(a/n: This took a little longer than expected. I also changed the summary too, hopefully it sounds better. I hope you enjoy it!)
Ch. 3: A Feast of Friends
Ian Als Heim, commander of the First Division of the Sunlight Scripture, wasn't sure what to make of this assignment.
At first, the middle-aged priest was rather glad at the chance to kill his boredom.
Barely over a week ago, he was back at the capital and going through the monotonous routine he had been following for the past several months. Now, he was leading a contingent of knights and mages to some backwater village near the edge of civilization. He sighed. His shoulders slumped and his eyes grew heavy from the long day's journey.
Ian could've easily fallen asleep, if it weren't for the lingering feeling of dread hanging over him and the commanding voice Cardinal Lauransan echoing in his mind, reminding him to remain ever vigilant.
The silver haired priest rubbed his eyes and refocused on the road ahead.
The road, if it could be called that, was nothing more than a dirt path stretching onward through the woods, carrying Ian and his men onward toward their assignment. Through the canopy of branches above, the sky slowly adopted a deep shade of orange as the sun began its descent before them in the west. The heat of the day slowly diminished with the light, making the journey a little more pleasant.
Ian glanced sideways at his second in command, Einon Zekan.
"How much further?" he asked, trying to keep his frustration and weariness out of his voice.
"Not much" the younger man, reaching into his saddlebag and pulling out the map. He scanned the map for a few moments then looked over at his superior. "It should be just beyond the trees up ahead."
Ian nodded slowly and hoped that they could at least rest once they reach the village.
The silver haired priest thought back to how he ended up in the middle of nowhere.
For months Ian Als Heim had been sorting through a mountain of paper work and overseeing the training of the Scripture's new initiates in the capital.
It wasn't a bad assignment. He'd certainly pick a boring desk job and a few months of headache inducing training, as opposed to raiding demi-human villages or dealing with the Elves in the south.
It certainly beats the assignment his comrades had recently been given.
The silver haired cleric shivered.
Currently, Nigun, the Captain of all the Sunlight Scripture, was leading a significant portion of their order on a top-secret mission: hunting and killing Gazef Stronoff. A rather ambitious plot with some lofty goals, it even bordered on suicidal. Not only were they aiming to snuff out the life of one of the strongest warriors of the modern era, but also laying the blame at the feet of the Baharuth Empire.
Such a plan was risky and could go very wrong very quickly. Only a reckless idiot or an ambitious idiot could've come up with that idea, but Ian didn't dare say that out loud. It wasn't for men like him to question. His was only to accept and obey the orders of the Supreme Council and Cardinal Raymond Zarg Lauransan, the man in charge of all the Six Scriptures.
While many of their number were eager to carry out their orders and strike a devastating blow against the corrupt Re-Estize Kingdom, Ian wasn't as eager.
The Chief Warrior of the Re-Estize Kingdom was no easy prey. He was noble, brave to a fault, and very strong. He certainly proved himself at the Royal Tournament against Brain Unglaus and again, multiple times, in subsequent battles.
When he learned that he was to stay behind and carry on as had been doing, Ian was somewhat relieved and a little disappointed.
On one hand, he wasn't all too pleased on being stuck behind a desk and minding a bunch of novice magic casters. On the one hand, he was happy to avoid the possibility of dying at the hands of Gazef Stronoff. Another reason that he was glad to be left behind was that Captain Nigun was the one leading this dangerous mission.
The silver haired priest respected the man's strength and his cunning, but not much else. Out of all the eager members of the Sunlight Scripture carrying out this secretive operation, Nigun was the most eager.
Ian remembered the day they left rather clearly. After a private meeting with Cardinal Lauransan in the Cathedral of the Six Great Gods, the blond captain showed up in the barracks where Ian had been packing his belongings for the mission.
The captain of the Sunlight Scripture was standing taller and carried himself with an air of great importance, more so than usual.
"Don't bother packing" the blond captain said with a sneer. He then informed his silver haired subordinate of his duties.
Ian nodded, accepting it without complaint. Before he left the barracks to say goodbye to Zeke, who was part of those assigned to the secret operation, the silver haired priest noted a glint in the Captain's eye. It made his skin crawl.
The middle-aged priest shook his head.
Nigun was a fairly competent leader, though he did tend to go overboard at times. Ian was confident that they'd make it back alive and, mostly, intact. Whether they'll succeed, he didn't know. Something didn't sit right in his gut. The silver haired priest couldn't shake this feeling that something terrible was going to happen to them and that he was lucky to have been left behind.
Ian prayed to the gods for luck, for the Captain and for those under his command. He then offered a small prayer for himself. His own mission was rather peculiar and the more he thought about it, the more the silver haired priest didn't like it.
It had only been a few days since Nigun and the rest of the Sunlight Scripture departed when Cardinal Lauransan called upon the middle-aged priest.
Ian was watching the new priests practice their magic casting in the training yard when the Cardinal's secretary showed up and told him that he was needed. In the Supreme Council's chambers, Cardinal Lauransan waited for him. Though they were almost close in age, the high-ranking cleric was Ian's superior in rank and skill.
The cardinal sat at the great round table where six of the most powerful men in the Theocracy, the Six Cardinals, would often meet. He was studying a heavy and ancient tome when Ian walked in.
Ian was rather surprised by Cardinal Lauransan's request to meet. He'd only met the senior ranked cleric once and it was during the formal ceremony inducting all new priests and mages into their respective orders. It was a rather brief encounter where they shook hands and spoke about sundry things and went their ways.
No, this wasn't a social call. There was something going on. A horrible thought crossed his mind. Did it have something to do with Nigun and the others? Did they fail? Were they all killed in battle? Before he could spend any further time worrying about why the cardinal called him in, Lauransan looked up from his book and noticed Ian entering the spacious council chamber.
