BOOK TWO: RALLYING THE INLANDS

Part Four: Conflict in the Caves

Chapter 21: New Orders

The ocean stretched ever onward, as rich in wonder and life as the Inlands themselves.

Esme, leaning against the rail of Jade Squad's troop carrier, took a deep breath of the salty air and flicked her hand again. A spike of water rose, quavered, then fell at her command, reaching no more than a block high.

"Well, I THINK I'm getting better at it…"

She and the rest of the infiltration team were still at sea, headed south along the shore after their narrow escape from Luxmouth. Her agents had suffered no losses or crippling injuries- a wonderful outcome, marred by the distinct knowledge that she was the only such case. Lime, Crimson, and Ruby Squads had all been wiped out save for one member apiece, and Marshal Orion was dead.

And there she was, casually experimenting with the dark Water Core which had been recovered from her dead superior barely 24 hours prior. It wasn't out of boredom that she swept the water back and forth as the carrier trundled along, or even of a need to know how to use it in case of another emergency. No, Esme only idled with her newfound ability because not distracting herself would allow the grim reality to sink in: over thirty Usurpers, thirty colleagues, had gotten killed in the last three weeks for the sake of obtaining two Genesis Cores.

"How do you feel?"

Ray joined her at the railing, staring into the eastern horizon as the sun set behind them. He'd removed both his hood and mask to reveal dark bags under his hazel eyes.

"…in tune with the ocean," she said. "Like I can feel how it moves, and how the current dances."

"Are you sure that's not just the waves? I think I can feel that too."

"You know what I mean, Ray," she said with a frown. He just laughed and shook his head.

"Yeah, I get it. It's hard to describe, the sensation I get from the Grass Core. Especially when I first got it; being in the plains is almost surreal with how free I am. The potential all around me, just waiting to be tapped into… is that the same for you?"

Esme thought about it, making another splash and watching the rings fan out across the surface. "I think so. It's a little overwhelming…"

"Just give it some more time, you'll get used to it."

"Maybe not," she replied. "I'll probably have to return the Core when we make it to safety. I wasn't assigned to wield one like Marshal-"

Esme fell silent, the recent battle taking center stage in her mind again. Ray looked like he wanted to say something, but just nodded and turned away from the rail, donning his mask.

"Dame Esme, Sir Ray! We should be making landfall at Fornax Outpost within the hour," announced Jade-5, at the helm.

"Thank you, I'm ready to put all this behind us," Ray groaned. "I hope the Overseer's actually there this time, otherwise I'm not sure what our next move would be at that point."

"I'm sure she'll at least have left instructions to her agents. She'd never leave us in the dark, and she certainly wouldn't trust us to bring back two Genesis Cores without support," she told him.

"You're probably right… still, something big must be happening at Incursia if she had to leave her outpost so suddenly. Maybe we'll get to find out what."

The last rays of sunlight were gone by the time they reached their destination: a small beach, hidden at the edge of a thick oak forest south of Luxmouth- in fact, it wasn't very far south at all relatively speaking; even by land one could reach the city in about two days. But the area was remote, and the monsters skulking in the woods gave them sufficient cover from any would-be interlopers.

As their transport drew near, Esme spotted a cluster of people waving them down on the beach. Her brow raised, for she didn't see a single one of them wearing the typical green and gray masks of Industrial Division scouting teams. They didn't even have cloaks, but their gear was unmistakably Usurpation in make. She recognized the dull red of havenite, the same metal which comprised her own armor. Though it wasn't quite as durable as iron, and therefore unfit for weaponry, its lighter weight permitted better mobility in combat. It was also one of the few workable materials to be found in the wastes.

But their armor was different. It looked sleeker, more advanced- the light of the rising moon gleamed off the polished surfaces. Esme wasn't a metalworker, but she figured the havenite they wore had somehow been further refined, and she couldn't deny the results were impressive. These Usurpers wore new models of chestplate, with larger, slanted shoulder pads meant to deflect glancing blows away from the wearers' heads. Their faces were entirely covered by helmets featuring X-shaped, orange-tinted visors, completing the imposing look.

