“I’m not a damn invalid,” Drokh grumbled. “I can walk fine on my own.”
The ogre had been complaining since the group departed at first light, with Ver’ah deciding that they’d make better time if he carried Drokh again. Much to the squad leader’s chagrin, the troll was right. They made quick time across the open ground, the rolling hills and rocky land not even an obstacle. Shrubs and tall grasses dotted the landscape, but Kyle was hardly paying attention. Instead, his mind was drawn back to Drokh’s comments from the night before.
Why would the stranglevine be giving off a similar aura to this “Scourge?” A thought was tugging at the back of his mind, but without an opportunity to discuss with C.H.A.D.D. he wasn’t able to draw the connection. Assuming that Drokh was talking about the C Grade shadow, he didn’t understand how the stranglevines were connected. Each one they encountered was weaker than D Grade, a far cry from the aura and presence that he detected from the shambling shadow.
His distraction nearly caused him to plow straight into Ver’ah, who slowed abruptly before speaking to Kyle in a low voice. “Just got a signal from Hanastrel. Scouts up ahead, not sure if they’re from Headquarters or not. Either way, we’re going to slip around. Follow me.”
Kyle nodded as he followed the change of course; Identify revealing Hanastrel’s location as she circled back to meet with the group. While they felt confident dealing with any ambush that could be waiting, they collectively decided to minimize the number of people who knew about the group’s condition. Even the information they passed along to the Headquarters was vague, and all the document box would reveal was their general location and pace.
The reason for their secrecy was twofold: any ambushes would be acting on imperfect information, and there would be a public outcry at the news of Drokh’s injury. While he had yet to learn the specifics, apparently Drokh was single-handedly responsible for saving D’Oillelat during the coup. His actions made him a legend among the common folk of the Resistance, and seeing him this badly injured could lead to a variety of unpredictable reactions. The last thing they wanted was widespread civil unrest in the midst of peace negotiations.
The hours wore on as their group continued to progress toward the Resistance Headquarters, dodging several more scouting parties. Kyle noted a couple of small farms along the way, with large reptiles being put to use as beasts of burden. The goblin workers were so focused on their tasks that they paid little mind to the party passing by their land, a sentiment Kyle could appreciate.
Finally, as the sun began its descent, Kyle spotted the outskirts of their destination. Compared to Er’Mithren’s golden stone and breathtaking towers, the Resistance Headquarters was a bit of a letdown. Squat, rounded buildings dotted the landscape, none larger than a couple stories high. Kyle used Identify as they passed the first such building, seeing the main structure carved from a single piece of stone. This confirmed his suspicion that these were the result of earth shaped with a skill instead of standard construction. Efficient, but limited, Kyle mused, looking at a door that didn’t quite fit into the space left in the frame.
The buildings grew progressively larger as they made their way toward the center of the settlement, with small crowds beginning to gawk at them as they moved. At Drokh’s insistence, Ver’ah set him down before entering the settlement’s borders. He draped a large, dark cloak over his body. While it didn’t do much to obscure his identity, the crowds didn’t have much time to form before city officials arrived, escorting their party to the heart of the Headquarters.
A ring of small stone buildings stood at the center of the settlement, each fitted with thick metal doors. The nearest opened at their approach, and a troll ushered them inside. Crossing the threshold, Kyle saw an austere room that functioned as a guard post, with an elevator and sets of stairs leading straight down. The guards beckoned them to enter, and Kyle turned to Hanastrel, raising an eyebrow. “The Headquarters is underground?”
She nodded. “That’s right.”
I’m starting to get really sick of caves, Kyle thought, stepping into the industrial-sized elevator along with his party. Their descent took longer than he expected, the loamy soil above being replaced with solid stone caverns. Glowing crystals lit up the hallway as they exited the elevator, which opened up into a security checkpoint. They were waved through, where they stepped into a large waiting room with multiple branching doors and a view out at the hollowed-out cavern below.
An ogre waited to greet them, bowing first to Drokh, then Hanastrel and Verah. “Champions, welcome home. Communications were limited, but it is good to see you – “ His voice cut off as he seemed to notice Drokh’s missing leg for the first time, and visually paled.
You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.
He stammered for a moment, trying to find his words, but Ver’ah interrupted before he could. “We need to report to Her Majesty,” Ver’ah said flatly. “And our guest needs accommodations. See to it.”
The ogre bowed again, then bustled down the hallway and through a set of doors. That done, Drokh turned to Kyle, his expression serious. “In light of everything that’s happened, I’m not sure when Her Majesty will want to see you. We will be in touch as soon as we can, but in the meantime, I would ask that you stay near your residence, wherever they find space.”
