Cato had been consistently underwhelmed by this world since the weeks he had arrived. The Fukas weren't sophisticated in any way and their village was honestly quite small. At least compared to the bustle of modern Earth.

So it came as a surprise when the Inath fort turned out to be quite impressive.

At first, the fort appeared as a strangely coloured blob on top of a tall hill but over the hours as they approached, the walls grew taller and taller. Although the height was nowhere close to modern tall buildings, the solidity of the wall left an impression of immovable strength. It looked like a man-made mountain peak, grafted to the top of the natural hill. And then the towers went nearly another storey above the wall itself. The grey round stone overlooked the wall in six places, covering all sides of the fort. Tiny archer loops dotted the sides of the towers and Cato could sometimes catch glimpses of lighting from inside the towers through them.

The central keep jutted up from inside the walls, as tall as the towers themselves. The massive stone structure seemed to be more like a natural formation than an artificial construction, especially with all the moss and ivy growing down the sides. Hm, it looked like the outer stone walls were newer than the keep. They even had slightly different styles, being more austere ramparts compared to the keep's flourish and carved decorations that hung out the sides and above windows. Perhaps they had been built later?

The Fukas seemed to think the fort was immense. For the first time throughout the trip, the air of despondency lifted. Even the children obliviously running around had quieted down.

Perhaps they could find some security living near a place like this. The question was whether the Inaths would let them.

When they got close enough, a lone rider on a lean armoured Reki came out of the gates to approach them. These people actually dared to ride these monsters?! The cape flying out behind her was a blue cross on red. Come to think of it, he hadn't seen any sort of unity on the flags atop those battlements. Cato wondered what sort of political structure might have generated something like that. Or if flags even had the same meaning.

The woman rode up to them. Cato stood near the council, they had anticipated something like this and he wanted to hear whatever message the Inaths had prepared firsthand. Ka's visit had told them of the fort's commander but he hadn't gained any impression of what the Inaths might be thinking.

Instead she went past Tharoden and Banage standing out at the front and stopped in front of Cato.

"Uh, you want to talk to the village council," Cato pointed at them as she hopped off the Reki.

"No, you're the only human here. Your Elka explained that," she said, brushing off her plate armour, "aren't you leading them south away from the zombies?"

Behind her the council were talking quickly amongst themselves. They looked a bit lost. Well, Cato felt much the same way. "Wait, wait," he raised a hand, "let's start again. I'm Cato Lois. You are?"

"What?" she blinked at him, her short yellow hair peeked out from under her helmet, "I'm Nais. I have a message from the commander Wendy's Fort. "

"Yes, we were told to expect that," Cato nodded, "you should give it to them," he indicated the council, who were all watching them now. Most of the Fukas nearby had slowed to a crawl to keep them in sight for just another moment longer.

"Why? You are the leader, aren't you?"

Cato sighed. Just what had Ka told these people? "No, I'm not their leader," Cato shook his head, "I'm just following them. "

Nais looked confused and glanced back at the Fukas. She turned back to him, looking lost. "Er... hm..."

"Is your message meant for me specifically or for the person responsible for these Fukas?" Cato asked.

"It's for the leader," she said, "I just assumed it was you. "

Huh. Strange that should be. "Well, you can give it to them. "

"But the message assumes you are leading them. "

"Ah," Cato nodded. Yeah, that might be a problem.

Nais thought for a moment and seemed to decide something, "I will show you to the commander, he'll know what to do. The commander has also considered your request for shelter and says that you are allowed to camp half a day's walk south of the fort, please do so. If that is acceptable, I have to go tell them to expect you. "

Cato looked up at the sky. Yup, still enough time. Then he looked back towards the council and casually asked, "do you want to meet the commander of the fort?"

Tharoden stepped forward, "I believe we will take you up on your offer. There are many things we need to talk about. "

As Cato approached the fort with the five members of the council and Tulore, the first thing he noticed was the strange feeling the walls gave off.

It was strangely familiar but at the same time indescribable. There was... something on the wall, that was the best he could make out. Something unseen but very much there, in the same way that he could the sun existed by the heat on his skin and the air from the brushing wind.

And it wasn't just over the gate. It was all over the walls, and it only got stronger as he approached. Furthermore, the strongest sources became clearer and more defined and weaker sources seemed to fade in as they came close. There were many types, from stripes and bands on the walls to sheets around, or inside, the armour of the guards to single points at the tips of their spears. It was almost like he was seeing something invisible, and there were a lot of invisible things. Cato gulped, wondering what it was. Those things also seemed to carry a sense of power, like a rubber band stretched tight and was about to snap at any time.