"Who are they, though? Definitely not Overseer Fornax's soldiers…"

The transport came to a stop, and they disembarked to greet the newcomers. It was then that she picked up on a rancid smell: several dozen undead were heaped in the middle of the outpost, reduced to a grotesque pile of body parts. Someone emerged from one of the tents, striding across the camp toward them He wore similar gear to his cohorts, but his armor was adorned in jagged iron barbs and blades. His chestplate sported a distinct emblem: four arms all reaching for a circle, arranged in an X like his visor. It was the symbol of the Usurpation Army, but colored bright red instead of the usual black.

Esme, Ray, and the first few others to step onto the beach froze in their tracks, saluting him. He and his soldiers may have worn unfamiliar armor, but the unique emblem was unmistakable. They stood in the presence of Commandant Red- leader of the Expansion Division, and one of the three heads of the Usurpation.

"You must be the ones Overseer Fornax spoke of. Jade and Lime Squads, I presume?"

"Y-yes, sir," Ray said. "That is… I am all that remains of Lime Squad. Ray, ranked knight."

Whatever expression he had was concealed by the helmet, but Red gave a short nod. "That's right, I heard Marshal Orion lost more than a few members of the joint search party… where is he?"

The rest of Jade Squad had gotten off the transport, accompanied by Ruby-13 and Tara. Her hands were bound with thick bundles of tall grass Ray had provided- hardly the strongest restraints, but the group had to make do with them. Not that it mattered; she hadn't tried to break free or even said a word since awakening a few hours after their escape. The monstrous glow had faded from Tara's eyes, but they hadn't yet lost their inky black color. She was led to the shore, where she refused to look up from the ground at the Commandant's men.

"Hm… is this all of you?"

Esme swallowed. "Yes, sir… unfortunately, Marshal Orion was killed during our mission."

"To retrieve the Bonemeal Twins? What happened?"

She and Ray looked at each other. Esme cleared his throat and spoke first, recounting the events of their infiltration of Luxmouth: the raid, the battle inside the city, and Tara's binding of two Cores and the marshal's demise. When she finished, Commandant Red had his arms folded and was leveling a stare at their fellow knight, clicking his tongue.

"Not good, Dame Tara… not good at all. The Genesis Cores are powerful beyond our comprehension, such that even possessing one pushes our limits. And you tried to use two… out of spite, is that it?"

"I have no excuse," she said, finally lifting her eyes to meet his visor. Esme didn't enjoy watching her squirm like she suspected Ray did, but she held no sympathy whatsoever.

"No, you don't. Perhaps you didn't know the exact consequences, but you at least knew better than to think you could handle that much strength. That's why your own privilege to a Genesis Core is being revoked, effective immediately. Let it be known, these artifacts aren't to be trifled with, especially not for the sake of your ego. Now, let's see… Dame Esme made you out to be the hero of the hour, Sir Ray. Commendations- and perhaps another surprise- are in order when you return to Incursia."

He flinched, looking between her and Red.

"T-thank you, Commandant… but I'm not sure I deserve any rewards, after the loss of Lime Squad. If I hadn't let the Inlanders escape in the first place, the deaths of so many of us could've been avoided."

Red was quiet for the explanation, drumming his fingers against his gauntlet. "I see… then how about a chance to redeem yourself for it? In fact, I think this could be a good experience for everyone."

Esme spotted a few Jade Squad agents glancing at one another.

"I have business south of here, and I stopped in to await your return before continuing on. Some of my troops will bring the retrieved Genesis Cores back to Incursia, for Commandant Green to keep them safe, and if you're so willing the rest of you can accompany me."

"You're offering us the chance to fight alongside you, sir?" Ray asked.

Red looked back at the pile of undead. Many of the iron blades adorning his armor were bloodied. "I doubt we'll be seeing more than average monsters on this particular assignment. Still, I'm curious to see how you perform in the field, given you've had so much experience scouting for Genesis Cores."

Esme wasn't thrilled at the prospect of more combat after what they'd just been through, and she could tell Ray was even less so. Regardless, they both knew better than to pass up on such a valuable opportunity, so she nodded.

"I would be honored… however, may I ask your permission to excuse Jade Squad from this mission?"

