Legatus Typhus clutched the reigns as his horse trotted alongside his army, otherwise aback by the majestic silence upon crossing through The Gate.
Fortunately, he and his fellow Saderans were perched on a slope, overlooking a hilly forestland landscape. Other than the rustling grass and clicking segmentatas, there was nothing but the sound of a mild breeze, tweeting birds, and chirping crickets. The skies were clear, but the black bearded legatus squinted, discerning the distant greyness amid the cyan morning sky.
"Not a single house for miles." He thought, stopping and observing the potential battlefield. "Judging by the fluttering standards, looks like we have a light westward breeze. Not bad...not bad."
He looked at the compass on his right hip, but he grunted and closed it. "Suddenly, north is straight ahead."
"Different magnetic fields." A familiar voice said, a casual trotting horse approaching his left. "There is always a first time for everything. Hello, old friend."
"Hepatitis." Typhus turned and said with a stone face. "You are late. I feared you wouldn't be a part of this historical moment. How are you?"
"Well enough. I do apologise for my unwarranted absence, the speculatores have been delayed and uncooperative, at least the demi-humans. Fortunately, everything ended peacefully and I managed to gather the most capable ones."
"You mean the Elves?"
"Unfortunately, no. But I do have a surprise for you."
"Hmm." Typhus grumbled deeply, his slow lip twitch masked by his beard.
"I know, I know. But you'll find out soon."
"That's not the point, Hepatitis." The slightly older man sighed.
"You don't seem well, do you?" The bald and shaven legatus asked; however, while Typhus merely sighed at his comrade's remark, Heptatis said. "Germania?"
"You can say that." Typhus shrugged. "That doesn't explain the anomalous compass readings. Last I was in Germania, I was a 20 year old boy. But even then, I don't ever remember them being this hilly. And I also remember seeing plentiful mountains back then."
"Hmm, yes. Germania always been a rugged place." Hepatitis muttered loudly.
"This place...it looks like Germania, but I get the feeling there is more to it. The Gate does not simply transport us from one point to another on the continent. No, that would be simple blasphemy. Many civilisations have came and gone through the Gate during and before the Empire. I see no reason for it to be bringing us to a backwood region of that godforsaken land of barbarians. To think, that of all the few places we have yet to conquer, one is directly outside of our front yard. Not even Zorzal of all people wouldn't dare stepping foot into those woods."
"I know. He called me a lunatic for taking part in the Bohemia Expedition."
"Yes, I heard of your endeavours there. That turned out much better than everyone hoped."
"That still didn't bring any ease for the crown prince. You know how he is."
"Only through the Formal Clan via one of his subordinates. I believe her name was Delilah."
"Hmm." Hepatitis hummed and nodded.
"Speaking of subordinates, how are the Wyvern Corps?"
"Ready for glory on your mark."
"For glory? Hmph." Typhus scoffed. "You know me better than that, Hepatitis."
"Of course." Hepatitis chuckled.
"However, we will not be deploying them into battle. Not this time."
Hepatitis quickly lost his faint smile and exclaimed. "Sire?"
The bearded legatus simply sighed, shaking his head and flicking his left hand in a sweeping motion. "You know my methods, Flavus. Now order our wyverns to wait until further instructions. We need those speculatores before we can venture into the unknown."
"Very well."
Immediately, Hepatitis galloped away, disappearing beyond The Gate.
Thereafter, Typhus watched as his centurions barked orders and his entire legion coming together for the next ten minutes. But just as he was preparing to dismount, a cavalryman galloped towards him, and said. "Sire, we have a problem."
"What's wrong, centurion?"
"It's our horses. We had some of them graze near a meadow at the base of the hill, but they're suddenly showing signs of weakness and dizziness."
"Show me." Typhus said, earning a curt nod before the duo galloped across the slope.
A few minutes later, near a small field of purple and red flowers on the outskirts of the woods, there were six horses barely keeping their balance, one of them having already lying on the ground. The legatus and the cavalryman stopped to witness the strange sight, Typhus himself noticing the slight disturbances from where the horses nibbled on the ground.
"These are perfectly healthy horses." Typhus uttered. "When was the last time they have been checked?"
"Two days before we crossed The Gate, my lord."
"Hmm, what about the others? Where are they right now?"
"Over there." The cavalryman turned behind him and pointed not far up the slope, specifically four horses feeding on the grass with one of their riders nearby.
"Hmm...they're not showing any sign of sickness." Typhus deduced, eventually turning to the sick ones, where he faced his subordinate and said. "Don't let anyone near those horses. Have their riders rest and tend to the others. And whatever you do, do not let anyone venture beyond this hill. I don't care if they need firewood, meat, or anything else. Nobody leaves this hill until I say otherwise. Do you understand me?"
"Yes, my lord."
"Good, go." Typhus barked with a rightward sweeping motion, prompting the cavalryman to gallop away.
However, Typhus couldn't help but admire the meadow. Butterflies, including some dragonflies and ladybugs, nonchalantly danced and frolicked much to the legate's fascination. In fact, a dragonfly happened to have landed on his horse's crest.
"There must be water nearby." He thought before the dragonfly buzzed away.
Unbeknownst to him as he left, the dragonfly disappeared behind a bush and crawled into a rectangular hive, promptly uploading its data.