Vol.8 Ch.239- Relics Of The Past.
Kaladin Shadowheart's POV.
Our preemptive strike was a critical success. The thought that the Holy Kingdom was preparing something else behind the scenes weighed heavily on my mind. There was just no way they would go to such lengths and pull two of their trump cards and not follow up with a worthwhile attack. However, there was a significant issue.
I couldn't grasp what their overall goal was.
If Arotal wanted world domination, they would start with their neighbors. It only made sense. Of course, there was a chance they had already done so, but in a more covert sense rather than straight domination. And they had years to initiate wars, yet they hadn't officially done so in over a thousand years.
Regardless, the why could come later when the pieces came together. It only mattered that they were trying. And no longer would I stand idly by. Luminar and I had to be prepared for the future. We couldn't afford to let the Holy Kingdom do as they please.
And that attack on their navy was the first of many. It was almost guaranteed they were planning some invasion. I honestly hadn't expected it to be as large as it was. Navies were all but unheard of in this world, so to see such a large one with about a hundred thousand troops was out of my expectations.
Not to mention, there were at least four Exarchs present on the ships, including multiple people at the level of a War God. I was weary of the Exarch who used a bow as they would be a particularly dangerous opponent. And I was correct. It was a quick decision, but I decided to target the ships with fewer people as they were most likely holding more supplies.
Their navy was still a month away, even with the assistance of those Dagins, so destroying their food supplies was the best decision, considering we could only do a single pass of the fleet. Kelzrenth barely managed to avoid a single arrow, and the bow Exarch reacted almost as fast as the shield Exarch did. If we got greedy and went for another pass, and Kelzrenth took a hit, it would all be for naught.
Now, what else would they do?
I studied the map in an attempt to see what they would do next. In my opinion, they had a few options, but…
Knock. Knock.
I walked over and opened the door to the meeting room. Cerila gave me a warm smile and motioned behind her. In the meantime, she had gathered all the people I needed for a meeting.
"Welcome, everyone. Thank you for coming on short notice," I said after taking a seat.
"Prince Leopold broke down what happened…an invasion from Arotal was beyond our expectations," Marshal Cloudsun said first.
"Regardless, it was dealt with for the time being. However, things have changed. They will try a new strategy as they take the time to gather supplies and re-embark for another attempt," I said.
Lauren scratched her head. "You sound so sure of this, Kaladin…but is this just a guess? Or do you perhaps have a way of knowing these things before they happen?" she asked.
"No, I don't have any abilities to see the future. I only thought about what I would do in their position," I explained.
"What you would do…" Ren muttered.
Prince Leopold exhaled deeply. "Then what is the reason for gathering us? It's not like the Holy Kingdom attacked Tel'an'duth. And sharing these secrets may come at a great cost, correct?" he reasoned.
"That was only the case before we made a move. Now, Arotal may take another approach. Isn't that what you believe, Kaladin?" Bowen summarized.
"Exactly. I gathered you here to discuss the future. It may take at least a year to repair and collect what they lost in our attack, but that hardly matters as they still have options at the moment," I explained.
"I see…judging by the map, there is a chance they could do many things," Lauren hummed.
"Correct. I believe one of their most prominent options is to sneakily gather in Tel'an'duth and cause havoc as they did to us. Prince Leopold, Marshal Cloudsun, what does your coastal defense look like? Does Tel'an'duth have an active navy?" I asked.
Marshal Cludsun shook his head. "Not exactly. I suppose we have a 'navy,' but it's only made up of a handful of small ships meant to patrol the coast for small-time pirates, monsters, and general protection of merchants. None of them are equipped for large-scale ship-to-ship battles, and we have nothing that could even momentarily halt the large fleet you witnessed," he explained.
"We have forts and many cities along the coast, but most of the defenses are aimed inland. I can't say we would be very effective at stopping an ocean-based invasion," Prince Leopold added.
"Then, there is all the more reason to refocus your efforts. It's too late to start a navy now, and even if you did, you would be too far behind to ever catch up. But you have time to reinforce your coastline. Pick out beaches fit for an invasion with inland routes connected to them and begin fortifying them. In the coming years, Luminar may not be the only nation targeted by the Holy Kingdom," I said.
Marshal Cloudsun closed his eyes as Prince Leopold stroked his chin in thought. "This is rather sudden…it will be difficult to explain this to my mother, but after seeing that you were right about the invasion, I have to believe this danger is also accurate. It would be nothing short of a disaster if we were caught unprepared. And we have troops on the move to support you here…" he said solemnly.