Her seven agents perked up and muttered to each other.

"If they so wish," said Red. "They can accompany my soldiers back to Incursia."

Jade-2, her second-in-command, approached and stood at attention. His expression appeared soft behind his mask, but his voice was filled with confidence. "Dame Esme, we're willing to follow you anywhere."

Ray looked at her from the corner of her eye. She couldn't imagine how he might have felt under the surface, still haunted by his losses. What if it happened to her as well? She'd never felt very confident as a leader to begin with.

"I know. We wouldn't have been able to fight off the Inlanders or escape with the Bonemeal Cores without your help… but I wasn't of as much use during the mission as I would've liked. You all deserve a break more than I do, so I want you to go to Incursia with the Cores and report our success. You've earned the breather."

The rest of her agents gathered around, and they all saluted.

"Understood! Thank you, Dame Esme!"

"Make sure you come back safely, please."

"Best of luck. Show the Commandant what you're made of!"

She couldn't hold back a smile at their encouragement.

"I can't let them down… when I next see them, I'll be worthy of leading Jade Squad. I'm going to do my best!"

The farewell was hardly formal, but Red didn't remark on it, just looking at the pile of zombies again until Esme addressed him. "I'll lend any assistance I can. Where are we going?"

He pointed away from the beach, deeper into the mainland.

"Commandant Green detected the presence of a dark Diamond Core southeast of here, and it fell to me to retrieve it. Now, ordinarily I wouldn't personally oversee a search and recovery operation- I'd prefer to be on the front lines, carving through Inlanders. But this one requires a bit more effort to claim- if the people we've conquered have had anything to say about our destination, it can be quite dangerous. There's also been reports of someone called a 'Diamond Knight' laying waste to nearby scouting teams. I doubt we'll be seeing him, but I wouldn't pass up the opportunity to remove him from the picture myself. As for our destination..."

Red made a strange, guttural noise that might have been a laugh.

"It's a mining city, called Tenebyss."

The campfire glowed and flickered, its warmth comforting in the cool evening air.

Felix hadn't gone camping in a few years, but the sound of crackling wood and the scent of fresh smoke brought back pleasant memories. He recalled simpler times, when his sister had first taken him out of Luxmouth to visit other settlements. Whether on business trips or as part of his crafting education, he'd always looked forward to the minor excursions and all that came with them. Sleeping under the stars and seeing the natural beauty of the Overworld in person had been welcome changes of pace from Luxmouth's bustling city life- it wasn't as if Felix disliked his home, just that every now and then some variation was welcome. Now, even with the war on his mind, he couldn't help but bask in a bit of nostalgia as the group settled in for the night, in a plains biome a ways south of the city. There was just one problem.

"You brought it with us?!"

"Why shouldn't I have? It would've gone to waste if we'd left it behind!"

Well, two problems.

As they made camp, the three had divided up responsibilities. Blake was to scout around for hostile mobs, ensuring the area was safe. Felix would focus on collecting more supplies- the Duke had provided them with a generous amount of food according to Celia, but she'd also claimed they could never have too much. The Countess herself, meanwhile, would work on setting up their shelter.

When Felix returned with a few blocks of harvested oak wood and some apples, however, he'd wondered if it might have been better for him to handle the campsite. No such shelter had been made yet, while Blake and Celia were in the middle of a pitched argument on either side of the fire.

"Is there a problem?" he dared to ask.

Both of them snapped their attention to him and started trying to talk over each other.

"O-one at a time," he stammered. "Lady Celia, please explain first."

"I still have the Fire Core with me. There isn't much practical use for it in Luxmouth, and its presence would only attract the Usurpation if it had remained there, so I decided we'd be better off with it as a defensive measure."

"And if it's not in Luxmouth, then that means the Usurpation will come after us instead!" Blake cut in.

"You don't think I've taken that into account?" Celia opened the shulker box they'd been provided and pulled out a familiar red chestplate which shone with a purple aura. She slid it on- revealing it was too big for her- then held another device toward them: the Genesis Core tracker. "Take a look at this!"

"Wasn't the Usurpation Marshal wearing that armor?" Blake asked.