The keen eyed cardinal looked just as he did when they first met.
Lauransan, the supreme head of all the Six Scriptures, was almost Ian's age but the way he carried himself said otherwise. Always wearing smile on his face, the cardinal went about his daily duties with a kind of energy that younger men envied and cared passionately about those serving under him. However, beneath his charitable and cherry exterior, Ian knew, as did everyone else in the six Scriptures knew, that Lauransan was not one to be trifled with.
His time in the Black Scripture, one of the most dangerous and powerful groups in the Theocracy, gave him a dangerous and mysterious aura that kept everyone on their toes. Whispers of his exploits in the Black Scripture still float about the barracks, usually meant to scare the fresh recruits and keep them in line. Some would accept them as truth while others laugh them off as fables. But they weren't fables, at least not all of them.
Angering the Cardinal of Earth can be detrimental to a man's health and underestimating him is a quick way to the grave.
The senior ranked cleric welcomed Ian with a friendly smile and closed the book he was reading. The cardinal rose and shook the lower ranked priest's hand, inquiring after the new trainees. After a brief update on the progress of the recruits, Lauransan got down to business.
He had received word from one of the fortresses on the northwestern border. Apparently one of their patrols spotted a peculiar structure near one of the more distant villages, a structure that they were certain wasn't there before. The fort's dispatched a contingent of men to investigate. When they failed to report in, the garrison commander and a group of handpicked men, comprised of some of their best, went to investigate the structure and the disappeared men, but none have returned as of late.
The second in command at the fort would've also gone, but he felt compelled to stay and await further orders.
Ian felt the hairs on his neck stand, immediately knowing where this was going but kept silent.
It was then that he received his mission. The silver haired priest was to lead the few remaining members of the Sunlight Scripture they had to the northwest border. They were to join up with the garrison's second in command, Einon Zekan and his knights and investigate this strange structure, which appears to be sitting just within their borders near a village called Frith.
The reasoning for this was that this structure could be the work of demi-humans from the Abelion Hills. Obviously, the Theocracy cannot let this thing abide.
Ian understood and accepted his mission, feeling glad for a change of scene.
However, it didn't take long for his mood to turn sour and his nerves to worsen as he neared his destination.
The Abelion Hills was a vast stretch of wild untamed forests and hills, ranging from the Theocracy's northwestern border, all the way to the Roble Holy Kingdom to the west and up to the mountains that protects the Re-Estize Kingdom's southern border. It is a lawless and uncivilized place, populated by violent and dangerous demi-human tribes. The Slane Theocracy always had a strict anti demi-human policy, though in regards to the untamed region to the northwest, they were content to leave them be.
In the past, the Theocracy had attempted to bring order to the chaotic the region. Not only was it prudent to quash a potentially dangerous neighbor but also recapturing the dominion once belonging to the hill dwarves could yield untold benefits.
Unfortunately, the demi-humans proved to be far more tenacious and ferocious than anticipated. Each attempt at conquest and purging of the demi-humans failed miserably. Their efforts did little more than thin out the population by a small margin, which was quickly replenished in time.
The adventurer guilds of Re-Estize tried their hand at clearing the area. Unfortunately, they had an even worse time than the Theocracy did. Both the adventurer guilds and the Theocracy had long since given up on the wilds and any hopes of reclaiming the fallen kingdom of the hill dwarves. Since then, Abelion Hills has been nothing more than a bloody and lawless frontier where numerous demi-human tribes vie for control, over the region and their rivals.
Occasionally, the Cardinals would send a force in to the wilds to gather information and strike down any possible threats to the country that may have cropped up.
The Roble Holy Kingdom erected a mighty border wall, which has kept the demi-humans out, though Ian doubted that would last long.
The demi-humans, particularly the beastmen tribes, were ferocious and bloodthirsty, perhaps even more so than the elves. If they ever happen to unite and focus their unbridled fury on a single target, like the Theocracy, then the Six Scriptures and the military would be hard pressed to repel such a dangerous enemy. Fortunately, the demi-humans were busy warring against each other for dominance.
There were occasions where a beastman tribe would attempt to breach the Theocracy's borders or assail the Holy Kingdom's wall. Each attempt was thrown back, but not without some difficulty. The demi-humans were also clever and resilient.
Ian could count on one hand the number of times demi-human raiders slipping past their patrols and border guards, in order to raid the outlying villages sitting close to the edge of the Theocracy's territory.
The Theocracy would quickly rectify this mistake and rescue those taken by the beastly raiders. Despite assurances and constant boasts of the military might of employed by their country, there was still a constant foreboding sense of danger hanging over the region.
Ian shivered. Even though he grew up in the heartland, the silver haired priest remembered having nightmares when he was a boy. Those nightmares usually involved a band of demi-human raiders slipping past the supposed vigilant border guards and stealthily murdering his family and snatching him from his bed. Those nightmare scenarios varied from time to time. They would drag him off into the night, toward the Abelion Hills, and fed him to their ravenous young or forced him to watch as they butchered and cooked his family.
As he grew up, the nightmares eventually went away, but that sense of fear and dread remained.
To those who live in the heartland or in major cities like the capital, it may seem like madness to live so close to the border. Aside from personal reasons, there were some practical reasons for these villages. These far flung villages act as waypoints for troops and officials, while also providing food and other means of support for the garrisons along the border.
Shortly after meeting with Lauransan, Ian packed his things and assembled the few remaining Sunlight Scripture mages in the capital and rode to the designated fort near the border and linked up with Einon.
From there, the combined force rode westward and toward the most isolated village in the Theocracy.
In order to prevent being caught unawares and monitor the surrounding area for any possible demi-human movement or traps.
