Dennis drank some coffee that some of the workers were happy to provide, sitting by the table outside as he overlooked the people training. As he did, Valera sat by his side along with Torien, with Bronn drilling away some of the others in tandem with the trainers.
"So... Any news with this 'Wild Hunt' worth worrying about?" He asked the elf, who only shrugged.
"I found some tracks that belonged to some horses, but honestly, I didn't want to bother." She said as she took a bite of whatever fruit she foraged. "Don't worry, I still tracked them, obviously."
"What did you find?" Valera asked as the elf started thinking.
"I found a campsite, but looking back at it... It seemed pretty new." She said. "Funny, I was kinda expecting it to at least be somewhat old, like it's been around for 2 weeks, but... No, it was new."
"So this is a lot more recent than we thought?" Dennis asked her.
"I don't know, and it's just a camp site." She said with another shrug.
Dennis can only think about that. As much as he has been subjected to 2 conspiracies, he can't help but wonder what scheme has been made for them now. As much as he was tired about it, he has been in two major battles, but this is just odd with the way how things died down, like the embers lighting a small patch, but the blaze is already dying. Just what is going on? The thought being ever so present.
But as it was stated before, no need to keep on repeating the issue. They already know, so no need to mull over potential conspiracies, or whatever hair-brained scheme one of them has concocted. The only thing to see here is that once again, the escalations have died down by a bit, both sides took a bit of a back-pedal, and now, the only hostilities, or military action is to just safeguard any villages from the threat of pillages, raids, and thefts.
Though, now that Torien brought it up, it should be worth looking into. Something of which that didn't go unnoticed by the bear woman. However, both of them agreed that they'll pursue that lead later. Right now, they have to make sure that the resources they have been given are put to good use.
As the trio looked to see the state of things, Dennis didn't think that the sounds of hammers being pounded into hot steel, and the songs of bellows and thundering of grindstones would be a nice, welcoming sensation as he sees the blacksmiths toil away at the forge. The resources handed to them have been put to great use, and some can even be seen smelting ore that they must have taken in the now prominent safety of actual soldiers stationed at this one village.
"So... Any horses that they can spare?" He leaned back, looking around the place to see if the stables are at least, open to have that suggestion.
"I mean, not like an Ass can't do it." Torien said idly as she stretched before moseying off. She shoots at a target to brush up on her skills with the bow, and snickered a little when one of the villagers were a bit shocked by the sudden impact.
Rolling his eyes a bit from her brand of showmanship, he just looked around, and after a while, found a man that managed the stables. After explaining the predicament, the man seemed to be willing, but at the same time, doesn't seem to be eager in handing over some horses, much less mules that can be lended to the trio.
"Look, it's not that I can't help, it's just that I'm not sure if I'll get the horses back. Besides, why me? Some of the boys that came here were already in horseback, so it you're concerned with that, why not ask them?"
"Well, we don't exactly want to bother them."
"Well, now that's just stupid then." The Stablehand crossed his arms. "That just sounds like us not wanting to ask for help because we didn't want to bother ye. Now, you can either have a chance to get answers of them, or you can kiss them goodbye, and if you ask me, I'd rather suck it up and deal with it."
"Can we at least get a mount?" Dennis pleaded, and the man only sighed, not wanting to argue. Then again, not like there's anything worth to be pedantic about, and in a way... maybe there can be something to gain from this.
"I suppose I can, not like it'll be a bad investment. To tell the truth, I was a bit hesitant in giving them because some of them went missing." He explained as he went to the stables. "Before any of you arrived, we heard about how someone managed to sneak in, and stole some horses."
"How come you haven't found them then?" The elf asked as she raised a brow.
"Well, if the Wild Hunt is around causing issues, they might as well be the culprit... As much as they aren't going around stabbing us, I wouldn't be shocked if one of us gets clubbed." He answered morosely.
"That's a fair assessment..." Dennis muttered, but the man did hand over some mules. Of course, with what he said, it was indeed something worth noting down.
With all of that settled, they asked some of the horsemen to come to them, and they set out to investigate this lead.
"So, in regards to these tracks, any possibility that they are what you say the are?" Dennis looked at the grass as the 3 cavalry men trot beside them. "Because I am still confused by the fact that you haven't brought this up sooner."
"Well, I was alone when I found them.. Even if I was travelling with someone, I doubt I'd even have anything to deter them. After all, am I not a dainty, nubile elf that is good with her bow~?" She teased before becoming serious. "Point is, I found where they are camping out. They could've ran away that's for sure, and wouldn't surprise me if they did."
