Along the eastern side of the kingdom, villages clung to the mountain slopes. These small settlements thrived under the fortress's protection, relying on the natural barrier of the mountains and walls to keep the dangers of the wild forest at bay. Life here was rugged but steady, with villagers tending farms, trading goods, and preparing for any threats that might spill over from the untamed lands beyond.
Past the mountains, between the ranges and the Great Forest, other villages existed as well. These communities made use of the forest's natural resources but received no protection from the dukedom because of their perilous location. Instead, they sustained themselves by trading valuable resources with the dukedom, goods that could not be obtained elsewhere.
One such village was home to the Shadow Wolfkin, a hardy people who thrived on combat and accepted the high casualties their way of life demanded.
Bastion and Lilia were currently headed to the Wolfkin village for a visit. They had already seen most of the other villages on both sides of the mountain ranges, with only the most remote one remaining.
Bastion worried that the agreement his ancestors had made with the Shadow Wolfkin tribe might be void now that the Demon Lord was gone. He wanted his own children to have a Shadow as well, but he was willing to accept it if that was no longer possible.
What truly concerned him, however, was the possibility of the tribe leaving. A large part of the dukedom's profits came from trading with this very village. They supplied the best Rank 1 and 2 resources from the Great Forest, so losing their loyalty, both to the kingdom and to him, would seriously impact their income.
"Don't worry so much, Bastion," Lilia said, tossing a small fireball out the window with a wave of her hand using Rune Casting. "It's not like they have anywhere else to go now that they've completed their ancestral mission."
She followed it with a water ball to douse the fire she had started, then laid down timed explosives with Rune Circle that detonated once the carriage passed. Trailing behind them was the Rune Guardian, a three-meter-tall golem made of water that resisted the mines she had dropped while following the carriage.
She was currently experimenting with her new skills, slowly adapting to their usage. Before they left, she also infused the carriage to make it lighter and imbued Steve with increased strength, stamina, and speed.
Lilia was focused on mastering her abilities to make them viable in combat. Unlike normal mage skills that activated instantly, rune casting required selecting a set of runes, which slowed her overall speed. She wanted a pre-selected set of runes ready for emergencies and was leaning on her prior experience with elemental magic to streamline the process.
"I know," Bastion said, watching Lilia play with her new class. "I'm not particularly bothered if they leave. What would bother me is the Great Forest lacking scouts, however."
He was still waiting on Alexander's report with regards to the tree in the swamp from his vision. The year-long delay was due to the sheer size of the Great Forest. It was roughly half the size of the kingdom and lay outside its borders, a significant area to map even when focusing on just a small portion.
As for who was in charge of scouting, it was the Wolfkin village. Bastion suspected the delay might be related to their possible change in loyalties.
Essentially, he was worried that he might miss the great opportunity his vision had presented.
Their ride continued along the winding mountainous slopes until they reached a rather large village. In fact, it looked more like a town, with tall walls, brick houses, and proper facilities in place.
Narrow cobblestone streets wound between the buildings, lined with small market stalls, communal fountains, and banners that fluttered in the crisp mountain air. Smoke curled from chimneys, carrying the scent of wood fires and cooking meals, while terraced gardens clung to the slopes, growing herbs, vegetables, and flowers. The village had a rugged charm, with stone bridges arching over rushing streams and watchtowers perched on the cliffs, giving it a fortified yet lively atmosphere that reflected the resilience of its Shadow Wolfkin inhabitants.
The people who lived here were all Shadow Wolfkin, thriving in a harsh and combative environment. That wasn't to say they were savages, far from it. They simply excelled in conflict but still preferred the comfort of a proper home over sleeping out in the forest.
Bastion and Lilia passed by individuals who resembled Elyra, all with dark, abyss-black hair, wolf ears and tails, and reverse-jointed lupine legs. They wore sparse, tight clothing that hugged their bodies, keeping both themselves and their presence silent. Some wore full-body suits of tight leather, while others wore little more than underwear. Either way, their attire was practical, designed for stealth and silence.
