"Buldrokkas'tee."
Despite my father's call, I didn't take my eyes off our enemies. Their ranks on the opposite side of the sandy battlefield had organized themselves and were now preparing to attack.
"Yes, father?"
"What is your analysis of the situation?"
I pondered his words, moving my head to analyze the details around us, our forces, the terrain, the weather, and enemy numbers, before answering.
"Very convenient. Somehow a small army managed to enter the king's territory and march a fraction of the way to the capital undetected."
"Tunnels?"
"Unlikely. If they managed to dig this far, then why not continue to the capital?"
"Arts?"
"It would take an absurd number of talented casters to hide an army, whether with invisibility or illusions."
"They may have used the weather."
"Sandstorms are common in the desert, not enough to hide them for so long, unless they have a caster capable of controlling the weather, but that would be exhausting for the soldiers and their supplies."
"So a traitor?"
"Probably, they advanced avoiding the patrols and guard posts on the border, choosing the long but safe route. Their leader is well informed, however, our scouts reported that their supplies are not enough for a prolonged war."
"What do you suggest?"
"They are here to test our defenses, a sacrifice so that their leader can discover our capabilities before launching the real attack."
"Fools, they will all die today."
"Certainly, and he who sent them will closely observe the fate of his men."
"Very well, your answer was acceptable, however, there is something you forgot."
My father pointed to something on the horizon, I followed his long armored finger, half-closing my eyes as I tried to see what he wanted.
"Look how those clouds are gathering, what do you think of them?"
The clouds in question were as black as night and converged at a single point. Even from here, I could hear the rumble of thunder and smell a metallic odor in the air.
"I-is this a catastrophe?"
"Correct, I've lived long enough to detect them with a glance. You'll learn the same if you live long enough."
"F-father, shouldn't we retreat?"
"No, we're at a safe distance. What worries me is how often they happen. I may be wrong, but I have the impression that they are approaching the capital."
"The king needs to know this."
"And he will, but we have bigger problems at the moment."
I heard the sound of steel moving and at that moment I cast a curious glance at my father, seeing a Wendigo as large as me, wearing black armor and wielding a sword the size of its body.
Sunlight gleamed on his skull, as well as on the metal of his equipment. The lack of adornment bothered the members of the royal court, who complained about the lack of representation of his lineage and loyalty.
According to my father, these things offered no strategic advantage and tended to get in the way most of the time.
The nobles failed miserably in trying to convince him to at least wear a cape, something I was glad happened. I lost count of how many arrogant Sarkaz died because their capes got caught somewhere.
On the other hand, my father refused to use a shield, much to my frustration. I didn't ask him to carry one like mine; the additional defense would be useful, but the stubborn old man complained that it would reduce his speed.
I believe this stubbornness is the reason my mother asked me not to take him out of my sight. What, in the name of the spirits, did she see in him? I guess I'll never know.
Setting those thoughts aside, I prepared for combat when the war horns sounded. With a command, I ordered my squad to raise their shields and spears, forming an impenetrable wall of black steel.
I took the first step, and with that, the wall advanced. I heard the cries of our enemies and seconds later, the sounds of arrows, darts, and arts colliding against us reverberated through the air.
Their attempt to flank us was a futile effort; our formation shifted to a square, with the soldiers in the center forming a roof with their shields.
Those who were not pierced retreated, and with the support of our archers, casters, and crossbowmen, our advance continued uninterrupted.
With a final push, we reached the first line of infantry, scattering disorder throughout their ranks. Our formation opened up, and with that, we engaged in close combat.
The first enemy fell, pierced in the stomach by my trident. The second had his bones broken with a swing of my shield.
I removed my weapon from the corpse at my feet and swung my trident above my head, striking the helmet of the third adversary with a sideways swing.
I heard his skull crack open, and with that done, I kicked the fourth in the stomach, turning his insides to mush.
I left the bloodied corpses behind and continued my slow but steady march. With a quick glance, I determined that my men didn't need help at the moment. If it continue like this, the casualties will end at acceptable levels.
The cacophony of approaching footsteps from behind indicated the arrival of our infantry, forcing the enemy to retreat, exactly what the cavalry wanted to flank them and finish the combat.
With the path clear, our soldiers charged into the slaughter, but to my despair, I saw the black blur of my father pass by me and throw himself into the chaos, splitting a line of enemies with a swing of his greatsword.