"I suppose that's good enough." One of the cavalrymen said. "Let us hope by Celestine that they are still here. I want to drive my axe into their skulls."
Dennis can only cringe at the mere thought. Not that he was opposed to violence, we are talking about the man that shredded Vult's dignity by stabbing his gut with the literal splinters of his once-damaged axe. No, he was more concerned about the fact that they have a party of 10, cavalrymen that volunteered to scout out the proof of the Wild Hunt's encampments, and if Dennis' speculations were to be correct, this is a fight that they won't win by the sheer virtue of the fact that even if this may not be the main camp, he doubts that they'd be of a lesser number. In the odd chances that there are 30 men, they will be utterly decimated if they are not careful.
So, as they returned to forestry that the elf found the tracks in, they mostly let her do the work, on her hands and knees, crawling through the forest floor as she retraced her foot-steps in where she found that trail. Along the way, she also foraged for mushrooms, ramps, and any other wild edibles that one can find growing amongst the dirt and barks... and a slight grossness of her finding a cricket, and swiftly stabbing and eating it as if their rations ran out.
Putting that aside, they focused at the task at hand, but as for what Dennis and the other cavalrymen, they mostly stuck together, watching the perimeters just in case that some of them knew that they were being investigated, and were ready to start beating the daylights out of them.
"Okay, I know it's just around here somewhere..." Torien muttered to herself as she searched the grass. She brushed off some of the leaves on the trail, that she swore was in to be sure that nature herself didn't cover the tracks. As she looked, Dennis can only look at one of the soldiers with him, and asked a question.
"So, I saw that there were some folks with guns back when I had to deal with the 'Conglomerate' bullshit, and I have to ask... How come they had guns, but you don't?" He asked him, and the cavalryman can only give off an aggrieved sigh as he began to explain.
"Vult saw potential, and decided that we don't need them." He said. "He has his own reasons as to why, but if I have to guess... Probably realized that should we have access to such weapons, we'd be able to go to war with him. Why do you think we use crossbows? It was our way of compensating."
"It just felt odd since it feels like we've been running around with this stuff, but never really thought about actually using them, or seeing a lot of them."
"We're at war, kid. Sometimes, you don't care about the little details as a whole, just the ones that mattered. Now that we have a chance to take a break, we're now seeing things at a bigger picture..." He said to him morosely, as if it's something that tends to happen.
"Hmmm... I suppose I can accept that." Dennis muttered as he looked over to the elf brushing her gloved hands against the forest floor.
As she brushed off some of the leaves, she found tracks. They were old in the sense that she noticed them those days ago, but she also needs to be sure that this is the right one. So, as she looked, she followed the tracks, but not before alerting Dennis and the others to follow. Like her, they crouched low, and stayed quiet as they could when they followed her. Whether or not they have some doubts in the trail, they mostly followed along. If anything, the elf would know, so they crouched along the grass.
The silence was nearly deafening, with the woodland birds being the only comforting stimulus from the tension they're feeling. It also meant that they have to be very careful as any sudden movement may alert them, and they don't want to draw attention by scaring them off. They kept it calm, and kept it slow with the pace they set as they sneaked across the woodland canopy, following the footsteps and hoofmarks that were imprinted on the dirt. After a long while of pacing, mostly because they diverged every now and then to check if the route didn't deviate at any point, and what they followed was true. They made it to a clearing, and they stuck the shadows as they looked.
The Wild Hunt's camp, or at least, a contingent of there's, was pretty straight-forward. It was a collection of tents, ranging from small, to at least, medium size where people can skin, store, or do whatever it is they intend to do as primitive facilities, while the smaller ones were as good as individual housing for this particular host's group. Perfect for campaigns if Dennis were to make a guess, and if the campaign is screwing over logistics at local villages to warrant significant attention... Well, they have done that well.
"So... now the next thing to do is to deal with them..." Dennis muttered with his group ad they all formulated plans.
As of now, the little group they have would not be enough to take down this encampment. To do so would be suicide. Yet, they also knew that these are as good as an opportunity to at least try and see what their Modus Operandi is. For the time being, they marked the trail where they found these rogue hunters so they can return another time, while they think to themselves of what they have currently.
"From what was told, it seems that what they have said is true. Most of them have just been taking local supplies, and messing with the caravan routes if the spoils are to be seen." Dennis recounted. "Cloths, lumber, food... even people in the caravan themselves are caged up. Don't know why they would except for ransom, but... reasons are known to them."