Ian and had some of the mages in the company use [Scry]. This potent spell allowed the caster to view the surrounding terrain stretching out a few miles.
It was nowhere near as powerful as [Planer Eye], which would've required more time and men than he had.
Although it was nowhere near as powerful, it was very useful for scouting and reconnaissance. As they journeyed and made a brief pause to rest and water their horses, Ian's Sunlight Scripture subordinates reported nothing strange or out of the ordinary, nothing but peaceful fields and quiet forests.
Everything was as it should be, at least until they drew nearer to their destination.
The priest in charge of maintaining the observation spell reported interference. He described it as a dense and murky fog. When he tried to force his way through this fog, the man ended up screaming and clutching his head until he passed out. When his hood was removed, the healers discovered that the man's nose was bleeding.
Fortunately, the man woke up with nothing more than a minor headache. When asked about what happened, the man merely shrugged and stated that when he tried forcing his spell through the interference, he felt a freezing presence that effortlessly drove him back. That worried the men a little.
Ian then sent some scouts ahead to do some reconnaissance. The men sent ahead were a pair of experienced rangers, they knew the terrain well and were good at keeping to the shadows.
The rescue force waited a day or so but neither of the rangers returned. Worry and unease began to creep into each member of the mission but Ian managed to calm their fears and urge them onward.
Unfortunately, as they journeyed through the forest, the silver haired priest was beginning to have doubts.
Ian blinked and looked up, the edge of the forest neared. His stomach was in knots.
The silver haired priest had been in battle before, against elves and demi-humans. He hated it and wasn't overly eager to return to battle. However, every man must do their duty to protect their family, their home and their country. That is why he joined the military and eventually joined the Sunlight Scripture.
"Alright men!" Ian barked, glancing over his shoulder. The column of mounted knights and mages stiffened and became more alert.
"We've reached our destination," he continued, his voice echoed through the silent forest "I don't know exactly what we'll find but be alert and be ready for anything."
The knights and mages nodded in silent acknowledgement.
Einon nodded as well, the young knight kept a hand close to his sword. Ian took a deep breath and led his men onward, out of the forest and into the fading orange light of dusk.
Although he said to be ready for anything, Ian wasn't ready for the sight that awaited them.
Beyond the trees was a slope that led down to the little fortified village a short distance away.
However, after emerging from the forest, the silver haired priest brought his horse to sudden halt. Einon and the rest of the men came to a stop as well. They all sat there at the top of the hill, gaping at their intended target.
According to the map, before them should be rolling green hills, some tilled fields and a walled village of barely over a hundred people, along with a small garrison of soldiers. The village and the verdant hills and fields were there, though the map failed to account for the massive new castle that loomed in the distance.
Gleaming like a polished gemstone in the faint light of the fading sun, the immense structure looked a mountain compared to the rough and tumbled little village. Massive walls of smooth glossy green stone stood tall and proud, roughly a hundred feet high by Ian's own estimate but he felt that his estimate was woefully inaccurate. Beyond the mighty walls, the silver haired priest could see scattered golden domed roofs and spires, poking up just barely, like dandelions in spring.
Behind them stood more walls and buildings, which gave the castle's overall appearance of a multi-tiered wedding cake. All of these walls and structures culminated at an immense keep. The keep was a monolithic cube of glossy emerald. Standing beside it, connected by a bridge, was a colossal tower, also composed of shimmering emerald. This enormous structure reached high into the sky, like an ancient moss-covered lance.
It was so tall that the silver haired priest almost fell backward off his horse from trying to see the top of the tower.
A quartet of towers stood around the keep and central tower, positioned at the keep's four corners. In comparison to the central tower, the other four were smaller and thinner and didn't force the priest to strain to look at them. A dozen other smaller towers were scattered about the layout of the castle. All together, they looked like green skeletal fingers, clutching a large jewel, stretching out toward the heavens, as if in a show of its grandeur and power.
Ian rubbed his eyes to ensure that he wasn't hallucinating or sleeping. The castle was still there. The most astonishing feature of the castle, however, was its size. Its overall size was immense. Ian could tell that it was a fair distance away, though he was having trouble grasping the idea of it being possibly far bigger up close. The walls and buildings stretched on for several miles in either direction on the horizon, making it an arduous task to circumnavigate.
It was as if someone dropped a heavily fortified city in the middle of the vast wilderness close to the border, right next to the only village for miles. The structure could easily house thousands of troops and civilians and still have plenty of space leftover.
Atop the wall's battlements and the assorted smaller towers were shimmering banners of emerald and gold, flapping gently in the breeze.
Ian's gaze turned to the village and saw that it was, to his surprise, perfectly fine. Thin columns of pale smoke rose from chimneys and the soft orange light of lanterns and candles sputtered to life in various windows. On the soft cool wind, the priest could hear faint traces of voices. Something about this didn't sit right with the middle-aged priest. First the patrols vanished and then his rangers going missing.
There was an eerie pattern to this, like someone was depriving him of his forces and information. Were they all captured or were they dead? Then there was the interference with the scrying spell.
That unsettled him greatly.
Someone or something with a lot of magic knew they were coming and he didn't like that. A part of Ian told him to push on and investigate and get some answers. Though, another part of him, a frantic and somewhat logical part of him, suggested a safe and hasty retreat. But that would mean trekking back through miles of wilderness in the dark.
If there was a malevolent force out there, it could easily pick them off in the night. Ian stared at the way ahead of him. The castle wasn't there before, that was a fact. Yet, there were no indications of any recent or hasty construction. It was as if it just popped into existence over night.
Never in the history of the Theocracy was there ever a structure as imposing or as grand as the emerald castle.
Even the Cathedral of the Six Great Gods and the Palace of the Pontifex Maximus, two of the greatest pieces of architecture in the entire country, symbols representing the ingenuity and might of mankind, paled in comparison to the castle's majesty.