"Old man, come back here, you're too old for this!"
For a moment, I doubted he had heard me amidst the shouts and clanging of metal, but his next reply made me clench my jaw in anger.
"Watch and learn, brat!"
Screaming in frustration, I removed the Dark Pine Resin from my coat, dragging it onto my trident, engulfing it in flames, then swallowed the balm, feeling its immediate effect.
I felt invincible, my muscles grew, my equipment became lighter, and the swings of my weapon more precise. In a burst of speed, I closed the distance to my father before he killed himself, crushing everyone in my path.
A new swing of my shield sent an armored soldier exploding in a crimson mist, to the horror of those painted in his blood right behind him.
As if time slowed down, I spotted an opening amidst the advancing enemy and with unimaginable dexterity, hurled my trident like a dart.
The burst of air made my ears ring, but the result was as desired, striking the chest of a caster preparing a powerful arts attack.
His legs remained in place while his upper half flew away, landing near my father, who had now cleaved an enemy soldier in two, as well as the ground beneath him.
Putting my shield in front of me, I began a frenzied charge like a furious burdenbeast.
The attacks, screams, and sounds of breaking bones did not discourage me. With a final leap, I landed near my trident, shaking the earth with a tremor before retrieving my weapon.
"Finally decided to join the fun?!"
"Tell me, what kind of commander throws himself into the middle of combat?! Your job is to lead from the rear, analyzing the conflict and giving orders!"
"I prefer to lead by example!"
"An example of how to die, that's what! You're a big target, literally! If you die, the army's morale will plummet!"
"It's good that I don't plan on doing that!"
"The arrows in your armor say otherwise!"
Then the fighting continued, coast to coast, cutting down the approaching throng of warriors. Blood fell like rain; I don't know how much time passed, but what was once a conflict turned into a massacre.
-XXXXXX-
"Here, this will help you regain your energy."
I tossed a green potion to my father, who held the vial up to his eye curiously. Shrugging, he removed the cork and drank the contents, surrounded by a green aura for a second.
"What did you just give me?! I feel great!"
The old man acted as if he were young again, making some basic combat gestures. I, on the other hand, prayed he wouldn't break his back again.
"Something I bought from a new pharmacist in the capital. You should visit him sometime."
"Does your flaming trident have anything to do with it?"
"Exactly."
My father looked at our tired and wounded men in the camp. I knew exactly what he wanted.
"Father, no."
"But…"
"No, you're not going to drag an innocent into this conflict. Besides, I doubt he has enough for the whole army."
"Think of the victories we could achieve!"
"Of course, and we wouldn't be the first to get addicted to some battle stimulant. You know what happens to those who are over-enhanced by support casters."
"Right…"
"You taught me to improve my skills, expand my arsenal, and never rely on a single resort, because you won't know what to do if it's taken from you."
"I know, but age is catching up with me. I can't fight like I used to, I don't want to become a burden."
His joy diminished, making my heart sink, but age was something we couldn't overcome. Something I would have to deal with in the future as well.
"Father, you'll never be a burden, even if you can't fight, we can still count on your wisdom."
"And I thought you'd say you loved me or something."
"Don't give me that look."
"I know, I know, I'm just kidding, but when was the last time you hugged your old man?"
He opened his arms, but I'd rather die than be seen doing that in public. It was too embarrassing.
"I swear I'll leave if you don't stop."
"Okay, okay, I stopped. See?"
I sighed in relief as I watched him sit on a pile of boxes, still laughing at his own foolish jokes. My father gestured for me to sit on a barrel beside him, I placed my trident and shield on the ground and did as he asked.
"I know what you said, but I'm still curious about the pharmacist. Even if we do nothing, the story of his miracle products will spread, at least if the others are as good as the ones you used. There's a chance he'll catch the eye of some noble at the royal court, or the king himself."
"I know, and that worries me. The nobles would probably offer a promise of eternal service disguised as kindness, if not demand his service, loyalty, and all his stock at once."
"You seem to have a good opinion of this man, is he a friend of yours?"
"No, we're just merchant and customer for now, but he didn't seem like a bad person to me."
"My boy is finally making friends! I'm so proud of you! It seems someone finally managed to break through your bad mood!"
"Father…"
"Perhaps we should invite him to dinner? Your mother would be happy to see you socializing instead of training all day."
"…"
"What else can you tell me about him?"