"Either way, we know where they are." Valeria added when she made the last mark. "We also know where their spoils have been, so if we can bring it all back... then not only will we do a moral good to the folk here, should alleviate the burdens on our backs."
"Alright, should be the plan then... We let them know we found their camp, muster up a decent force, run them out, and should be good enough to at least give this village a break."
Everyone nodded at the plan, and they returned to their mounts and left. Despite that, they failed to account for one thing, and that is the virtue of vigilance. Now that they themselves know where this detachment of the Wild Hunt are... It's only a matter of time until they themselves make their own plans. However, it needs to be brought up to the Chief, and from the treetops, and brushes, they entered the encampment at haste to relay the news.
=Later=
"So you found their camp?" The village chief asked Dennis as he stood within his abode. "What did you find?"
"Mostly the stuff they took from you. Grains, ingots if I have to assume... and the Stable hand's horses if I have to make a hazard to guess." Dennis shrugged. "Either way, for what it's worth, they have been... dedicated in trying to have some kind of war through attrition. As long as no one dies, yet deny them of food, then the people can be less of a problem compared to the dead."
"I sense that there might be a reason why they haven't come in hoard then?" The chief asked, and Dennis can only shrug once more.
"I'm sure you can ask the necromancer himself. They did tell me what happened, but you're better off asking him if you want more thorough details." He explained to him as the chief nodded along.
"Did you... find the chief that led this group?" Dennis only shook his head, and the chief's face soured a little. "Well, that'll be a problem..."
He can only tilt his head by what the chieftain said, and as if he sensed what he was going to ask, the chief brushed it off by waving his hand, and saying "Don't worry, my business, not yours." Which only added to his curiosity. Whether or not it was his wariness for potential conspiracy acting, but he couldn't help but feel the evasiveness coming from the man. He won't accuse him of anything, but something isn't adding up, at least to him. Regardless, he kept it to himself, and the chief continued.
"Now that we know where they are hiding, what's the plan of attack?"
"Anything goes." Dennis replied simply. "All we knew when we saw them was that they all have what they plundered here, and if I have to make a guess in how many there are... Well... There were enough tents for a big hunt, so that's as good as any of an estimate."
"I can work with that." He assured him. "All that matters now is another route, if it could be found. When we do, we will march out there, and do battle with them. The villagers here are just the militia indeed, but a good charge from the cavalry, with spears and bows being sent out, it should do the job."
"You think they are ready for that? I mean, I know the hunt aren't trying to kill anyone, but I doubt they'll carry that to battle." Dennis inquired with worry until the chieftain brushed it off again.
"All that matters is that we are ready, and with you all here, it should be within our favor." With that, he was dismissed.
Outside of the man's home, he thinks to himself. Are the villagers ready for conflict? Even though they came to reinforce the village, the issue doesn't sit right with him. These people felt that they themselves have to pick up weapons, and fight against their enemies. More than anything, it should be him and the forces that came that should be dealing with the hunt, and not these villagers. Either it's the naive idea that he thinks he's the hero, or doing the right thing, reality itself is right in front of him. Even though it doesn't sit right with him, it is what it is, and if the peasants are willing to be brave and seize some opportunity to rebel against these usurpers, then what can he do?
Rain starts pouring down, and he can only sigh as he feels it on him. With his hand on his axe, he lefts it up, and thrusts it into the air, before following it up with a circular swing that he allows himself to twirl, and with a spin, comes an arc that would cleave whatever is in front of it. He trained himself, despite the rain, as if he was bracing himself for what is to come. Accepting that things got to this point, and to back out won't be easy. He was accepting that the villagers here are risking it all, and if the Wild Hunt is to distract them from whatever Volt is doing, fine, they can have their conflict. The schemes don't matter anymore, and all that matters is that he will fight for these people.
As the rain bounced off his axe as it did his hair, Valeria called out to him, walking over with a coat to protect her dainty mane of white hair as if it was sacred.
"Don't you think you should be inside?" She told him. "As impressive as you are training here, you should be inside before you get a cold, or before your shoes get muddy. Won't do us good if you'll be in bed."
"But I'm not a commander. Bronn is more likely to do tactics than me."
"Yet, as a friend, we don't want to see you be sneezing into cloths as you groan." She quipped, and Dennis groaned a little from how she said it so archaically. Despite that, he did follow suit, and within the house that the chief provided to them.
He sat down, he rested his hand by the table as his clothes dry by the fire, his hair tied with a towel to dry it off as Valeria gave him bowls of soup. He looked around, and saw that Torien and Bronn helped themselves to sleep.