"I said take a look!"

Felix stared at the tracker, finding none of the three slots were monitoring a Core despite her ostensibly having one.

"The researchers found out this armor is enchanted with a spell that hides bound Genesis Cores. As long as I'm wearing it, we're virtually invisible to them. I also brought the extractor with me."

"Did you steal these on your way out too?" Blake deadpanned.

"O-of course I didn't! I knew well enough to ask permission this time, thank you very much!"

At least she hadn't caused them any trouble within Luxmouth itself. He put the tracker away in his inventory, as the one who used it most, before also accepting the extractor.

"They were included in our supply box," Celia continued, "and I saw no reason not to put them to good use. With the tracker, we'll even be able to find other Cores without giving ourselves away!"

Felix had to admit, she was right. Blake looked similarly impressed, until he spoke again. "Do we have more of those chestplates?"

"No, the guards were only able to recover the one… oh."

In other words, the moment they found a second Genesis Core it would be impossible to hide their position from any nearby Usurpers with their own trackers.

"We'll… we'll figure something out," Celia halfheartedly finished.

Blake sighed. "At least they'll have a hard time finding us until then. But don't you think the fire will attract attention?"

"That's what the shelter's meant to take care of," Felix said. "Even something as simple as dirt walls will hide the light, and once it gets dark the smoke won't be easy to see from a distance."

"But a giant dirt hut in the middle of a plain will."

Celia threw up her hands. "Fine, we can hide in a hole underground again. Or, better yet, underwater!"

The prospect killed any further complaints, so they continued their small construction effort. Their end product was a dirt dome big enough for them to comfortably sit around the fire, with a tiny hole in the ceiling to vent the smoke. Blake pointed out that mobs were only interested in attacking people, so their horses were left to graze in the plains. Night fell, and they helped themselves to a few cooked steaks from the shulker box.

"Let's see what else is in here…" Celia began, rummaging inside it. "Iron ore, assorted foodstuffs, bows and arrows, beds, a few potions, some enchantment books, an anvil- oh, even the suit of Netherite armor! Not to mention, fifteen emerald blocks!"

Blake choked on a bite. "Fifteen? The Duke said he couldn't afford to send us with much, but that's… 135 emeralds! Are we planning to buy Tenebyss' help?"

"Hm… you're right, this is quite a lot. But they're more likely for us to exchange with other villages or wandering traders, should we need emergency supplies. Besides, TOEC is a successful business- fifteen emerald blocks isn't much to them. The only way we'll be able to enlist their aid is through old-fashioned diplomacy."

"How well do you know the people there?" Blake asked.

The campfire's light on Celia's face did a good job concealing it, but Felix was close enough to make out the faintest trace of a blush.

"I know the company's higher ups," she said, appearing to carefully choose her words. "The head is one Andrew Beryl; I've met him and his family in the past. They are good people- I'm sure they'll be willing to lend their assistance."

Blake scratched his head. "The 'company?' Who exactly are we dealing with?"

"Tenebyss is functionally made of two groups," Celia explained. "First there are the citizens, who have called the caves home for generations. Recorded history dates the city at nearly 300 years old, on par with Luxmouth, but given the sprawling nature of the caverns, some believe an even older civilization once lived there."

"I remember hearing rumors like that. Emily and I visited a few years ago, and we heard some of the workers talking about abandoned mineshafts somewhere below their main dig sites," Felix chimed in. "Given how easy it can be to get lost underground, nobody's sure whether that's true."

Celia had a thoughtful look. "Indeed. The citizens will likely not be joining our cause… though, I suppose it can't hurt to ask. We are all in this together, of course. In the meantime, the people we will meet are from the Tenebyss Ore Excavation Company. As their name implies, they export ores and gems from the caverns and trade with the nearby cities. Since the invasion began, we've stopped receiving word from TOEC- likely due to Usurpation scouts intercepting messengers. Some manage to get through between Luxmouth and our other allies, but Tenebyss has gone silent."

"What if we run into any Usurpers?" Blake asked.

She dug through the box and pulled out a potion, showing it off to them. Felix didn't know much about brewing, but he recognized the shape of the bottle as a splash potion.