The beastmen and other demi-human tribes of the Abelion Hills were no craftsmen. They lived a primitive and brutal lifestyle. The overwhelming majority of beastmen living in the region roamed like starving predators, butchering those who got in their way, taking what they wanted and enslaving the broken survivors of their attacks.
There were a few tribes were known to keep sheep and cattle and foraged for their food. However, never in recorded history or living memory did the Theocracy ever hear of any beastman tribe creating a structure, especially one as grand and complex as this one.
It was possible that it might be the work of some other type of demi-humans, but still, it seemed very unlikely that they built something this big so quickly and left the village alone.
After a few moments of staring at the gargantuan castle in silent awe, Ian turned to his knights and priests. Awe and wonder written plainly on their faces. He looked back toward the village and the castle.
Silently, he weighed his options. He could report back to Cardinal Lauransan but Ian knew full well that he would receive a good scolding for completing only half of his mission's objectives, as well as failing to take advantage of a rare opportunity to learn something new. Ian could see that this structure was an immense castle, but he has yet to confirm the whereabouts of the captain of the fort garrison and the missing patrol.
Curiosity, and fear of drawing Lauransan's ire, gradually won over his apprehension of the unknown.
The priest tightened his grip on his reins. There was a good chance that none of them were going to make it back alive. But that's part of the job, whether he liked it or not.
Better get this over with then, Ian thought grimly.
The silver haired priest devised a strategy and issued his orders to his knights and priests. Once they understood their orders, the assembled riders dispersed, galloping away from Ian and Einon.
Once they were gone, Ian urged his horse onward. The priest and the young knight made their way down the hill and toward the village.
The sky was now a dark purple, the last dregs of sunlight gradually faded away into night. As they neared the village, Ian could hear music and laughter. The silver haired priest frowned to himself.
A party? He thought. What would there be to celebrate? Was it a trap of sorts?
The gates were wide open and no sentry seemed to be posted in the guard tower. If this was a trap, the only way to know was to spring it. The priest reined in his horse and waited for a moment.
Earlier Ian had ordered his men to encircle the village and approach, cautiously. Once they were close, they were to hold position and keep watch for anything suspicious. The silver haired priest and Einon were going to go in and investigate alone. He told them the signal that would indicate that things were fine. If something were to go wrong, Ian will give a different signal. If he didn't give some sort of sign within a set amount of time the men were to destroy the village, no questions asked, and return to the fort.
Glancing at the twilight sky, Ian figured that the men should be in position by now. The growing dark should provide them with sufficient cover.
After a moment of waiting, Ian pressed on, Einon followed closely.
The front gates were left swinging wide open, practically inviting them in. The silver haired priest and the young knight entered without trouble or hesitation.
Inside, Ian and Einon found no beastman or demi-human warrior waiting for them, only houses with darkened windows and a warm glow a short distance ahead. The two pressed onward. Scanning the buildings around them, Ian noticed that none of the houses looked damaged or disturbed, showing no sign of battle or invasion. Demi-human raids often left obvious signs of violence and destruction and yet, Ian saw none of the damage he became accustomed to finding. His sense of unease increased.
Where were the soldiers? The villagers? He had a feeling that he'll be finding out soon enough as the two approached the glow coming from the village center.
In moments the two emerged from the shadows and into a crowded square.
The First Division Commander half-expected to find a gruesome bonfire, fueled by mutilated bodies and torn limbs, tended by a bunch of demi-humans cooking their dinner and waiting for them. However, he was astonished to see that the villagers were, in fact, alive.
Men, women and children of varying age, all gathered together in what appeared to be a celebration of sorts. A long wooden table was set up on one side, close to what looked to be an inn, covered with plates and trays of steaming hot food and casks of ale.
Scattered about the village square were hanging lanterns and candles providing little islands of light where people conversed, dined and drank at round, smaller tables.
In the center of the square was a moderate sized fire, fueled by a mound of logs and not bones as Ian had imagined. Around the flickering flames, villagers and soldiers danced and played as if nothing else in the world mattered, all spurred on by the trio of musicians playing in one corner of the square. Though he was relieved to see that the villagers appeared to be alive and well, the silver haired priest was still worried.
What were they celebrating and what about that gargantuan new castle sitting nearby? Through the dancing fire light and above the humble houses, Ian could see the gigantic towers looming in the distance like an insidious mountain against the darkening twilight.
The cheerful, and seemingly oblivious, villagers continued their revelries, not acknowledging the towers or the new arrivals.
The people appeared to be happy and carefree, yet there was something about this situation that didn't sit right.
Something's wrong thought Ian. A cold chill ran up his spine as he felt an odd, yet familiar, sensation sweep over him. It felt as though something cold and malevolent was watching him. No, watching wasn't the right word. Studying. Yes, that was the right word.
Numerous times in his life the silver haired priest had felt like he was being watched but that was different. This sort of sensation he felt only once. It was during his first mission as a member of the Sunlight Scripture, during a raid against a band of demi-human raiders. He could feel their hungry, hateful eyes on him, studying him and planning what part of him they wanted to devour.
That was one of the most unsettling sensations he had felt in his life. That is until now.
Now, that past experience seemed like a distant dream in comparison to the sensation he was feeling now.
Ian quickly scanned the crowded square, trying to locate the source of this sensation when his thoughts were disrupted by a familiar voice.
"Captain?" Einon spoke up.
The silver haired priest blinked, forgetting the unsettled feeling, and looked toward the young knight, whose gaze was fixed on a figure at the edge of the crowded square, opposite of them, seemingly engaged in conversation with two men. Ian leaned forward and he spied a grizzled man with greying black hair wearing pieces of polished steel armor and a cloak bearing the sigil of the Theocracy.
