nucmednet Chapter 739: Welcome to the Party
Chapter 739: Welcome to the Party
Chapter 739: Welcome to the Party
Stryg glanced at Rhian, then back at the three nobles, “Who said we were alone?”
Edil narrowed his scarlet eyes. “Maud.”
“Yes, my lord?” the general replied.
“These two were the only ones who arrived at our encampment, yes?” Edil asked.
“That is what my men reported, yes,” Maud said.
As if to defy her words, another soldier burst into the war tent, eyes wide, blue skin flushed. “Enemies at our flank!”
Maud stood to her feet. “What? What are you talking about?”
“Explain, soldier,” Edil said.
“Enemies are at our western flank, they have yet to engage with our troops,” the soldier said.
Sera clicked her tongue. “How could you not have noticed them earlier? Do we not have scouts for a reason?”
“We don’t know. The western scouts reported nothing out of the ordinary earlier,” the soldier admitted.
“What sort of incompetent fools are you? If you were my soldiers, I’d have you executed on the spot,” Sera snarled.
“Agreed,” Edil said.
The soldier swallowed hard and took a step back.
“How many enemy soldiers?” Maud asked.
“We-We’re not sure. They are lining the top of the hills,” the soldier said.
Maud ran a hand across her chin. “There could be several hundred, or a few thousand, behind those hills.”
“No. Hollow Shade is clearly acting bold, but they are not stupid. They would not have exposed their entire limited forces on an attack at our backs,” Edil said.
“They are not Shade soldiers, my lord,” the soldier said. “We think they’re valley tribesmen, judging from their clothes.”
“A few tribes at best, then. What are they doing?” Maud asked.
“Nothing yet,” the soldier said. “We are already forming a vanguard against them, though.”
“Perhaps they are not our enemy after all. The Valley Tribes hate Hollow Shade.” Edil chuckled to himself. “For a second, you had me there, Lord Veres.”
Stryg said nothing and only watched with a passive expression.
“Have a messenger request a meeting with the tribes’ leader. I’d like to speak with them,” Edil said.
“As you wish, War Master,” the soldier saluted and left.
“I wonder what kind of person managed to unite the barbarians this time,” Sera mused.
“Don’t get your hopes up. The barbarians are notoriously difficult when it comes to working together. Only a few tribes will have come,” Edil said.
“I wonder about that,” Stryg said.
“You will not surprise us so easily a second time,” Edil said. “I imagine you spotted the Valley warriors on your way here. Why you thought that might have helped you in these negotiations, however, is the folly of youth. You are indeed alone, young Veres.”
“Oh. I wasn’t referring to the Valley Tribes,” Stryg said.
A sudden flash burst outside the tent, causing the red canvas walls to glow orange for a brief moment. Shouts erupted outside before quickly being silenced.
Now, Edil and the others seemed unnerved. Something was wrong.
Maud turned to one of the guards inside the tent, all of whom were already facing the entrance, shields up, swords drawn. “You, go outside and find out what’s happening.”
“No need for that.” A man walked into the tent, the light of the sun behind him casting a shadow over his features. The longsword in his hand shimmered with a golden sheen. Blood dripped from the blade’s edge.
Edil sat up, his eyes bright with recognition. A vicious grin tugged at his lips. “Gian Gale. It’s been a long time, traitor.”
Sera and Maud immediately stood up from their chairs and went on guard, mana flowing into their fingertips, ready to cast at a moment’s notice. For the first time since Stryg had met them, there was a mixture of fear and apprehension in Sera and Maud’s faces.
“Is that any way to greet an old friend, Lord Aldine?” Gian inclined his head ever so slightly.
“Friend? I should kill you where you stand,” Edil smiled, though it did not reach his eyes.
“You two know each other?” Stryg asked.
Sera looked at Stryg as if he were stupid. “You don’t know? For Bellum’s sake, there is an entire ballad written about them—”
Edil silenced her with a glare.
Gian glanced at the guards’ swords pointed at him as if they were nothing but twigs, before looking at Stryg. “How are negotiations going?”
“Perfectly well,” Stryg said.
Gian turned to Rhian with a raised eyebrow.
Rhian shrugged, her armor creaking with the movement. “It could be better.”
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Gian stroked his pepper salt beard and smiled, “Yes, I imagine so.”
“Your arm… It seems the rumors were exaggerated. You’re whole of body,” Edil noted.
“Indeed.” Gian opened and closed his free hand.
Edil turned to the guards, “Put your weapons down. If he wanted you dead, there is nothing you could do to stop him.”
The soldiers reluctantly sheathed their blades and stepped aside for the living legend.
Gian gave them a silent nod of thanks.
“You may be the Sword Paragon, but even you cannot handle our entire army,” said Maud, refusing to sheathe her own blade.
“Maud—” Edil said.
“I don’t need to fight your entire army. I simply have to fight you, or rather, threaten to kill you,” Gian said.
“What?” Maud frowned.
Sera sighed as she figured out what Edil had tried to explain. “He’s holding us hostage. So long as we’re all in this tent, our army won’t risk attacking.”
“What about the battlemages outside guarding the tent? How did he even manage to sneak into our camp?” Maud asked with an incredulous voice.
Gian stepped aside from the tent entrance and a young, snow-white-haired woman walked inside. A few flecks of blood dappled Gale’s face like freckles. “We’ve finished with the ones outside.”
“Just in time,” Stryg said.
Gale walked over to Stryg and knelt on one knee. “Your Shadow has returned to your side, my lord.”
Stryg bowed in return. “I am glad you’re safe. Thank you for your help.”
“Your word is my command.” Gale rose and took her place behind Stryg’s chair.
“You dealt with two dozen battlemages?” Maud asked skeptically.
“No. It was mostly her,” Gale pointed her thumb back.