"Swiftness. We've also been provided with potions of healing, invisibility, and strength. In the event we do come across an enemy patrol, we'll be able to fight them off." Celia grinned, and a tiny flame sparked over her fingertips. "Not to mention I have a Genesis Core, and we all have strong armor and weapons. We can handle ourselves, don't you think?"

"I think I'd prefer not risking it anyway," Blake replied. "We're just going to head south and hope for the best?"

"That's the plan. Now, let's get some sleep- we should be rested for tomorrow."

"I'll take the first watch," Felix volunteered.

With that, Celia handed out a few beds and settled in for the night in a corner of the hut. Blake cast him a skeptical look, to which he was only able to shrug- until something called for a drastic change of plans, Felix would defer to the Countess to decide their best course of action.

"Glad we're returning to our usual routine…"

The morning came and went uneventfully. They continued to ride south after packing up the camp, taking in the sights while acclimating themselves to the horses. Felix was able to keep his balance but still wasn't confident he could effectively steer Belle, the chestnut mare he'd chosen. Fortunately for him, she'd behaved as promised and followed Celia's flaxen horse, Angel. The Countess was the most at-ease atop her mount, having no trouble guiding her along. Blake, at the rear, seemed to have given up any attempts at taking control and simply clung to Cassie with a frustrated pout.

"What have you been doing?" Celia asked Felix at one point, when they'd stopped to give the horses a breather. "During our time back home, I mean."

"Working, mostly. Blake didn't have anywhere else to go, so Emily and I let him stay with us. He took on a job at the shop to pay us back, and he's also trained me to fight a little."

Blake, for his part, had opted to scout ahead on foot and disappeared over the crest of a hill. Her expression brightened. "I thought you seemed different during the raid. You've certainly improved since we first snuck out, maybe even enough to enlist with the guard!"

Felix grinned back, but shook his head. "I'm no match for any of them, Lady Celia. I'm no fighter, just a crafter… and, I'll admit, not brave enough to take on mobs day after day."

She tapped her chin. "Don't sell yourself short. After all, when I was facing down the ravager, you didn't hesitate to rush in to help. And you've had more experience with the Usurpation in a short time than most of the knights have since the war began. Even now, you're out here in the wilderness as my escort. The two of you volunteered to accompany me in lieu of any guards, and you say you're not brave? With all due respect, I'm not sure I believe you."

Her encouragement didn't exactly sink in, but he knew better than to argue with her.

"At any rate, I'd rather have you with me than someone I don't know personally. I feel more confident this way."

"R-right. That makes sense… I hope I'll be able to serve you well, Lady Celia."

She nodded. "And I hope I can be a leader worth serving."

"Guys! Up here!"

Blake appeared over the hill, waving for them to join him. They led the horses to where he stood and got a look at what he'd been so interested in: further ahead, a squad of Illagers lay dead on the plains. Several cobblestone blocks were strewn around them, as if haphazardly thrown about during the fight. Only one person remained standing: a villager in purple robes and a black, holding a bottled potion in one raised hand while she swept her gaze from side to side. A witch.

Felix gulped. He'd heard horror stories of mob hunters who suffered the effects of splash potions of poison or harming, and although the armor they had was strong against physical attacks, it wouldn't provide much defense against fumes.

"I bet she's looking for whoever wiped out her backup," Blake whispered, drawing his blade. "We can take her together, come on. Actually, Celia, why don't you hit her from here with a fireball?"

"It would be safer than getting close…" she replied. Despite her agreement, Felix noticed an odd, conflicted look on her face. "Okay, I'll-"

"LOOK OUT!" Felix shouted.

The three of them scattered, their horses following suit, when one of the cobblestone blocks flew toward them as if by magic. It smashed apart on the ground where they'd been a moment prior.

"Who's there?! I'm warning you, don't come any closer!" The witch had taken notice of the group, glowering at them while more stone began to swirl around her.

"Never heard of one of them being able to do that," Blake said, looking more surprised with every word. "Unless she's got… no way…"

The tracker confirmed their fears: a purple Genesis Core was being detected, right from where the witch stood.