Kyle nodded in return. “That works for me. I could use the rest.” What he wanted to do was find an opportunity to practice with Repel somewhere isolated, but he knew that wasn’t going to happen anytime soon. A thought occurred to him before they parted ways, and he looked to Drokh. “Would you send for me when you go to get medical treatment? I want to make sure your recovery is going well, and I’d love to learn from your Healers.”
The ogre regarded Kyle a moment before nodding. “You’re an odd one, Mayhew. But I owe you that much, at least.”
“Thank you. Ver’ah, Hanastrel, if I don’t see you again, I want you to know that I enjoyed traveling with you. Thank you both for escorting me here.”
Ver’ah smiled at him. “You Earthlings have a weird definition of enjoyment. Just don’t do anything that will make me have to kill you. It’d be a shame to fight a friend.”
Hanastrel punched the troll lightly. “It was good to meet you, Courier. May our next meeting be less eventful than our first.”
With that, the trio went through a guarded doorway to the left, leaving Kyle alone with the ogre. He stood in awkward silence for a moment before asking, “So, which direction is my room?”
His words seemed to snap the ogre out of its contemplation. “Ah, apologies. It’s not every day a person like me gets to meet the true champions of the Resistance. Come with me, I’ll guide you to the guest quarters.”
Kyle followed the ogre through a series of winding hallways as he descended into the heart of the Resistance. The architecture was still very utilitarian, though multilevel buildings were more common. What’s more, everything seemed to have a purpose. There were several hydroponic towers using vertical farming principles, with goblins and ogres alike harvesting food. He could make out what looked like an industrial quarter, where raw materials were being brought in, and crates of materials left.
Finally reaching the ground level, the ogre flagged down a carriage. It was pulled by one of the giant lizards, and guided by a goblin on top. The ogre gave instructions to the driver, and then gestured for Kyle to follow him inside. “I know you could probably travel faster on foot, but this will be less disruptive, I think.”
“Probably,” Kyle admitted.
They traveled for another dozen or so minutes before the carriage slowed down, indicating they reached their destination.
“We’ve arrived at your lodgings,” the ogre said. “Her Majesty will send for you when she wants to see you, but it will likely be a few days. In the meantime, there are methods to reach an attendant if necessary. Welcome to Railen’s Hope, Courier.”
“Railen’s Hope?” Kyle asked.
The ogre eyed him. “You didn’t think the city was just called the Headquarters, did you?”
Kyle may have thought exactly that, but played it off. “Of course not. Thank you for seeing me here safely.”
He smiled, revealing small tusks jutting out from his lower jaw. “Not that you needed my help to be safe, but glad to have been of service. Take good care, Courier.”
The carriage departed, and Kyle was left alone to look at his home for the next few days. The building was a squat single-story, with a large boxy addition behind the main structure. It looked to have been added to the construction more recently, and Kyle was eager to see what was in store. Walking inside, the first thing that drew his attention was the modest studio layout of the main living space. The open concept would have felt empty, had it not been for the dim lighting and low ceiling working together to create a much cozier atmosphere.
What drew his eyes the most was a set of double metal doors directly opposite the entryway, leading into the addition. He resisted the temptation to run straight in just long enough to do a sweep of the room with Synaptic Barbs and Auric Perception, turning up nothing.
“C.H.A.D.D., are you picking up any mana signatures on your end?” Kyle asked
[OTHER THAN THE CRYSTALS PROVIDING LIGHT, NO. IT IS ABOUT TIME I WAS ALLOWED TO TALK AGAIN.]
“Let’s check the addition before we get too ahead of ourselves,” Kyle said.
Opening the metal doors, Kyle was greeted by a bright light, courtesy of a large white crystal embedded into the ceiling. Synaptic Barbs got a read of the room as his eyes adjusted to the lighter conditions, revealing what he could best describe as an obstacle course filling the entirety of the room. There were pillars of stone, metal walls, pits dug into the ground, suspended platforms, and more.
A simple box sat just inside, and upon opening it, he was greeted by a projection of Ver’ah. “Hey Courier, we hope you’re getting settled in. I know you had a breakthrough during our trip, so we pulled some strings to get you set up with a private training facility. Don’t worry about breaking things inside, the architects can fix it.”
As soon as the message was done playing, Kyle felt the mana remaining in the crystal disperse. As before, he and C.H.A.D.D. did a sweep of the building, finding no signs of surveillance. Of course, the same couldn’t be said of the exterior of the residence, but it felt nice to have a little privacy.
He definitely wanted to sit down with the tomes Jarberry lent him, and he could certainly do with a good night’s sleep. He should also try to send a report to Suierrillax, and prepare for his meeting with D’Oillelat. Before any of that, however, there was one pressing matter to attend to. He had a new skill he was aching to test.