"But Kaladin, this isn't the only outcome, is it?" Lauren asked.
"This is just one of a few things they could do. The other is to start the invasion against us right away, but I find that to be highly unlikely. Even if they took a large number of troops and held, say…Flumare, there wouldn't be enough food to feed that many troops even if they gathered locally, and any support would be well over five months away, if not longer. It's suicide; even Exarchs need to eat," I said.
I hope they do…Grandpa needed to eat, so why wouldn't they?
"Then you are expecting a more stealthy approach…perhaps a small elite team somewhere on our coastlines. We are in even worse shape compared to Tel'an'duth. Most of our troops have been moved from the coast to head here, and the rear is well forested. There are plenty of places to hide in the north," Lauren said.
"My thoughts exactly. Which is why I brought Guildmaster Elora here," I said, looking at the woman.
She had remained silent and was quietly participating in the conversation. She raised an eyebrow at me but put a hand up. "I can't force adventurers to do something like that. One mandatory quest was already enough. And considering we lost many during this attack, I'll have a full-blown rebellion on my hands if I try something."
"There is no need to force anything. We must ensure the rewards are worth the effort. That's the way of adventurers, right?" I said.
"A quest…that could work. But it will cost you, and you will need a more valid reason other than pure speculation if you want to gather a meaningful number of adventurers," she countered.
"Three large silver coins for every group of rebels that are killed in the north of Luminar. There are still plenty of rogue elements hiding in that region. And, of course, if any group manages to gather solid evidence of the Holy Kingdom's activities…a large gold coin if the information is found to be accurate," I said.
Guildmaster Elora's eyes widened. "That is a rather generous payout, far exceeding the market value of hunting criminals. Most parties would jump at the opportunity…it would work," she mused.
"But who is going to pay for it? Are you expecting us to do so?" Lauren asked.
"It would be nice if you could give me a small budget for a while to work with. Oh, and of course, give the royal family seal of approval. We can even put a down payment for those who complete the quest early, hopefully incentivizing more to join. However, I plan on footing most of the bill. I have plenty of gold to my name," I said.
Bowen chuckled to himself as he said, "I see… flooding the north with an influx of adventurers would make moving without notice very difficult for intruders. But there is a chance of betrayal and bad information," he said.
"We can counter bad information by being prepared in advance and treating all information as unconfirmed until a loyal party can do so. I have some…friends that can help with that, but I'll need to contact them once we return to the capital," I said.
"Yes, they would be perfect for that. And I'll agree to the terms and put my name on the quest as well as supply a budget," Lauren agreed.
Good. Those are the two best options handled.
"But that isn't their only option? I can see an attempt to go around the northern edge and gather in the City States where none of us have power," Bowen added.
"Indeed. That is a possibility and a safe option for them, but I don't see that coming to light," I said.
"Why is that? And also, what is stopping them from making sacrifices now and continuing with the invasion?" Marshal Cloudsun chimed in.
"Keldrag pass is still a threat. Even if they gather allies in the City States, they will still have to mount an offensive through the mountains. A majority of Luminar's military is already here in the West, and we could hold them off for a long time. It is even more dangerous for them if Krunbar and Tel'an'duth aid us. Ah, and of course, they won't make such a considerable sacrifice. They have no reason to do so right now. The cost is too high; many would starve, and even those who get food would be weak. The risks are just too great to continue as they were, and they run the chance of us crushing them," I explained.
Bowen scratched his beard as he looked over to Prince Leopold and asked, "Does that mean we have the support of Tel'an'duth beyond this undead assault?"
Marshal Cloudsun looked ready to answer, but Leopold held him back. "I do not have the authority to make an alliance. And there will be pushback from the nobles in the capital. But that is temporary. I'll gather my support and push for a formal partnership. If Arotal is acting so brazenly against Luminar, then we are targets in their minds as well," Prince Leopold answered.
Lauren hummed to herself as she played with her hair. "But isn't your support base relatively…small, Your Highness? Can a single prince truly accomplish such a feat alone?" she asked playfully.
Prince Leopold frowned at that remark but remained firm. "My support is small but mighty, Your Highness. After what I've witnessed here these last few weeks, I would be a fool not to see who our enemies and allies are. There are still too many unexplained things, but coincidences like this unprecedented undead horde followed by an invasion attempt do not happen, by mere chance alone. There is foul play afoot, and I will not see my nation swept up in it unprepared and unaware."
"Mmm…is this to say that Tel'an'duth has no connection with Arotal?" Lauren asked.