The Fukas also seemed to notice, glancing around nervously. None of them said anything however.

"Welcome to Wendy's Fort," Nais was there to meet them, "Commander Michi will meet you now. "

Cato refrained from pointing out that the names didn't exactly inspire confidence.

She led them through the central path leading up to the keep. For such a large fort, there were surprisingly few soldiers around. While there was two large groups staging some sort of mock fight, a chaotic melee of wooden swords and spears clashing on metal armour, Cato saw only a few others moving around the fort's various buildings. Perhaps they were resting for the upcoming fight against the zombies.

They passed stables full of the big riding Rekis were lined up against the side of the keep, and the stink was... quite impossible to describe. The few handlers running in and out carrying huge piles of solid waste and feed seemed to be quite shorthanded.

The only normal affair Cato saw was the kitchen, which was large and well-staffed with multiple cooks directing the efforts of many more assistants. Well, it was getting close to dinner hour, so that was understandable.

"Through here please, the commander will see you informally at the table," Naiz showed them through a side door.

The dining hall inside held various groups of soldiers eating casually in their own circles. Instead of the straight long tables Cato had expected, the dining hall contained individual wooden tables, including a counter at one side for serving food. It looked far more like a pub than a military mess. A stocky man wearing stiff-looking armour with two guards standing behind him raised a mug at them to call them over.

Tharoden whispered to Cato, "we'll do the talking. You keep an eye out for what they are actually saying. "

Cato nodded his agreement. He hadn't planned on doing any negotiating after all. He noticed that the commander's armour also seemed to be wrapped in those layers of invisible things. They were quiet and dormant.

"Take a seat," the commander gestured at the empty chairs. Once they had gotten seated, the commander looked straight at Cato, "Nais here told me that you're not leading the Fukas. Who is?"

Cato frowned. Twice in one day, by two different people. There was certainly something going on here. He looked at Tharoden and said, "they are. "

The commander raised his eyebrows and looked over the council again with curious eyes. "Hmm, I think I understand what is going on. Why don't you tell me what you are doing here? Where did you come from and why are there zombies following you?"

Tharoden bowed his head, "We lived in a village three days north. Since we have not had contact with Inath for two years, we have been fending for ourselves against monster attacks. When the zombies came, our village burned and we had to flee south. It has taken us six days travel to cover this distance, with our children and injured. " Then he looked up at the commander and asked, "We hoped to find safety here. Will we?"

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The commander glanced at Cato then back at the Fukas, "these zombies that you brought with you. There are almost ten thousand of them. I don't expect Wendy's Fort to fall, but if you want safety, you will go further south. "

"Will we be allowed to?"

He looked hesitant and eventually shook his head, "I don't have the authority to allow or deny something like this. But I don't think..." the commander looked at their ears drooping in disappointment and stopped. But it was clear that he didn't think that the Fukas would be allowed to settle on Inath land.

The discussion ground to a halt almost instantly. Wasn't this a bit too fast? Cato was sure there could be some way...

"Who makes these decisions? Is there someone we may be able to convince?" Cato asked. He silently apologized to Tharoden for speaking up but he couldn't just let this continue.

"Well, for that you have to ask the local lord," the commander nodded, "I doubt any will be willing to share their land. "

"And who do those lords answer to?" Cato asked further, just local authority would not be able to cooperate sufficiently to defend a large nation. And Inath had to be a large nation if they built a fort like this.

"Most of them will answer to their liege-king, but they retain the power to run their own estates," the commander continued, "you can't get any land if you can't convince the lord to give you. The kings cannot do that. Well, directly anyway. "

And of course, convincing the king that taking in the Fukas would be useful would be hard. Especially if the Fukas were against being asked to fight. That didn't sound hopeful. Hm, if their entire system was mostly feudal, then who did this fort belong to?

"What about Wendy's Fort here? Would you be the lord?"

The commander smiled, "actually, that is the case. The commander of Wendy's Fort inherits its land. Much good it does me though. The province is tiny and no one lives here so it doesn't produce anything. I only lead the soldiers here on the money granted to me by Inath. "

Hm hm, there was an opportunity here. The Fukas could farm and the produce could be worth something. And if the dearth of Fukas in Inath was as widespread as here, then the opportunities for trade would be high. Cato whispered, clearly but inaudibly to the humans at the table, "you can produce things. You may be able to convince him to let you stay here if you are willing to pay a tax. People are greedy after all. "

Almost as one, the council looked at Tulore. Oh, right, the curse-breaker. Cato almost slapped his forehead for forgetting that. There was a very valuable skill here.