"His name is Alden, a foreigner with an unusual accent who barely speaks our language."
"Well, that's unexpected. I bet the capital already gave him a warm welcome. What race is he?"
"I don't know exactly, he said he's an Archosauria, though he looks like Aslan to me."
"So he comes from the other side of Terra? What's he doing in this forsaken place we call home?"
"Your guess is as good as mine. Probably looking to expand his business. Sargonians are great merchants, aren't they?"
"Victoria or Laterano are better stops than here."
"Maybe it's family matters? Rumors say he's married to a vampire; many have seen them acting like a couple while wandering around the capital."
"Lucky bastard, at least he's a man of refined taste."
"I will tell my mother what you said."
"Please don't!"
-XXXXXX-
I stood amidst the crowd outside the capital with Warfarin perched on my arm, as she said I was the highest point to observe the horizon. We took turns using my binoculars to watch the storm forming in the distance, a catastrophe.
The term used for a variety of devastating natural disasters, with tornadoes, earthquakes, and meteors being some of its variations.
We were far enough away that it was nothing more than a dark spot miles away, but that didn't change the fact that it was too close to the capital for those who had lived here for years.
"Warfarin, what would happen if a catastrophe hit the capital?"
"We'd be screwed, unless Torrent can ride fast enough for us to escape."
Hm… I'll have to devise an escape plan in case the worst happens.
What truly interested me was what came after the catastrophe, Originium sprouting abundantly from the ground. I needed the mysterious ore to continue my studies with the slug and the magic ring.
I already knew what I would do tonight.
-XXXXXX-
It wasn't difficult to sneak out of the house and the capital while Warfarin slept. I summoned Torrent and rode to the site of the catastrophe, feeling the atmosphere change as I approached.
The air became heavy and hot, and the earth dead and dark. A somber wind blew past my ears, and as I stopped at the top of a hill, I glimpsed the desolate landscape below.
A massive crater, so large that I couldn't see its full circumference, with dark clouds partially blocking the night sky, and pillars of dark crystal emanating red light from within.
I patted Torrent's head, sending him away, and slid into the crater, stopping beside the nearest pillar.
I dragged my hand across the crystal, feeling its vibrations and contained power, then removed a pickaxe from my bottomless pouch, beginning my work.
-XXXXXX-
"...But you are still my king~..."
"And yet you reject me?~"
"How many times we tried to warn you~..."
"You ordered (Leave!), and so I will obey~"
Suddenly, I stopped my song as well as my work upon seeing something moving among the pillars. I stored my pickaxe, raised my staff, and lit my flame, preparing for combat, but nothing happened.
I approached the place where I saw the apparition only to find nothing. However, something moved in the corner of my vision, and as I turned, I momentarily saw a white specter walking through the originium.
It was something similar to the apparitions I experienced when I touched the bloodstains, witnessing the end of other undead, or when the worlds drew closer and other warriors became visible.
Was this a sign that there was a way back? These specters and invocations couldn't speak, but they could leave messages with their soapstones. Perhaps I could communicate?
I followed the specter, watching it wander aimlessly, entering and exiting reality. However, unlike those I had seen before, this one had no appearance, only a humanoid form without other features.
Eventually I lost sight of it, but I didn't give up. I removed the Eye of the Priestess from my bag and held it in front of my eye, seeing the unseen.
The first thing I noticed was the giant barrier in the sky, a set of interconnected orange octagons.
My mouth dropped open and my eyes widened; I thought I had gone mad, but after removing and placing the Priestess's Eye in front of mine, I realized that yes, there was a giant barrier in the sky; this must be the reason behind the difficulty in seeing the stars.
The second thing I encountered was the specter in its true form atop a pillar. It was a small, slender young woman with dark hair, wearing a white shirt, coat, and shoes, and a black skirt and socks.
Behind her was an endless golden sea with pale diamonds in the sky. This sight reminded me of the Erdtree, but unlike the divine tree, there was no divinity or Grace in this gold.
The young woman didn't seem to notice me, so I averted my gaze and turned my back, clicking my tongue in disappointment, for I hadn't found what I was looking for.
The revelations were interesting, but nothing that would help me return at the moment. Perhaps I would return for more originium and speak with this specter, but until then, I had achieved what I wanted.
I left the crater and summoned Torrent, riding away with a new lesson learned; there were things in this world inconceivable to normal eyes.
END OF CHAPTER