"That is—"
"That's enough, Marshal," Prince Leopold said firmly. "I will not say that our nobles have no connections. Even I have heard whispers of things. But I swear on my name that Luminar will have my support. As long as Luminar gives me the same support."
Lauren giggled. "You want Luminar to endorse a prince of another nation officially? Isn't that a problem in itself, considering you have a sister? Not to mention, there will be more heirs in the future. Consider how your empire usually is. We can't afford Tel'an'duth to aim their blades at us when we least expect it," she said.
"Nothing of the sort, Your Highness, and you don't have to worry about my sister. I only speak of support for Tel'an'duth and me as its liaison. And if the time comes, I hope Luminar will cooperate if something arises, just as we did for you. Besides, any attempt at the crown wouldn't be done for generations. Any promises of support now would hold little weight in fifty years, let alone a hundred or so. I won't ask for such a thing," Leopold assured her.
Lauren smiled softly. "Okay, I can agree to that," she said.
Good. Our allies have been warned in advance. The north will be covered with eyes. If we manage to foil Arotal's next plan, it will buy us considerable time for the future.
And there is still much to do.
The door opened slowly, and Captain Fairchild bowed as he walked in. "I apologize for the intrusion, but His Highness Prince Xander would like a word with you, Princess."
Lauren stood up and said, "Perfect timing. I believe we are all but settled here. I'll start working on what we discussed and bring it to my brother and sister's attention. I'll be taking my leave now."
"We will do the same. It seems we have much to do. Let us go, Marshal," Prince Leopold said, also standing to leave.
The room grew quiet and for a time it was just Cerila, Bowen, Elora, and me. I wondered why Bowen and Elora remained but my answer came sooner than expected.
Elora sighed deeply and furiously scratched her head. "Ah…I wanted to thank you, Kaladin, and Sylvia. Thanks for um…saving my butt. I would have been dead if it weren't for you guys. And since I'll be leaving to handle that quest, make sure you tell Sylvia for me," she said sheepishly.
Elora looked surprised for a moment and gave Cerila a short bow and a quick wave. "I—I understand you can't hear me, but thank you as well, Cerila."
Cerila smiled softly and gave her a small wave back.
Mmmm…that's more like the Elora I met. She's had this…angry and frustrated aura since she arrived here. No…even before that, when the king was defeated, she seemed to change.
What was their connection? Old war buddies, perhaps?
"Of course, Guildmaster. I'll make sure to tell her. It was thanks to you and the others we managed to get so far," I said.
Guidlmaster Elora stood up and looked ready to rush out of the room, but she stopped herself. "Also, just call me Elora. The title is too stuffy, and if we can't be friendly after what happened, then the world is a messed up place."
I felt myself smile. "I'll do that then, Elora," I said.
Elora swept her cape off the chair and left quickly. Bowen chuckled to himself and smiled fondly. "Some things never change…"
"Bowen…what do you know about Elora? What is her connection with His Majesty? They seemed rather…close," I asked.
Bowen pondered in silence for a few moments before shrugging. "I suppose it's all in the past, so there is no harm in it. Let alone it being a secret. During the war, Elora was an adventurer who fought on our side. She raised through the ranks and made a name for herself and she got close to Bishop during that time."
"I see…I figured as much," I said.
Bowen sighed deeply as he went on to explain, "However, that's not all there was. Mmm…how do I say this…in another life, if Bishop hadn't chosen to rebel and end the war the way he did, then let's say Lauren and Ren would be calling her mom instead."
"Oh…I had no idea," I said.
That was not something I considered.
Bowen laughed but waved his hand. "It's nothing to be wary of. It's all old news now of what could have been. That's just how life turns out sometimes."
"Anyway, it appears you and I have similar worries about the Holy Kingdom. You wouldn't happen to have any insight on why they are doing all of this?" Bowen asked, changing the subject.
I shook my head and looked back at the map. "No…their true reasoning eludes me. But whatever it is, it can't be as simple as domination and empire expansion."
"I'm of the same mind. There seem to be too many missing pieces to the puzzle as of now. I only hope that we find those pieces before it's too late," Bowen said, standing up.
"I agree. But in the end, what we must do is the same," I said.
"Indeed. Our decision has been made. We will not go quietly into the night as they wish."
—
"That was quick," I said to Sylvia, who waddled out of the shower.
"I'm tired," she declared as she immediately torpedoed herself onto the bed with a grunt.
I chuckled and put a hand on the back of her head. "I'm sure you are. You've been busy ever since we got back. Are things going well in the camps?" I asked.
Sylvia grunted into the bed sheets, and I lightly rolled her head to the side so I could actually hear her words. "What was that again?"