"I hope things should just be over already." He muttered. "as fun as the fighting is, I don't think I have the heart for these kind of things."
"You're just complaining because you're getting war weary, but I understand. Things have been dragging on after a while, so... To see it be done does sound like a good thing, yeah?" She gave him a sympathetic smile. "I suppose your world must be civilized if you can lament such things."
"Bronn told you then?"
"To be fair, whether or not you are from another world, it doesn't really matter to me. More than anything, between you and I, we don't have much stake here other than being here." She admitted.
"I see." Dennis nodded along, before grabbing a spoon and enjoys his soup. "I suppose I'm only griping about it because of what we have to deal with. Got too used to soldiers and men-at-arms, that I forgot that even the common folk are affected."
"Aren't we all? Soldier or not, men are still men, but somethings are... well, somethings are the way they are because of how we got here. Militias taking up arms because horsemen decided to carry the torch while the dogs lick their wounds, some things are unavoidable." She looked into the fire, leaning down as her arm rested by the table.
"You're just allowing me to vent, aren't you?" He accused, and the bear woman only chuckled.
"An unclear mind is often a problem, even for the most simple of people." She said with a smile. "And when you have to make clear decisions, problems can come if you're frustrated."
"Guess I'll have to learn to get over it." He heard her scoff, but doesn't mention it. "You're right though. Being bothered by it too much might be my bigger issue."
Things went silent between them, but Dennis didn't mind. In a way, him being able to grumble about that might have helped because he didn't feel so... burdened anymore. As if his concern about what is to happen soon just lightened up in the sense that he knew he wasn't alone, not anymore. The camaraderie may be small, but it help him be at ease, as he finished his bowl... and decided to get some shut eye for the day to come.
When he woke up, he wasted no time getting to the battlements, overseeing the defenses that have been made. The village itself had the luxury of having walls, but since it didn't need the same kind of defenses that a city might have, the only good thing going for it was that it was made out of stone, and with the barest of necessities to provide cover for the archers. Down below, from the simple gates, was an improvised moat that spikes as it had water, along with stakes and cheval de frises set up in key points to the village.
Despite how basic the defenses are, Dennis knew that not only are these good enough, but are in a way, perfect for the kind of enemies they'd be dealing with. They were fighting a band of hunters, horse-riders. He isn't going to see armored soldiers mixed in as much as he saw the simply garbed mercenaries that made the rank and file of the Black Dog's forces. More than anything, the real threat would be is the hunt themselves managed to convince some orcs of Olga to come over. They would be decent tanks to break down the doors.
As he watches, he thinks about what could happen today. Could it be that the Wild Hunt would be making their moves? A raid is about to happen? More than anything, as fortified as the place is, he was surprised to see the peasantry getting ready to fight, and ready to put their skills to the test as they came out of their homes, wearing leather armor and gambeson, carrying axes, shields, proper spears and pikes as they carried swords. Sure, some of them still used improvised weapons as some of them held clubs, even improvised swords out of the scythes they repurposed, but ever since they arrived, they had time to refine them, making them much more presentable to look at as they are simple. Don't need a club to be pretty when all you need is to be light and hefty enough to bash someone's head in.
His eyes furrow a little as he thinks. On the one hand, he was a bit relieved that proper wear for these people have been given and made, so he doesn't have to be too worried about the serious harm that will come to them in this conflict, but the fact that the village has been roused up to great numbers had made him feel a bit suspicious. He does know that it'll be unlikely for the hunters to just come in and take everything to the walls, stakes, and what they can improve upon for defenses, but things didn't feel right. He decided to see if he can look for the chieftain, ask him if he knew about an upcoming strike against them, but he wasn't able to when he noticed the birds flying away, and one by one from the canopy, the Wild Hunt came out, at least, the contingent that he saw yesterday when they came and look.
They were quite foreboding to see. They were draped in long, flowing dark robes that hid their frames, their horses were slumped over as they trotted over in a slight, defeated, or in a sickly way as they stared dead on. Their faces were obscured by a mask, some made of metal, wood, or even leather, but they all had one thing in common, and that was them wearing antlers of varying sizes as they also had the foliage, bark, and even bird nests on them as if this was a ghillie suit. In a way, they delt like druids to him as they came out the woods, and a sizable force at that.
