Chapter 4 Silence before the storm

As day turned into night we reached the other side of the mountains. With a clear view of both the large forrest where I met Mikael and the large open fields, I felt that this was a great place for a base. And so I asked some men to start cutting trees, and some of them to help me start mining out the front of what would become the Eastern base. Immediately after that I grabbed a pickaxe and started mining. Aegrith then gave everyone a stat boost for the night with her Lunar magic and after that started to use his earth element to help me out. The soldier listened to my request, Ten of whom went down the mountain with swords and axes. The other five helped us out.

It did not take long until we had made quite a room from which we could still enjoy the beautifull sight, yet most of us were getting exhausted, especially Aegrith.

As a last thing to do for now we made two places for campfires, each on opposing sides of the room. Next it was Maelith's turn.

By using her staff to make it rain, me and some soldiers grabbed the buckets out of the inventory. Putting them in the rain they filled up with nice fresh water, soon after that we took notice of the returning soldiers, they had quite some wood with them but also extra livestock. So Maelith stopped the rain and we welcomed the soldiers back.

After enjoying a nice meal I told all the soldiers that they could rest while I would stand on guard tonight.

Everybody grabbed their sleeping bag and looked for the best place to sleep. At noon everybody slowly woke up had some breakfast with me, after which I asked everyone to do what they did last night. They accepted my request, and I could finally get some rest. At dusk I got woken up by a soldier telling me it was dinner time. Getting up I realized the room had gotten bigger with tables, chairs and at the end of it there was something that was meant to be a hall I guess. "Do you like it Milady?" the soldier asked. "Milady??" I asked, never being adressed that way before. "Well get used to it, you are our Captain now after all" he smiled.

"Oh and where are my manners, Jérome Lé Darc Milady, At your service" Bowing his head as he introduced himself.

Looking at him as he bowed his head I saw his choice of weapons were diffrent from the typical sword or saber the other soldiers carried. Jérome had only two daggers which were pretty short, with one having some meat and blood on it. Apologizing for not having cleaned his weapons yet he explained to me he had prepared tonights feast, as apparently the Eastern base was now completly ready to live in. After that I noticed all the men were here to eat, getting up and walking to the table I saw giant beheaded chickens with stakes throught their body, parts of their skull used to close the hole which was the throat.

As the feast was about to begin Jérome told everyone to take out the stake and enjoy their meal, So everbody did just that. Suddenly the whole base smelled heavenly. Taking a look inside my chicken is saw a mash of all kinds of other meat but also sliced potatoes and a strange combination of spices I would never combine in my life. However it was one of the better things I ever tasted As the feast came to an I asked who would want to hold the watch tonight. Aegrith, Maelith and Jérome put up their hands. "Okay then please get some rest now, you will need it" I said

When everybody stood up for their table Maelith and Aegrith asked if they could at least give me a tour of the base before they went to sleep. I gladly accepted their offer and they started showing me everything.

Starting by going what was apparently the hall there were rooms on both side. Everything on the left was for women and on the right was for men. A bathroom that when slightly down untill a hole on the other side were the water would go through, passed that were the sleeping quarters, now still empty except a few hanging torches and at the end of the hallway at the left side a room with a sign.

Captain Kyuro's office, yet still empty.

Thanking them for the tour, they smiled and went to sleep. Back in the main room of the base I thanked everyone, telling them to keep it up.

Days went by as a map was made of the whole surrounding of Castle Dreadskull, Deciding where to build the other Bases.

Knowing there was not much land or anything to the west, We decided that base could be made as last. Making a southern base was probably top priorty as that would be the hardest terrain to make a good base in. The Northern base would eventually be place more northeast then really north of Castle Dreadskull.

But after sending a crow with this information to Count Volgar, he did not complain explaining in his letter he trusted every one of his men. With that minor point out of the way, I told Aegrith and Maelith to take seven soldiers and go south and asked Jérome to take four and go North.

keeping the rest here on guard in the eastern base while I would fly from base to base helping with the smaller things if could, but never long gone from another base.

Two weeks passed and all three bases were connect to each other an also coming out to a plateau not that far away from Castle Dreadskull. This would become the place where soldiers could train. Completly satisfied from what was achieved Jérome came up next to me enjoying the moment, After which I finally asked him why he had chosen diffrent weapons then a "normal" soldier.

"I like close combat he explained, the closer the better" he said, now with a grin on his face. "And daggers can also kill the animals I then make delicious food from and at the end of the day thats what counts the most" he said. Not completly agreeing with his statement, I was however interested in getting better at close combat. "Then teach me, show me this way you fight" I said. As he accepted my request we started training whenever we could.

Meanwhile back at Castle Dreadskull Mikael was also training much harder then anyone.

However his father had forbid him from using his lightning in the city or Castle, and so he trained his body becoming pretty buff in the process. The once skinny young noble was slowly becoming the strongest in Castle Dreadskull, and that without his grey lightning.

Weeks passed as I trained with Jérome when suddenly he asked for a time out. He threw of his upper armor and everything underneath.

Accepting how much better I had become. wanted to go at full power no longer holding back. Grabbing a piece of chicken and throwing one to me. "Eat then we wil fight seriously" He said, already munching on his chicken.

He really takes food over fighting, I thougth as I started to eat the chicken. Both ready afterwards we went all out but in terms of physical blows I was clearly outmatched.

The fight went on but it slowly became me having to dodge everything, looking for a moment to counter. Those were pretty rare however, eventually I had to. It was a trap, doing everything I could to aim for his neck as he grabbed mine a second earlier and we both accepted a draw.

Knowing I got lucky in the fight, I smiled,

thanking him for a great match. While on my way back to the Eastern base a soldier came running to me throught the tunnel.

Handing me a letter with the seal of the Count on it. I thanked him and started to read the letter which told me that Volgar will let his son join in two months, having accepted his growth the count can now let him join my ranks with a clear conscious. With a smile on my face I said, "So the little guy managed to do so after all. It will be fine having some fresh blood in our ranks." Smiling even more at the thougth of that skinny young noble being among the rest of these well trained men like Jérome.

Another month passed as I tried to combine my Void magic with close combat, Taking quite some painfull hits everytime I failed.

Bruised or not every day I gave commands, took my guard duty and kept training with Jérome or else the twins.

Untill one day I succeded, I had pushed Jérome Knee-deep into the earth from Countering his attack. Jérome applauded me for what I acchieved, Yet he had gotten stronger too. Feeling the ground shake a little, cracks appeared from where his legs were stuck in the ground as moments later he got out asked for a draw, and without waiting for my response. Accepted his draw, waved at me smiling saying it was about time to make another feast. That night we al enjoyed his now famous among us, giant steaked chicked only this time with pineapple instead of potato...