"It's okay. We lost some people while we were away, but the new system you helped us come up with is keeping new infections down. I think in a week or so, we will completely curb any new infections and cure everyone," she explained.
I stroked her hair and hummed, "That's good then…your hair is getting quite long."
"Not as long as yours, though. Are you going to cut it again soon?" she asked.
"Maybe a little. But why? Do you prefer me with shorter hair?" I asked.
Sylvia thought for a few moments as her one crimson eye looked up at me. "No, I like it when your hair is longer and you put it up. It just feels and looks…right, I guess?"
"Mmm, I'll keep that in mind then," I said softly.
Sylvia suddenly rolled over a few times until her head was on my lap. I thought she was just going to rest her head, but she was face down, and it happened so quickly that I didn't get a chance to say anything. I yelped in surprise and couldn't believe that such a noise left my mouth.
She bit my thigh! And so high up at that! She never does that…not that it hurt…I honestly didn't feel a thing.
Of course, Sylvia just continued to laugh while drinking my blood. She was laughing so hard she started to snort.
"Having a good time?" I grumbled.
Once she controlled her laughter and had her fill, she flipped around and looked up at me with tears in her eyes. "Yes? But your legs aren't very comfortable to lay on. Too much muscle," she chuckled.
How nice…
Her eyes drifted to my bandaged forearm, and her eyes saddened. I looked at it and said, "There's no point in worrying about it. It doesn't bother me, and if it were a simple matter, then it would have already been solved."
Which was the truth. The burn from the shield Exarch never improved, regardless of what I did. However, it could get worse if not treated properly, but it was, once again, only minor. It caused a slight amount of pain but was more of an annoyance than anything. I easily pushed it out of my mind during my day-to-day activities. It was nothing when compared to my past debilitating injuries.
"I…recently, I had a thought. You remember what I told you about Kelzrenth's powers going berzerk, and I was able to get it under control because they felt similar to mine?" she said.
"I do," I answered.
"If his powers felt similar, then the one affecting you feels like the opposite," she said after a moment.
The opposite, huh?
If Sylvia's power was the opposite of an Exarch's but the same as Kelzrenth's, did that mean Dragons and Vampires had a similar origin? Or was it just Chaos magic that was similar?
But what was the reasoning behind it? Could it truly be as simple as something like light versus dark? Good versus evil? Something cliche like that couldn't possibly be the answer.
Then again, sometimes the simplest answers are the correct ones. But I have a feeling it's not so simple.
"You're doing that thing where you stare off into thought," Sylvia grumbled.
"Sorry…I was just thinking about some things. But tell me something. Did you ever hear stories about your Grandpa? How did he come to be the first Vampire?" I asked.
Sylvia shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. Mom never talked about it. I never even considered the idea that he was the first Vampire, and I never asked, to be honest. He was always just Grandpa to me."
"I get it. I never asked my parents about their past either," I said. "However, do you want to talk about that sword you found? Didn't you say something about an uncle?"
Sylvia closed her eyes and rolled off of me to sit up on the bed. From thin air, the sword rested in her hands, and she looked down at it mournfully.
"I recognize it. And I'm confident this sword belonged to my uncle, but it was one in a set. I have no idea how a Dwarf Lich got its hands on it, let alone how it ended up here halfway across the world," she explained.
"Do you think maybe your uncle or other members of your family are resting in dungeons the same way you were?" I asked.
Sylvia shrugged weakly. "I don't know…at the beginning, I hoped that was the case, which is why I wanted to investigate more dungeons, but it's been years at this point. If one of my family members were alive, news of their survival should have traveled to me, or they would have sought me out. This is the first thing I've found of anyone from before I woke up in that place," she said as she ran a finger across the flat of the dark silver blade.
"I know my uncle was gone for long periods of time…I rarely saw him. Maybe he was fighting in some kind of war somewhere? But it still doesn't make sense," Sylvia sighed.
"Then he may be alive somewhere. And I'm willing to bet he may be in the Iron Citadel," I said.
Sylvia shook her head weakly and furrowed her brows. "No, he isn't alive. If he were, he wouldn't have lost one of his precious swords. Even if I find a piece of him, that will be enough for me. There isn't any point in having impossible expectations," she said solemnly.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought it up," I said.
Sylvia gave me a warm smile, and the sword disappeared back into her Spatial Ring. "It's okay. It's important to know these things. So let's get to bed. Good quality sleep is going to be rare for us when we get into the dungeon in a few weeks," she said.
Indeed.