The man sat at a round table on the other side of the square, sitting across from him were a pair of men in visible worn and tattered cloaks.
Ian blinked. Those were his missing rangers.
Einon called out to the man.
"Captain Nerkun!" the young knight shouted, fighting to be heard over the cacophony of laughter and song. "Captain Nerkun!"
One of the rangers, a shaggy blond man with a thick beard, paused and looked in their direction. The ranger grinned broadly and waved at them. He nudged his comrade and said something to the grizzled captain. The other ranger and Captain Nerkun looked their way and a look of mild surprise entered the greying officer's craggy face.
The silver haired priest and the young knight dismounted and hitched their horses to a nearby post. When they entered the square, a feeling came over Ian. The air seemed to grow warm and tingly for just a brief moment before subsiding. Almost instantly, the assorted villagers lurking on the fringes, eating and drinking at tables, now seemed to acknowledge and notice their presence.
The silver haired priest suddenly felt like he was an intruding on a private affair, even though a moment ago he thought he was walking into a trap.
Carefully, Ian and Einon circumnavigated the heart of the festivities, avoiding the dancers and weaving their way through the spectators and tables.
Reaching the greying captain and the two rangers, Ian noticed that the captain looked worse for wear. Mud and dark blotches of what looked like dried blood sullied his blue and silver cloak. His armor was scuffed and scratched and the fort commander's left arm was resting in a makeshift sling, partially shielded from sight by his cloak. Despite looking like he marched through a thousand miles of mud and fought a battle on the other side of that journey, the once missing commander was alive and well.
"Lieutenant Einon?" Captain Nerkun said, somewhat surprised "I see that you finally made it. Thought you'd get here sooner."
"Y-yes, captain, sorry." the young knight informed the older man, sounding relieved and a little confused "W-we thought…the beastmen and…we thought the worst had happened."
The greying fort commander nodded slowly "Understandable. Still, I'm glad that you made it."
"Commander Heim, sir!" the ranger who first noticed them piped up. Edgar was the man's name, Ian remembered.
His companion and colleague was a pale, raven haired man named Wolfe. He seldom spoke but when he did, most people would listen to what he had to say. The two were skillful rangers, good at tracking, hiding and living off the land. The blond shaggy man reeked of ale and was covered in grime and dirt. His noticeably cleaner companion nursed a wooden cup, still full of ale, dark eyes scanning the jubilant crowd around them. Despite the filth and stench, Edgar was grinning ear to ear, his cheeks looking a little rosy.
"Come, sit down and relax! I'll-I'll order us another round." He barked at a nearby serving woman in an apron for more ale and she scurried off to fulfill his order.
Ian frowned at the rangers. "What happened to the two of you?" he asked, annoyed and relieved. "Why didn't you report back?"
Edgar and Wolfe both went still for a moment. The dark haired ranger remained quiet, his eyes going to the cup in his hands, and Edgar began to chuckle nervously.
"You see captain," he chuckled. "We would've returned, and we tried, but…uh…she was very insistent that we should accompany her back to the village."
Ian scowled "Who was very insistent?"
"I was" declared a soft and silky voice.
The silver haired priest turned and felt his breath get caught in his throat. Standing there was a strikingly beautiful woman. The top of her head barely reached his chin. She had long snowy white hair cascading down to her shoulders like a glossy avalanche. Sky-blue eyes stared into his and a warm smile adorned the stranger's flawless features. The woman wore a plain brown rough spun dress and an apron. Though her attire made her appear to be an ordinary villager, her beauty and bearing easily could've made people mistake her for royalty. The woman's ruby lips spread into a smile that made Ian's heart skip a beat.
"I'm sorry for causing you to worry about your men," the woman apologized "but I absolutely needed their help throwing this celebration together. There was plenty of rubble and corpses to clean, homes to rebuild and whatnot after those monsters attacked us."
Ian blinked. Something in his gut told him that something in her explanation wasn't entirely truthful but a haze of warm and pleasant thoughts regarding the woman and her beauty quickly smothered those suspicions before it could fully develop.
The silver haired priest struggled to speak for a moment until he managed to ask in a somewhat shaky voice.
"C-couldn't you have at least sent one of them back and alerted us?" he asked, "P-perhaps then my men and I could've arrived much sooner to help, especially if there were beastmen about."
The woman looked at him, considering his words and him, for a moment then her smile broadened. A gentle, good-humored laugh escaped her lips.
"I suppose," the woman replied "but then again, this was supposed to be a surprise, just like he wanted."
Ian stared at her, jealousy and despair flared up within him for a brief moment but quickly dissipated. The priest paused a moment and wondered where those feelings came from.
"Who is 'he', if I may ask?" Einon chimed in, appearing at Ian's side.
The priest turned his head quickly to the young knight. He had almost forgotten that he was there. The fog in his mind cleared a little.
"Oh, I am talking about my lord" the woman answered at once. A dreamy expression adorned her pristine face. "My wonderful master, the greatest magician the world has ever known. He is known by many titles: the Emerald Archmage, the Grand Magician and the Wonderful Wizard. He is one who vanquished countless horrible monsters and humbled the mightiest of warriors. He is one who has delved into the darkest reaches and discovered the secrets of magic. He is the supreme master of magic!"
Ian's eyebrow rose, somewhat intrigued.
"Really?" Einon asked, skepticism apparent in his voice.
The woman nodded "He's the lord of that castle" she gestured to the gigantic structure behind them "He brought it with him when he came to this land."
Einon looked at the castle, then to the woman, flabbergasted.
Ian crossed his arms. Being a member of the Sunlight Scripture, the silver haired priest's job had taken him to many far off places, allowed him to see numerous things and met all sorts of people. He's heard of many great warriors and mages. Most of them were just talk, usually people with big mouths that would boast of their strength when they had a little too much to drink or got too cocky. But there were a few who he knew of that were the genuine article.
