentarily speechless.
They were taken aback the next moment as a looming shadow passed overhead. When they looked up, it was not one but several enormous eagles flying across the sky. The Mighty Peregrine Eagles were returning to their nests, all heading toward Zone One and the mountain beyond.
They snapped back to reality when August called out. "Everyone, let's get out of the way for now. We're blocking the gate's traffic. Let's head to the Longhouse first, and we'll find you appropriate homes later."
The Thirteen were too enamored to process everything they had witnessed, walking in a daze as August led them deeper into the village.
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Zone One: The Ethereal Heart of the Village
After a few minutes of walking, they arrived at Zone One's gate. It was also walled purposefully stretching from one end of the mountain's feet to the other and it also possessed its own defensive structures, appearing even more massive since it was built atop a sloped section of the mountain's base. As they entered, they felt like they had stepped into elven lands from ancient legends.
The setting sun was positioned perfectly, golden light filtering through the ancient trees and hitting their faces with gentle warmth. The wind blew softly, carrying the scent of pine and wildflowers, and leaves rustled as the trees swayed their branches in natural harmony.
If Zone Two had been beautiful in its organization and prosperity, Zone One was different. It was ethereal. That was the only word that fit.
They kept walking, careful not to impede movement through the gateway as they had at the main entrance. After walking for a short distance along a tree-lined path, they arrived at a massive structure that dominated the right rear area: it was August's Longhouse, the abode of the Finn Household.
The building had a homey atmosphere despite its size, radiating comfort and welcome. Then they saw others emerging to greet them: Aunt Theresa, her warm smile exactly as they remembered, and several others they recognized from their childhood. They also saw Adam and his wives, which caused visible shock among the Thirteen.
"Adam has taken two wives and it's both big sis Hiraya and Adarna?" Jeany whispered to Loyd, in a scandalous manner.
"We have different customs," Loyd whispered back. "Remember, this is a different world now far from what we knew of."
They entered the Longhouse and found themselves in a place of quiet comfort. The main hall's hearth crackled with welcoming fire, and the mezzanine above provided cozy spaces for conversation away from the central gathering area.
Griz and Hela, now children of four to five years old, greeted them enthusiastically and immediately called them uncles and aunts, which broke their hearts a little. It meant they were old enough to be addressed with such titles, a reminder of how much time had passed.
After some initial greetings and brief tales of their journey, August had to excuse himself. "I still have duties I need to attend to," he explained. "Make yourselves comfortable. We'll talk more tonight about why you've come and what roles you might fill here."
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Baron Kirka's Intent
After the wagon master Rupert and his team had rested sufficiently from their journey, they were summoned to the Elder Council's assembly hall to deliver their reports and relay Baron Kirka's intentions.
The assembly hall was located in Zone One, a circular structure built around an ancient oak whose branches formed a natural canopy above the council table. The Elders were already gathered when August arrived: Village Chief Red Peerce, representative elders from each major family, and the other heads of critical village functions.
After everyone had settled, August opened the proceedings. "First of all, good work to the Amaryllia crew for completing your first successful circuit. For now, let us focus exclusively on Baron Kirka's intentions regarding his village. Wagon Master, please report."
The wagon master, Rupert Grup, stood and delivered his report with practiced formality. "Yes, sir. Baron Kirka intends to retake his village from the bandits currently occupying it. However, he is still in the process of recruiting sufficient forces for the operation. Once recruitment is complete, he will march on the village and oust the criminals occupying it illegally. He requests that Maya Village honor its previous commitment to provide support for this endeavor."
August looked around the table, his gaze finally settling on Village Chief Red. "Then as agreed before by the Elders, we will give our full support to this mission. If there are any objections, let them be heard now."
Red Peerce nodded slowly, his weathered face showing no hesitation. "We already agreed to this course of action. The village will keep its word. Fifty trained soldiers under experienced leadership should be sufficient support without overcommitting our own defensive capabilities."
No one raised objections. The decision had been made weeks ago when Baron Kirka first made his request, and the reconnaissance conducted by Talon Two had only confirmed that the commitment was reasonable given the threat assessment.
"Then this meeting is adjourned," August declared. "Let us all return to our duties. We'll coordinate specific deployment details once we receive word that Baron Kirka is ready to move."
The Elders dispersed to their separate tasks. Unlike councils in larger settlements where officials might do nothing but attend meetings and issue decrees, Maya Village's Elders held important operational roles in administering their families' contributions to village life: agriculture, hunting, craftsmanship, construction, trade, and all the other important facets that kept the settlement functioning.
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A Warm Evening at the Longhouse
August returned home to settle their guests for the evening. Tomorrow they would formally address why these young people had come to the village and what roles they hoped to fill, but for tonight, simple hospitality would suffice.
The Thirteen had been given sleeping spaces near the main hall's great hearth, comfortable beds arranged in the traditional longhouse style, they encircled around the warmth of the fire. It was quite something, actually, to be together in the same room after so many years apart, some of them having lived separately even in Gremory under Fernando household patronage.
They spoke of their journey through the night, the challenges they had faced convincing Madam Susan and their mother figure Marta to allow them to leave, and their unified decision to come here in hopes of contributing meaningfully to the village that August had built.
Even well into the night, they continued talking about what they had witnessed in Maya Village. The organization, the prosperity, the integration of humans and beastfolk, the casual presence of powerful beasts living alongside people, the advanced infrastructure that rivaled anything they had seen in Gremory City.
"So this is what master August had built," Mary Sween said quietly, staring at the ceiling where the hearth's firelight cast dancing shadows. "It was with survivors, refugees and migrants too, people he didn't know or didn't have any profound connection with. He, no they all have built this."
"Well isn't it our goal to be here? So we're going to help them build more," Loyd Yu declared, his enhancement mana already subtly active as he spoke, unconsciously amplifying his conviction. "That's why we came here, didn't we? That's why we're here now." He repeated his words so that it would be instilled deeper within him, lighting a conviction within his heart, this is for the betterment of their new home.
Tomorrow would bring new discussions about their specific roles and how they would integrate into village life. But tonight, they slept peacefully surrounded by the warmth of the fire and the safety that the village provided, and inside the home of a person they looked up to, a friend who had survived the impossible and created something extraordinary from the ashes of his tragic past.
Outside, the Aetherwing's Family, the Mighty Peregrine Eagles settled into their nests on the mountain ridge. The Grimfang Squad's patrols had now completed their circuits and had returned to the cavalry barracks. The village's night watch took their positions along the walls.
And Maya Village, the settlement that should no longer have existed, continued its quiet defiance to everything that soughts to destroy it, protected by the brave warriors of Maya, the Eagles Veil, their guardian beasts (wolves and the eagles), and built by people who have learned the villages tragic past and have refused to let that tragedy have the final word.