A human with long dark hair and warm brown skin walked inside, whistling a tune while carrying her black scythe on her shoulder. Her green eyes were full of mirth and a smile teased her lips. “Well, hello there.”
“And who are you?” Edil asked.
“Hm? Oh, I am Holo.”
“Holo…?” Edil frowned and stared at her short stature. “It cannot be. The Holo? Holo the Tall?”
“The one and only. You must be Edil,” Holo smirked. “My troupe has performed the tragic ballad of ‘The Sword Prodigy and the Prince of Aldine’ plenty of times. I must say, it’s nice to finally put a face to the name, albeit a few centuries late.”
Edil clearly didn’t believe her from the skeptical expression on his face. He ignored her and turned to Gian, “What is your plan exactly? Kill a few meaningless battlemages, then what? If you try to attack me, my armies will swarm you.”
“True, but you wouldn’t survive the encounter,” Gian said.
“Neither would you,” Edil said.
“Fortunately, I don’t think it will come to that,” Stryg said.
“Then what are you waiting for?” Edil asked.
“Me,” Aurelia walked in. “The ward perimeter is set. If a Frost Rim soldier tries to get anywhere within ten meters of this place, this tent will go up in flames.”
Edil paused and stared at her. “Aurelia Veres…”
“This is the Ebon Lady?” Sera made a face of disgust. “She’s pretty, but so green.”
Aurelia looked Sera up and down. “This is the vampire that was allied with my family? She looks weak. I am glad we burned her aunt to death.”
“You bitch,” Sera sneered. “I will kill you for that.”
Gian stepped in front of Aurelia. “You may try.”
“Calm yourself, Lady Lilith, she is only trying to goad you,” Maud said.
Sera clicked her tongue and sat back down. Maud did the same.
“What sort of gamble are you all playing at here? If you wanted to parley, you’d need only request it. Instead, you’ve risked your lives, and for what?” Edil asked.
Stryg clapped his hands together. “You’re right, Lord Aldine. I request a parley then.”
Edil scoffed and shook his head. “Very well. What is it that you want?”
“As I said before, I demand your surrender,” Stryg began, before a sudden blaring of trumpets interrupted him.
Stryg furrowed his brow in confusion.
Maud’s pointed ear twitched. “That would be the horns of House Thorn.”
Gian peered outside. “Yes, it seems a procession of drows is coming this way.”
“Let them through,” Stryg said. “This concerns them as well.”
“You’d like another ‘hostage,’ wouldn’t you?” Sera said.
Stryg looked around the war tent. “Is there nothing to drink here?”
Edil waved his hand and the shadows covering the table dissipated enough to reveal a bottle of blood-wine and a few empty chalices.
“No thanks, I prefer fresh blood,” Stryg glanced pointedly at Sera.
“Oh, you wish, little man,” Sera smirked with a venomous look. “Your threats do not scare me. You may pretend to appear in control, but try as you might, you are dealing with beings who are centuries old. You are out of your depth.”
“I told you what would happen if you rejected my demands. If I were you, I’d choose my words very carefully,” Stryg said, ice in his voice.
Sera giggled and leaned back in her chair, legs crossed. “Then by all means, show us your plan. Tell us how you plan to get out of here with your head still attached to your body.”
Before Stryg could reply, Calex Thorn entered the war tent, flanked by a pair of royal guards dressed in verdant armor, with the black rose coat of arms blazoned across their breastplates. A vampiress was with them. She did not wear their colors and instead was wrapped in leather-scaled armor.
Calex took the entire scene in and spoke slowly, “I see someone has taken my seat.”
Sera spread her arms wide. “Welcome to the party, Lord Thorn.”
“Is that what this is?” Calex said. He leaned towards the woman in scaled armor, “Apologies, Mylaril, I thought there’d be more chairs.”
“I prefer to stand,” Mylaril said.
“You’re from the Valley Tribes, aren’t you?” Edil asked.
“I am,” Mylaril replied.
“This is Chieftess Mylaril of the Adder Tribe, granddaughter of the previous chieftess, Sylaril,” Calex introduced her. “I brought her along for the meeting.”
Mylaril grunted in acknowledgement.
“Ah, so that’s why you were late,” Sera said.
“It explains why there is an army of valley men outside our encampment,” Maud muttered.
“The Adder Tribe is widely considered the strongest of the Valley Tribes,” Edil said. “If she is with us, then I imagine she has brought a decently sized force with her. How many of the tribes have joined your cause?”
“All of them,” Mylaril said.
Maud perked up at her words.
“You managed to unite all the tribes? You did what took Marek years in a simple matter of weeks?” Edil asked.
“It was only a couple of days, actually,” Mylaril said.
Sera whistled, “Wow. Marek must be rolling in his grave.”
“Incredible,” Edil murmured. “With your aid, Hollow Shade will not stand a chance.” He glanced at Stryg, “Even when they resort to such underhanded tactics.”
Mylaril followed his gaze, then shook her head. “You misunderstand. We are not here to help any of the Great Cities.”
“Excuse me?” Edil narrowed his eyes.
“We fight for our people and our people alone. And I was not the one to unite the tribes.” Mylaril slammed a fist into her chest, “We follow the Dusk Wolf.”
“I have not heard of this—wolf.” Edil glanced at Sera and Maud, but neither seemed to know of this mysterious figure either.
“He is the son of the Moon Wolf and the Stars above. He may not be the Sun Wolf, but he has sworn to protect our people nonetheless, so I will fight for him. If he rides into battle, then so shall my warriors and I. But if he does not…” Mylaril let the implication hang in the air.
“I see. In that case, I’d very much like to meet with this Dusk Wolf,” Edil said.
Mylaril gave him a strange look, then gestured at Stryg. “He is sitting right there.”