For instance, the Baharuth Empire had that old magic caster, Fluder Paradyne. The old man was powerful and knowledgeable on the topic of magic, so much so that very few can be currently considered his equal.
Ian never met the man but he's heard stories and knew that even the best of the Theocracy, including the Six Cardinals, held him in high regard.
If they respected him, then its safe to say that the Imperial Court wizard was the real deal.
Thinking of Paradyne, Ian considered the woman's words. Could this be another empty boast from some petty magic user? The man was apparently her lord and probably forced her to say such things. But what if they were not just words? Looking at the immense castle in the distance, Ian pondered the possibility of a wizard with the power to accomplish a feat of that magnitude.
The priest had never heard of anyone performing such a feat before. If this person was truly the real deal, then all the more reason to learn more about him. Perhaps they could even recruit this great magician. If he was as half as great as the woman made him out to be, then this could change everything.
Besides, this could give Ian a chance to spend time and talk a little more with this lovely-
Ian shook his head. The snow haired woman was beautiful but he should be focusing on the mission, though he could feel his thoughts beginning to wander a little.
Coming to his senses and wiping the shocked expression off his face, Einon cleared his throat.
"I don't believe I've heard of him," the young knight said, crossing his arms across his chest.
The woman fixed her gaze onto the doubtful knight, causing the young man cheeks to redden.
"I suppose you wouldn't have," she said, grinning sheepishly. "My master is a very private person and he hails from a strange and distant land that nobody here has heard of either. Me, my sisters and the rest of my master's servants came with him when he departed from the land he previously called home."
As Ian and Einon absorbed the woman's words, the serving woman from before arrived, carrying a tray with five new cups filled to the brim with frothy ale.
After distributing the drinks, the serving woman departed but not before performing a low and polite curtsy to the snow haired woman.
Ian turned back to the fair-haired woman and was about to ask her a question but a young girl rushed up to them and tugged at the woman's skirts.
"Come play with us!" the girl demanded.
The woman smiled "Of course!"
She glanced to Ian and Einon.
"I'm sorry but I have to go" she apologized, "The little ones can be quite insistent. Please, drink and relax. I will return in a little while."
With that, the young girl pulled the woman away, chattering away at a dizzying speed. Before disappearing into the crowd, the woman looked back one last time at Ian and grinned. The silver haired priest was left standing there in a daze for a few moments. His thoughts lingered on the white haired stranger who just appeared and vanished like an apparition.
After what seemed like an eternity, Ian was brought back to earth by a hand clapping him on the back.
"Come on Captain Heim" Edgar urged "Pull up a seat, take a break for a moment."
Ian nodded mutely and pulled up a chair beside Einon and Captain Nerkun. He looked at his drink for a moment, feeling a little thirsty but decided that he'd get to it later.
"So…" Captain Nerkun said, scratching his cheek "What brings a member of the Sunlight Scripture to this part of the world?"
Ian looked at him in surprise.
The greying fort commander waved a hand "Don't look so shocked. I know the Six Scriptures are supposed to be secretive and all but I've dealt with the Sunlight Scripture in the past, as well as the Windflower Scripture. Hell, I even met a member of the Black Scripture back when I was younger and they're supposed to be even more secretive than you guys."
Ian smiled a little, feeling slightly embarrassed, and explained "Cardinal Lauransan and others in the capital were growing rather worried about their men disappearing and the possibility of a beastman incursion. He sent us to rescue you."
The tattered commander snorted. "I find that hard to believe" Nerkun grumbled, "Lauransan was the one who recommended that I should be made me commander of Fort Barnsil in the first place. He probably just sent you to confirm that those demi-humans tore me to pieces. Besides, the cardinals and the High Council are too busy with the war in the south and their little games."
Ian winced. Assignments to the Abelion border were considered a punishment, sometimes even a death sentence. Some fresh recruits were sent their way, ones who were rather eager to serve the Theocracy and kill demi-humans. However, the majority of the garrisons in the forts lining the border were usually included more experienced soldiers and those who had disgraced themselves or some other thing to earn the offender a black mark on their record.
While the security of the northwest border was critical, the Theocracy's primary concerns lay more in the south with their war with the Elf Kingdom.
Few in the heartland were ever actually concerned with what went on in this part of the Theocracy.
Most in the upper echelons were too busy with their little hidden schemes related their grand vision of shepherding mankind into a glorious future. Not much could draw the attention of the higher ups to the more distant regions, unless it was a full on invasion, a regional governor kicking up a big enough fuss or peculiar events.
In this case, it was the latter.
"Regardless, I appreciate you lads coming out this way to lend a hand" Nerkun said "Shame, could've used you a day or so ago." He took a sip of his drink.
"What happened out here?" Einon asked, his eyes scanning the tables around them "Why didn't you report back and what happened to the men you took with you and the lost patrol?"
"The men I brought with me are here…somewhere. I think some of them were taking part in the dance over there. The men who we came looking for…" Captain Nerkun's expression sobered. "Well, that's quite a tale." He went silent for a long moment.
The music came to an end and a smattering of applause filled the air. People moved around them, searching for new partners or joining or leaving the dance. As the band began a new song, a slow and melodic tune, the fort commander began his tale.
"I'm sure you know that we came out here in search of a patrol that went missing" Nerkun began.
Ian and Einon nodded.