Tulore looked back at them, no doubt feeling a little trapped. After a moment she gave up and sighed, "I am the Elder. Passed down from my mother's mother down to me is the secret of curse-breaking. I make potions that break the curse of heat and can sometimes even save those dying. "

The commander blinked in surprise and poorly concealed curiousity. "Would that be the sickness that kills people through their wounds?"

Tulore nodded, "that is one of the ways to get a curse. "

"That... is interesting. " Cato was willing to bet that he was more than just interested though. The commander leaned forward, "are you trying to convince me to let you stay here? There are problems with that, you know?"

"Has your fort ever fallen to the Enemy?" Tharoden asked.

"No. We have been trapped here a few times, but the walls are strong and Wendy's Fort can hold for months. Certainly, with only six hundred soldiers, our food will easily last that long. Inath also knows that we are the primary defense of Ode's Corridor and have always come to our relief. Even so, if we ever are subject to a siege, Wendy's Fort can't defend you. "

"But you have never lost this fort?" Tharoden asked again. Clearly he didn't think the risk was all that great. Probably because the Fukas had managed to survive two years on their own.

The commander sighed, "If you want to build a village here, Fukas or no, I will want a few other things. They will have to provide a tenth of their food to Wendy's Fort, as well as a tenth of any currency earned through trade. They will have to obey my commands and answer any call to arms I give. I also want those Elkas to serve directly under me. "

Everything huh. Cato wondered how much of that was just customary demands that any Inath ruler had, and how much was actually what this man wanted from them.

"That's a bit unreasonable, commander," Tharoden said, "We have suffered a lot on our journey and many of us have died to the monsters in the past few years. We cannot be willing soldiers for you. " He looked around at the council, eliciting a round of sad nods, "Also, you are busy being the commander of this fort. Do you really have time to manage our village's affairs? Since no one is settled here in the province of Wendy's Fort, it costs you nothing to let us stay. You don't have to promise us anything. If you pay one of us to manage the village out of the taxes, you will earn taxes without any effort required. "

Well, that sounded like the deal could work, Cato thought. Commander Michi seemed to think of their safety and the Fukas were satisfied with the risk of attack.

Come to think of it, why would Inath need a fort this large here if the Fukas could survive with nothing more than a simple wooden wall? Were the monsters here stronger or more numerous somehow? Hmm.

The zombies had attacked again and again, each time in increasingly larger numbers. But then again, Ka did say that originally, the zombies seemed to be heading south. The zombies might have been heading towards Wendy's Fort before, but then what made them divert to the Fuka village? Could it be that by destroying the first group, the Fukas had attracted the attention of larger groups?

That would imply the zombie groups worked together in some fashion. What a disturbing thought.

Around him, the negotiation continued but Cato wasn't listening anymore.

"Do you really think this is a good idea?" Danine whispered.

"Come on, it'll be fine! Don't you want to see this fort too?" Toal whispered back, "now stand straight and look like you belong here. "

He carried a large basket of flatbreads, piyo meat and other foodstuffs, and was walking straight up the hill to the fort's gate. The same gate that the council and Cato had went into.

Danine tugged on Toal's sleeve again, "we're so going to get into trouble. "

"Nonsense!" Toal sniffed, "look like you have business inside and no one will question you. Besides, if anyone asks, we are bringing food for the council's dinner. "

Even if it was true, the excuse did not make her any less nervous. Those metal bladed spears looked very deadly to Danine, and the guards were looking at them humourlessly.

"Halt!"

The challenge stiffened her spine until it felt like it might snap. "Hey, we really shouldn't do this," she complained.

"Watch me," Toal said and strode forward confidently, "I'm Toal, bringing dinner for the council meeting with your commander. Let me through to them. "

The guard frowned at glanced at the other woman guard. All he got was a shrug back.

"They can have one meal at our kitchen," he said, "no visitors allowed. "

With not a single break, Toal swiftly countered, "we can't eat human food. That's why we have to bring our own. "

Since when... oh, he was just going to blatantly lie. Wait, what was he doing?!

The guard stared at him for a moment and then indicated the basket with his head, "show me what's inside then. "

"Uhoh," Toal said, sending cold shivers from her ears all the way down to Danine's feet.

The guard lifted the flap of the basket and raised an eyebrow. "Looks pretty edible to me," he said.

"Er... we'll just-"

"Hold it," the guard clapped a hand onto Toal's shoulder with a sunny bright smile that somehow made Danine even more nervous, "I think perhaps you do get to see the commander after all!" He shifted his spear meaningfully, "Move!"