Once the carriage reached the elder's mansion, Elyra stepped out of Bastion's shadow, still professionally dressed in her tight black-and-white maid outfit, and opened the door for him.
Bastion exited the carriage and helped Lilia down before they turned to their host, Marquis Varyn, the village elder and Elyra's father.
He was still as bulky as Bastion remembered from when they first met nearly a decade ago. He didn't look a day older, which was understandable given their typical lifespan of 5,000 years at Rank 2. He still appeared to be a man in his late thirties, suggesting he was roughly halfway through his lifespan, likely similar in age to Bastion's own father.
"Marquis Varyn, it's a pleasure to see you again," Bastion greeted.
"I thought I told you to call me Varyn, boy," he replied.
"Right, Varyn."
"Well, come in. We have a lot to discuss."
The mansion was quite luxurious, comparable in quality to Count Veymar's.
They continued down the hallways until they reached the meeting room, where Bastion, as usual, took the head seat with paperwork already prepared in front of him. He figured he might as well get this part out of the way before diving into the discussion he had in mind.
He reviewed the paperwork for an hour, finding everything perfectly organized and spotless. Unlike in the Dungeon City of Despair, the village was largely independent, meaning they were only taxed on their trades. There was no reason for them to hide anything from him, and the paperwork reflected that.
"Everything is in perfect order, so why don't we get down to the real reason I came all this way," Bastion said, adopting a more professional tone.
"We have fulfilled our ancestral promise, so our close ties are hereby rescinded. We owe nothing to the Diamondhart family as Shadow Wolfkin," Varyn replied, his voice firm and proud.
"And?"
"And what?"
"What about your stance with the dukedom and the kingdom?"
"Oh, that. Same as before. We look out for ourselves here in the Great Forest and cooperate with you when necessary."
"So… no change?"
"None that I can see."
"Then would you mind telling me what's taking so long to map out the swamps nearby?"
"Do you know what's out there, boy? It's Rank 3 Basilisk territory. You'd hardly find a reason to go near it, let alone locate a lone Wraithwood in the middle of the swamp," Varyn complained. "We've mapped out the surroundings as requested, but we're taking our time getting familiar with it as we approach the center."
"Do you have the latest map?"
Varyn retrieved the paperwork and spread a large map across the table, nearly filling it entirely. On it was a rough outline of the swamp in question, marked with red indicators and branching paths.
"The marks show where we had to retreat because of a basilisk passing by. The branches you see here are safe paths through the swamp. It gets tricky to cross without earth magic. Even our spells barely keep us from sinking into the swamp as we move."
Bastion memorized the map in an instant, roughly determining the most likely spot where the Wraithwood could be. At the center of the map, surrounded by red marks, lay what appeared to be the heart of the Basilisk territory.
If a Rank 4 creature's corpse was out there in the middle of the swamp, it was likely the nest of the Basilisks as well. It would provide a rich source of nutrition, and even bathing in the blood-infested swamp could accelerate growth, sustaining their strength and population.
"Tell me about this unmapped location in the center," Bastion asked.
"We think it's the Basilisks' main territory. There's a good chance that's where you'd find your Wraithwood. Then again, it could also be in these three other locations we haven't mapped yet," Varyn replied.
He had a point. The Wraithwood could certainly be in one of those other spots, so Bastion wanted to be certain before moving forward with his plan to take the territory.
"Continue scouting the three territories and don't bother with the center, as it might be too dangerous. Once the three areas are explored, or if you find the Wraithwood, let me know."
"Yes, my lord," he replied with a noble's bow.
He may have been overly familiar, but at least he knew when to take orders seriously.
Bastion, meanwhile, silently heaved a sigh of relief. He was glad the village had remained loyal despite their severed connection. He felt a twinge of disappointment, however, that they would no longer continue the Shadow tradition.
As he was about to leave, Varyn suddenly asked, "My Lord, may I have some privacy with my daughter?"
Bastion waved his hand, granting permission, before heading back to the carriage with Lilia in tow. He didn't need to ask Elyra's opinion, as he already knew.
Alone in the room with Elyra, Varyn suddenly demanded, "Come back to the village."
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