The chieftain of course, soon joined him at the battlements, but he ignored him, focused mostly on the leader as he stood on his toes to try and get a better look at him. Brief realization that the man was shorter than he realized as he was portly that should have arrived sooner aside, Dennis was quite surprised about how red his face was, his white hair accentuating the state of his furrowed brows and grit teeth.
"You have a lot of nerve showing up to me again! Not after what you have did!" He bellowed out to the Wild Hunt. At first, he was perplexed by who he could be referring to until one of the hunters walked up.
He was bigger than the rest, standing tall, and even though he had an antlered helm and a ghillie cloak, he wore scale armor that was fitted with a brown patina. A sword at his hip, thick leather boots as he wore a gauntlet that reigned his horse as he went forward. When he was close enough to the wall, he stopped, and stepped down from his mount before looking at the Village's leader. He grabbed his helm, and removed it as he revealed himself to be an older man, one who was rugged, and with his graying beard, it's fair to suggest he could be at his late 50s. He also had a mournful look on his face, as if he was wracked with some sort of melancholy.
"Brother... I know that it has been 3 years since you lost your nephew, but you have to understand, it was beyond any of us, much less me." He yelled out to him, and the chief seemed to have gotten angrier from it as he yells at him.
"You were as involved as the Black Dogs that took him!" He shouted, and suddenly, he grabbed a crossbow from one of the levymen and aimed it at him. Seeing as how the situation was getting out of hand, Dennis moved in, and grabbed the crossbow.
"Woah, woah, easy! Easy, sir!" He barked as he held it, but surprisingly, the shorter, portly man was stronger than he looked, and he put up a decent fight as they had a tug of war with it. It was brief however, as for Dennis' luck, Torien came in at the nick of time as she jumped up and kicked the bow away from them a fair feet away. Before any issues come up, she reigned him in literally as she went behind him, and used her bow as a collar to stop him.
"Allow me to come inside alone. I will be more than happy to settle this with words. I have no quarrel with any of you, not even to the Necromancer, or the reseated Seven Shields. That is all I ask, please, I'm begging you!"
"The only thing you're settling is having your head mounted on a spike!" The chieftain roared once again, and Dennis just sighed and looks at him.
"Go to the gates alone, and we'll consider it." He challenged to the host of the Wild Hunt, and to his mild surprise, he did follow through, walking up to the wooden gates, not being flanked at all. In a way, he was being truthful. To ensure no funny business, he had the guards aim their crossbows at the hunters before him as the gates opened.
Nothing much happened, but there was some tension, as if there was some kind of treachery about to happen... When nothing did, Dennis only made sure that the chieftain remains on a leash as he came down to talk to the man. When he did, what the man did was grab at the scabbard of his sword, and he dropped it, and held his arms up as if he was surrendering. For the first time, he witnessed someone turning themselves in. It was strange, from how the chieftain got mad at the sight of him, from how the guilt is making itself known to all, and something about a nephew, all of these things compounding into each other is just baffling to him, and he wanted to find out just what is even going on.
The man drank his tea, and tension still permeated the air as while he kept his calm, the chieftain glared at him as if his mere presence was the most horrid thing he ever saw, that needed to be expunged quickly. To keep the peace, Dennis was here with Torien and Valeria, to Arten and Thompson. Merely here to prevent any kind of fighting to happen, as they want to have answers in their ever growing line of questions.
To help ease it along, Dennis cleared his throat and started asking.
"So... what's the relationship between the two of you?"
"My name is Ghiran, and the man over there, is my brother, Thaniel." The grizzled man was the first to talk, and he sets his cup down. "As for why I willingly surrendered, it was because I couldn't take it anymore."
"Apologies would do me no good, not after what has happened to him. Ever since he himself became lost, I have never forgiven you. Especially after how his own parents took themselves to the grave." Thaniel roared, but Dennis shot him a look that made him back down, but still seething.
"Who even is this, nephew?" The elf asked, and Ghiran sighed sorrowfully.
"His name was Mathias. To make a long story brief, Mathias was the nephew that Thaniel loved, as if he was his own son. He wanted to be a strong lad, and a warrior, and even though I was no knight, I was willing to squire him, teach him the ways of the forest, that kind of thing." Seeing as how people we're listening, he continued. "It was fine, in the beginning, not a lot of issues came up, until the Black Dogs made their coup. 2 years ago, one of them came to me, and decided to take him as a squire. Something didn't feel right, but I didn't stop them. If only I knew what happened next."
"Did he get killed, or...?" Valeria asked, and he only shook his head.