"Well, we found them alright…or what was left of them." He paused, took another swig of ale from his cup then continued. "Apparently there was an attack by some demi-humans, nasty ones, beastmen by the looks of them. It was northeast of here, a little closer to the border. The bastards must've slipped through under the cover of darkness, avoided the patrol from Fort Stonewell. Anyway, those men were on their way here to investigate…" he gestured behind him, toward the castle. "They just barely managed to escape but not without suffering some injury and losing a few of their men. The survivors managed to reach the village and found aid. The beastmen followed but, according to the village elders and from Farson, the leader of the patrol, those monstrous bastards took one look at the…castle…" he uttered the word slowly and softly almost as if he didn't want to be heard "And they ran away."
Einon's eyes widened and Ian remained silent. It was rather strange that the beastmen would runaway when there was a lonesome little village just sitting there, ripe for the taking. However, if it was the castle that scared them off, the silver haired priest didn't blame them. The thing was intimidating and probably housed all sorts of unknown danger.
Captain Nerkun took another sip of his ale and wiped the foam from his lips. "After we didn't hear back from the patrol, I decided to search for them, of course."
"Of course" Edgar belched.
"Well we arrived in Frith with no trouble at all. Farson and the remainder of the patrol told me what happened and after a brief search of the woods, there were no beastmen to be found. So, we decided to continue with the original mission of investigating the castle."
"And?" Ian asked.
Nerkun shrugged "Nothing. The gates were locked up tight and the walls were too high to scale. The castle had three other gates but none were as responsive as the first. Apparently it was always like that, since it appeared in the dead of night almost a week ago. The villagers had tried to communicate with whoever might be in it but received no response. One of the children did leave a little gift at the front gate, some fruit or a vegetable or some damn thing. The next morning it was gone. When we heard that, we knew that someone or something was in there. We considered forcing our way in, but that would've been foolish. I didn't know how to proceed."
Nerkun sighed, "Eventually we returned to the village. We were going to return to the fort with Farson and the wounded. I was planning on drafting up a report and maybe ask Cardinal Lauransan for help or General Malvis for advice. However, late that night, wild and ferocious creatures attacked the village. Like a tide of fur and claws, they came clambering over the walls and very nearly slaughtered us all, had it not been for Lady Galinda and the Green Knight."
Einon frowned "Who?"
"T-that lovely vision you were speaking to earlier" Edgar cut in. His speech had begun to slur a little.
Nerkun nodded "That's her. She showed up, in the middle of the battle and decimated a good number of those creatures with some sort of lightning spell."
"What spell was it?" Ian asked, curious.
The fort commander shrugged "Don't know, but from what I saw that spell was probably a fourth tier spell, maybe even higher."
The priest's eyes widened considerably. Fourth tier? Only very disciplined and skilled magic casters could reach Third tier and only some could reach Fourth. The Theocracy had mages who could perform such spells and have such power but to reach that level and go possibly beyond was incredibly rare. For someone to cast such spells and devastate a large number of enemies with ease, it would've been a truly remarkable sight.
"What happened next?" Einon asked, excitement creeping into his voice.
"The Green Knight tore through those beasts like they were nothing" Nerkun continued, his voice soft and carried a hint of awe. His expression grew distant, as if he was suddenly lost in thought. The band's song came to an end once more; again it was accompanied by scattered applause.
The greying fort commander blinked, seemingly breaking free from his memories, and drained the last of his ale from his cup. "Come morning, we survived and those…things didn't. I broke my arm during the battle. Thought I was done for. The whole lot of us thought we were done for, but Galinda and that knight saved us."
Nerkun sighed heavily "The days following was just cleaning up, tending to the wounded and repairing the damages inflicted in the battle."
"Really?" Ian questioned, "I didn't actually notice any damage or signs of repair. Were you a master carpenter or something before you became a soldier?"
Nerkun smiled "Son of a shopkeeper, actually. We did have a lot of help from Lady Galinda and her…lord."
"You met him?" Einon inquired, leaning forward.
The fort commander shook his head. "Only Galinda, that knight and those peculiar workmen. This lord of hers must truly be powerful if he could employ a woman like her and earn such lofty praise."
Ian nodded. Powerful indeed the silver priest thought, casting a curious, and somewhat envious, gaze at the castle, as twilight finally became night.
The sky was now pitch black and the glittering stars were joined by a luminous full moon that bathed the landscape in pale light.
The castle drank in the light and seemed to shimmer and glow. Ian gave the signal indicating that everything in the village was safe and soon the rest of his men entered the village. The villagers were surprised by the sight but welcomed them with open arms.
The knights and mages graciously accepted some of the food and drink the villagers offered them and relaxed from the long and tense day. Another serving woman arrived, bearing more drinks on a wooden tray.
After a few rounds, Edgar stumbled off and drunkenly danced with the villagers. Wolfe later helped him stagger out of the square before he further embarrassed himself, but not after he accusing a leg of roasted lamb of mocking him. Einon had found the wounded men from the patrol and the remainders of those who traveled with Nerkun. The young knight was overjoyed to see his comrades alive, one of whom was a childhood friend.
Ian sat and drank with Nerkun. The ale was warm and sweet. The rich amber liquid seemed to wash away the pain and tension in the priest's body. Time seemed to melt away and everything grew fuzzier, lighter. Ian set aside his empty cup and reclined in his chair.
"Y-you know" Nerkun mumbled, resting his chin in the palm of his hand, propping up his head above the table. His eyes grew heavy and his speech was slurred.
"Hm?" Ian looked at his colleague.
"I-it was a good thing that Galinda and-and that knight showed up when they did" the fort commander said, looking at him with tired and unfocused eyes "T-those…those beasts…unlike anything I have ever seen."
The priest tilted his head, looking confused.
"In all my years, I have never seen such horrible, hideous creatures. They-they looked deformed…barely resembled any beastman I knew of…the-the faces and the screaming," he hiccuped and went silent. He looked about him for a moment, as if looking for something then looked at Ian "I forgot where I was going with that. Oh well!"
