NEC Chapter 42: Escape to Boulder Fortress

Having survived the battlefield and clawed his way out of the blood and fire, the guard captain, with an almost desperate resolve, abandoned

Having survived the battlefield and clawed his way out of the blood and fire, the guard captain, with an almost desperate resolve, abandoned all supplies except for a small amount of drinking water and every available horse. He directed the remaining members of the team to begin a frantic dash for safety.

Their destination: Boulder Fortress!

The distance was considerable. Logically, there were several closer human settlements within Crescent Moon Federation territory, but at that moment, Paven’s nerves were stretched taut like a fully drawn bowstring, on the verge of snapping.

He trusted no one in the Crescent Moon Federation!

A force of orc wolf cavalry of such scale, infiltrating deep into human territory undetected and executing a precise ambush, could only mean one thing: a powerful local force was providing logistical and intelligence support.

Otherwise, how could they evade human detection so flawlessly? How could they secure enough meat to sustain their ravenous wolves? And how could they pinpoint the exact route and timing of their traveling party?

Paven even suspected that the mastermind behind this might be one of the dominant powers in a nearby town.

So, it had to be Boulder Fortress.

The fortress’s commander had once been a classmate of the Cloudmist lord for a time, fostering a degree of camaraderie that made it marginally more trustworthy.

The two carriages raced through the jolting terrain, etiquette forgotten. Lady Frost, Lady-in-Waiting Linda, and one maid crammed into the first carriage, while the second held Master Locke, the alchemist, and three other shell-shocked maids.

Inside the carriage, Old Locke had no thoughts of indulging in the company of the maids. His mind was consumed by the terrifying scene from the battlefield.

As a healer, his focus had been locked on Paven, ready to intervene if needed. He had seen it clearly: Paven had merely thrown a small device.

Just a small device!

It had melted refined steel plate armor in an instant! When the orc leader Mogru tore open his breastplate, Old Locke rushed forward and witnessed a horrifying sight: most of the orc leader’s body was completely burned through, his bones carbonized.

All of this happened in the span of a few breaths.

Such powerful war devices weren’t unheard of, but one so small, triggered without warning, and devoid of any magical fluctuations was nothing short of astonishing.

Ignoring the maids, who huddled in the carriage’s corner like rain-soaked quail, Locke couldn’t help but lift the curtain and shout, “Paven, what did you use? What was that thing?”

Paven and the guide mercenary Luke each rode a warhorse, managing the spare horses while keeping pace just behind the carriages.

Hearing Locke’s call, Paven spurred his horse closer.

As a warrior, respect for a healer was ingrained in his bones, especially for a master of such high standing in the domain. After a moment’s hesitation, Paven drew nearer and raised his voice to reply, “It was a gift to the lady from the little necromancer we met on the airship!”

“I don’t know what it was. He said it was a fire-spitting device and to use it carefully. I didn’t expect that kind of effect!”

“What? That thing from the little skeleton’s master?” Lady Frost’s face appeared at the window of the other carriage, her pale cheeks framing large eyes filled with a mix of fear and excitement.

“Yes, honorable Lady!” the Goldscale Swordsman answered firmly.

“Your kindness saved us!”

The bloody battle would undoubtedly leave an indelible mark on everyone. Paven didn’t care about the others, but he hoped Lady Frost could shake off the trauma quickly.

Positive reinforcement was the best psychological remedy.

Sure enough, Frost’s eyes lit up.

The clatter of hooves mingled with the whistling west wind. The sharp-eared guard captain overheard Lady Frost’s voice from the carriage, tinged with a hint of pride.

“Linda, Linda! Did you see? I told you I wasn’t tricked!”

This was followed by Lady-in-Waiting Linda’s gentle, relieved response: “Yes, yes, my little lady, you’re the best! Your judgment is impeccable!”

After a relentless gallop, during a brief pause to swap horses, Lady Frost quietly slipped out of the carriage and tiptoed over to Paven, who was inspecting the harnesses.

“Uncle Paven,” her voice was soft, “your injuries… are you okay?”

“Thanks to you, my lady, I’m fine and will recover soon!”

“Then, without that weapon, would today have been dangerous?”

Paven tightened the horse’s neck collar and harness straps with a firm tug, adjusted his tattered shoulder plate, and offered Lady Frost a flawless military salute.

“Honorable lady, without that weapon, we would all either be dead or captured by the orcs.”

“You saved all our lives!”

Frost’s eyes curved into crescent moons.

With no rest for the riders and constant horse swaps, the group finally reached the Crescent Moon Federation’s stronghold, Boulder Fortress, just as the sun’s last rays sank below the horizon.

A guard stepped forward to present their travel documents, while Paven unhooked a wolf’s head from his saddle and slammed it onto the ground.

“Orc wolf cavalry crossed the border and ambushed nobles of the Emerald Duchy in Longwind Hills. Notify the commander immediately!”

The wolf’s head carried far more weight than an orc’s would have. The fortress guards blew their whistles instantly.

“Clang! Clang! Clang!”

The heavy alarm bells thundered! The massive gates began to close with the grating screech of winches! Soldiers shouted as they pushed sturdy barricades to the gate! Dust rose in the city as waves of fully armored city guards surged to the ramparts!

Paven’s taut nerves finally eased slightly, and he exhaled a long, blood-tinged breath.

Just then, Lady Frost’s crisp, slightly smug voice rang out behind him.

“Grandpa Locke, that thing the little mage gave me was pretty impressive, wasn’t it? Can you… make one?”

Old Locke looked at the little lady, her eager expression masked by a carefully casual demeanor, as if she were merely asking in passing. A relieved smile spread across his face.

“Oh, my little lady! That thing? This old man can’t make it!”

“Your judgment is the best! I’m convinced! When we first met that little mage, everyone was wary of his unclear origins, but it was you who ordered me to heal him, wasn’t it?”

“Without you, this old man’s bones would be scattered out there today!”

Lady-in-Waiting Linda and the maids joined in with soft affirmations, filled with genuine gratitude and the joy of surviving.

“Indeed, thanks to our kind lady!”

“The lady is truly the duchy’s lucky star!”

“I always said, serving by the lady’s side is our lifelong fortune!”

Frost’s small face flushed slightly. She twisted her fingers in her skirt, her toes scuffing the ground unconsciously, her body swaying gently in the fading sunlight.

Paven gave Old Locke an approving gesture and called out softly, “Luke!”

“Here, sir!” The mercenary Luke, slumped on the ground, rubbed his thighs and sprang up.

“I have a task for you. Find out about that little mage from the airship, Chen Mo, wasn’t it? You got along with him, didn’t you? Track his whereabouts.”

“Quickly!”

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