"He did, but how that happened was even worse. Ever since he squired for them, they seem to have... corrupted him. As if they had him think like them, live like them... feel like them. I once caught him by the stables, and there was a woman there, and a man who was... bound and gagged, and... I came in, and I just, lost it. Mathias head had a wound and it was bleeding, I cut the woman free, but I can't say the same for the other man. When word got out that he did that, and the people were getting so mad, they... They. We had to stitch him together just so we can bury him." He recounted, and when Dennis glanced at Thaniel, he saw how his face lightened up, but he was still angry, as if Ghiran's recollection of the events was enough for him to simmer by at least a little.
"Then why are you so mad even though that was beyond him?" He asked the chief, and he sighed.
"Because he knew. He knew what was happening, and instead of intervening, he just... allowed it to fester. And his only excuse was that there was nothing he could do." He accused, and Ghiran grit his teeth.
"I already feel guilty enough as it is, but it was true! It didn't even help that they made me join this little wild hunt of there's, having me chase after dissenters, and even women that ran just because some bastard was spurned that she didn't like him, what else was I supposed to do, risk it all?" He yelled, before planting his forehead into the palm of his hand. Things slowly become quiet, and Thaniel groaned, and his angered face also become remorseful.
"I suppose it'll be unfair of me to treat you as if you were the sole reason for his loss... It's just... Seeing as how lost he became, and how his own folks couldn't even comprehend what happened to him, it's just... I suppose I only blamed you because it all started from there."
"I don't even want forgiveness, I don't even know if I deserve it anymore because... You are right. I should have, I should have tried to risk it, if it meant saving him from what he became." Ghiran said his piece to him, and the awkward atmosphere was just really uncomfortable for most of those who were in attendance.
Wanting to direct it away, Dennis cleared his throat, and when the two brothers looked at him, he just looks at Ghiran.
"I'm not going to get into the topics of your... Family, but allow me to ask you something... if you surrendered to us, then does that mean the ones outside will also surrender?" Ghiran only shook his head in response.
"They don't follow me, I don't even command them. That's not even the full force of them, that is only the 60 or so men you discovered in the camp, with an additional 72 that joined when we alerted them with crows." Dennis' eyes widened at the revelation, but he continued. "However, other than you worrying about how our number swelled, and the upcoming skirmish to follow, you should be more concerned about why the Black Dogs have lowered the intensity."
"That would be?" Thompson inquired and Ghiran pondered to see if his memory is true.
"He wants to start over. The reason why the Wild Hunt has been rendered into raiding parties to pillage the country sides is for you to ignore them, while Shamuhaza works his latest spell. Volt declared that if he isn't going to win this fight, then he'll ensure that whatever happens, it'll be the victor's problem." He explained, and concern wafted through the group as he said his piece.
"What is this Shamuhaza guy making exactly?" Dennis asked, and Ghiran only shrugged.
"I don't know what he is making, the only thing I know is why we're stealing and being a nuisance to all of you. My orders were to take a contingent of the Wild Hunt, and terrorize the villages, towns, and whatever minor keeps and holds around the continent, to whatever city we are assigned to. It doesn't matter whether or not you win against us, because our goal is to take up your time, just so whatever plan Volt has now, his victory is assured one way, or another. For all I know, the spell could either be to bring a storm that can plunge this continent to ruin until he can either rebuild, or you have to deal with it, or he might call for monsters from beyond." He said onto them as they dwell on the matter.
"What else do you know?" Thaniel himself asked.
"What's left of Volt's cohorts are heading down south, heading to the beaches and seas. The plan isn't just about us taking up your time, but also a way for others to get away. Whether or not they can build their own kingdoms by doing the same thing they did before, or coming back to rebuild if whether or not Volt wins, that is the extent to what I know. All in all, Volt managed to make one last scheme while he was recovering, and all he did to make sure it can work is by making the simplest scheme of it all, and it worked." Ghiran said resignedly.
Dennis can only look at each other as it was revealed. What Ghiran said was enough for them to be worried for the future, as whatever it is that Volt cooked up has been will literally decide the fate of this land, and he was willing to reap what ashes will remain. Even had a contingent in where even if he loses, doesn't matter, what he has made will still exist elsewhere, and there is a chance they can comeback. It doesn't matter if this is the most simplest scheme or a move a mastermind can make, the problem remains, and that is if they don't stop him soon, then all of this will be for naught, and they don't want to find out what it really is that going to be first hand. As Dennis came to the desk where Thaniel will make his notes, the faint sound of horns reached their ears, and those are the noises that Ghiran knows all too well.
"So it begins."