Ian snorted. "I think you had one too many."
"Aye, I thi-think so."
The priest chuckled and looked up to admire the beauty of the night sky but paused when something caught his eye. For a brief moment, he thought he saw a shape moving in the dark sky above but it was rather sudden. One moment it was there, the next it was gone.
Probably just an owl or something Ian figured. He closed his eyes and slowly drifted off to sleep.
Though he saw nothing in his dream, Ian could still hear the music and sounds of the party echoing through his ears.
The priest was content to floating in darkness, listening to the sounds of life, wrapped in the warmth provided by the ale and the knowledge that Captain Nerkun and his men were safe and alive. Unfortunately, this pleasant sleep didn't last.
Almost instantly, Ian was overcome by an icy cold feeling. It was as if someone had dropped him into a lake in the middle of winter, which seemed to sap away all the feeling of warmth and security that previously enveloped him.
This sensation was similar to what he felt when he first arrived, only it was even worse than that one. The difference between the two feelings was as noticeable as comparing a burning twig to a forest fire. The cold and malevolence seeped through his clothes, his skin, all the way down to his bones and his soul.
The priest felt a sudden, sharp pain in his head. He winced and grabbed at his head. The pain wormed its way around in his skull, almost as if something was rooting around in his brain. As suddenly as it started, the pain ended.
In the midst of the encroaching coldness and darkness, Ian felt as if someone, or something, incredibly evil was close by…watching him.
Something within him told him to run away but the ale dulled his mind and the rest of his senses.
Through the murky haze of ale and the cold darkness, Ian found himself in a spacious and dimly lit chamber. Everything was out of focus and blurry, making it difficult to make out any telling details. The only thing he could firmly establish was that this chamber was spacious and occupied. There was only one thing he could see clearly in this strange chamber.
In one corner, a short distance away from him, to his left, Ian saw pair of luminous emerald eyes, staring directly right at him.
Before he could truly consider what could be the cause of this sensation or who these eye could belong to, something grabbed him.
The priest's eyes flew open and he sat upright. Ian looked around hastily and saw that he was still in his chair, at the table, in the village square.
Captain Nerkun was still in his seat, though he was fast asleep, his head resting in his hand.
"Sorry" apologized a familiar voice.
Ian looked up and saw the woman with snow-white hair, Galinda, standing there. She currently had her hair done up in a braid and wore a meek smile.
"Did I startle you?" she asked "I didn't mean to."
"N-no" Ian stammered, rubbing his bleary eyes "I…I was just waking up…" He took a moment to get reacquainted with his surroundings and allow the haze of sleep and ale to clear. Ian knew that he was still at the village of Frith with Captain Nerkun. However, he quickly discovered that the square was fairly empty.
The air was now devoid of music and laughter. A lot of the tables had been removed and the crowd was long gone, save for a few men and women cleaning up and helping those who had too much to drink head back to their houses.
"Must've dozed off," Ian grinned sheepishly "That's never happened before."
"You've had a long day," the pale woman reasoned "All that traveling and worrying about your comrades. Its understandable."
When he inquired about his men and accommodations, she gestured towards the front gates of the village.
"Since there's no spare room in the village, your men had set up camp just beyond the wall" Galinda informed him gently. "My lord has told me to inform you that you need not worry about the bestmen or any demi-humans this night. He has set up powerful wards and barriers to keep out any intruders. He has also ordered his servants to stand guard this night."
Ian blinked in surprise. That was an awfully generous gesture. Although demi-human and beastmen raids were rare, those living close to the border, or on it, often worried when night fell. Night was the perfect time for a roving band of monsters, perfect to hide and kill as they pleased. Even those briefly visiting the area, officials and non-combative clerics, always kept watches at night.
Vigilance was key to survival.
When Ian tried to decline the offer, Galinda insisted.
"My lord has made it very clear" she said firmly and kindly, "We will watch over you and the village this night. Please, get some rest, while you can."
With that she departed, carrying away two handfuls of empty wooden cups.
Ian didn't know what to say. He wanted to argue and maybe talk with her a little more but he was feeling exhausted.
The silver haired priest woke Captain Nerkun up. With the captain's arm around his shoulders, Ian helped the drunken fort commander back through the village and out the front gates. On their way out, Ian thought back to that cold and eerie sensation he felt. The more he thought about it, the more it unsettled him. He had been in some dangerous situations before and felt a chilling sensation akin to what he just felt. Only this one felt more immediate and more dangerous than anything he had ever felt.
Then there were those eyes. The thought of them made Ian's hair stand on end.
Thinking about what might have been the source of those feelings and images, a single thought randomly popped into his mind that made him stop in his tracks.
Ian considered it for a moment but shook his head. There was no way that Galinda was the source of that creepy evil feeling he felt.
The priest scoffed at the thought and yet…something in the back of his mind continued to nag at him.
He shrugged and trudged on through the gates with Captain Nerkun. He'll worry about it later.
Perhaps the priest could've puzzled out what caused him to feel so unsettled, had he the time and drive to do so.
Unfortunately, those thoughts would quickly be forgotten and his focus would be redirected elsewhere.
As fate would have it, at dusk that very next day, at a small village called Carne far away from where Ian and his men slept peacefully, the arrogant Captain Nigun Grid Luin and the majority of the Sunlight Scripture met their doom.
Their doom was brought about by the hands of another peculiar mage, a mage who will soon garner quite an infamous reputation around his new name, a reputation that would inspire fear and awe among all who heard it: Ainz Ooal Gown.
(A/N: what do you think? A little trivia: Ian Als Heim is a character from the Overlord mobile game, which was only released in Japan. He was briefly mentioned in the wiki about the Sunlight Scripture. Anyway, please let me know what you think of the story so far.)