Rise of Winter, Week 5, Day 4

“[Nemoan Protectorate]”

In her mind, the lands of Nemo filled in like a cartographer’s map, and she could see the estate clear as day. Her family all safe in the manor, Freddie smiled to herself and began getting ready for the day. It was a simple affair when it was just misting oneself with potions.

Freddie had taken to using the [Nemoan Protectorate] every morning and night before she went to sleep and after she awoke, so much so that it was Level 2. It was a comfort to her to know where her brothers rested their heads, where her parents worked for the day, where her grandfather ruled Nemo from.

The ride was tiring, even with her stats. The horses went farther faster and harder than they had any right to go. Without [Regenerate] and Freddie’s 50 Magic, she wasn’t sure she could have made it.

“How do they keep up? Shouldn’t they be wearing down?” Freddie had asked on the third day when the knights had not changed horses or had them rest for much longer than the riders themselves did.

Tiltham had snorted, “Maybe if they were of common stock. These horses are bred from Histrionic steeds. They are meant for endurance. Not to mention, the concoction we feed them when we break. It restores their muscles and fills them with power. It’s safe for a week or so but not much longer. Luckily, we’ll be at the dungeon before then, or we’d have to swap out steeds on the way.”

Freddie looked at the horses with new respect, then. And she gave each of them an [Inspect].

[Opal, Histrionic Mare, Tier 2 Level 23]

[A mare bred from the direct line of the nomadic Histrionic Steeds. Over the course of centuries, this breed has become known for its endurance and ability to maintain medium speeds for over 6 hours a day. Without alchemic substances, they can traverse nearly 140 km a day.]

[The custodian of this mare is Inez Tiltham]

Their information was usually the same. The only differences were that some of the steeds were stallions, and they all had different custodians.

Thus, Freddie found herself staring at Opal, several days later, watching as one of the knights began gathering up the horses.

“He’ll bring the herd to a nearby village and pay for their care while we’re gone.” TIltham explained lightly, “That way, nothing harms them —and they don’t harm anything either. The Histrionic steeds didn’t make it as nomads for nothing.”

“Cool,” Freddie breathed, already missing Opal’s big black frame and the comfort of not having to trek through the snow on foot.

Freddie turned on her heel and began surveying the camp, if it could still be called that. The tents had been taken down, and all that remained were sacks of jerky and waterskins—oh, and thirteen bags filled with unknown supplies.

Freddie grabbed some food and water and sat, watching the knights open and double-check each bag with a clipboard that had to be Tiltham’s. No one else was that anal, Freddie decided.

“Hey, Tilly?” Freddie said, nudging the Knight Captain, who was standing just to her side, “What’s on the checklist?”

“Rations, enough for at least two months, potions, regenerative, cleaning, disinfecting, etcetera. They each have a bedroll and tent —except for yours. It has extra potions but no tent. Most have extra weapons and blank monster manuals to track the dungeon monsters.”

“Huh?” Freddie blinked, “But aren’t we going to destroy the dungeon? Why do we need to log them?”

Tiltham shook her head, “Once the World knows they exist, they’ll begin manifesting. Maybe they’ll show up in Nemo, or maybe they won’t show up in Maeve at all. But they’ll appear somewhere, and having logs of how to destroy them is good to have for negotiations with the Queen and the other Duchies.”

“Boring,” Freddie groaned and took another bite of jerky.

“You won’t think that when you’re face to face with something esoteric, that you can’t just burn alive.”

Freddie leaned back on her elbows, looking up at Tiltham, “I don’t do that.”

Tiltham tilted her head.

“I don’t burn things alive. That’s not what I’m gonna do. I’ll beat them with my own fists. Sure, they’ll be coated in fire, but that’s an extra— not the point.”

As Freddie spoke, a wistful smile formed.

“Fire is a tool, Tilly, don’t worry about me. I use everything in my box.”

Tiltham looked down at her ward for a long moment, “Sounds good, my Lady. I’ll ensure your toolbox is well-filled, then.”

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It was a short two hours before the knight returned on foot. He was jogging up to camp a fair distance away when Freddie noticed the knights perk up. When she focused on the horizon, she saw the knight approaching the camp.

“All right, Dames and Sirs,” TIltham said, clapping her hands, “Sir Westren is here. Get your things.”

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“Yes, Captain!” They responded in unison, each forming a fist with their right hand and banging it on their chest where the badge of the Void Knighthood rested—a simple silver four-pointed star with ‘Nemo’ engraved in a circle to look like a black mark.

They each grabbed a bag, and Tiltham grabbed two. When she handed Freddie her bag, Freddie looked it over. It was extremely light, and was small enough to be comfortable for the girl to carry.

“Is it—?” Freddie half-asked.

“It is an enchanted bag with a lightweight enchantment and a space expansion enchantment. Everything inside is labeled. Be sure to make yourself familiar with it when we break later today.”

Tiltham turned away from Freddie, but she caught the tail end of a grin forming on the girl’s face. And she definitely heard the hushed, “Yes!” Freddie had hissed out.

As soon as Sir Westren came up, Freddie spotted a sheen of sweat on him. And then Tiltham was tossing him two vials —one Freddie recognized as a Quick Clean potion, but the other was a rust-colored concoction that Freddie hadn’t seen before. As the Quick Clean potion misted him, Sir Westren popped the top off the second potion and downed it. His body glowed in a faint red for a moment, but when it died down, his eyes were sharper than before, and he nodded to Tiltham.

And then they were off, Tiltham and Freddie at the center of the formation on foot, with the other knights in a circle acting as scouts in the forest.

It was supposed to be a dangerous trek, with dungeon monsters slinking through the forest or the natural inhabitants of the forest attacking. But it was quiet. Eerily so. There were no bugs, or birds, or bunnies. Nothing small to support larger beasts. It was as if this section of the forest had been deserted. Left to fester and die in the winter winds all by it’s lonesome.

“Walk quietly, Lady Fredericka. This is worse than we thought,” Tiltham said lowly, leaning sideways down to Freddie. “And stay close to me.”

Freddie nodded and stepped behind Tiltham.

Whatever had caused the forest to become so quiet was out of Freddie’s league.

Step. Step. Step. The only sounds in the forest were the light noises of the knights.

Freddie swallowed thickly. It was disconcerting. And invigorating. She hadn’t been this on edge since Awakening. She felt adrenaline rushing through her vein, and she wanted to use one of her Skills so badly —but she knew she wasn’t in control enough to moderate her mana. She would be a beacon to whatever lurked in the shadows of the forest.

Still, they continued on, Tiltham tapping her badge and sending directions telepathically through to the other Knights of the Void. Freddie knew that was what she was doing by simple virtue of being a Nemo. The knights had always done so.

They slunk through the forest slowly, and though it felt like half the day had passed, it was really only an hour. Freddie knew that, logically, it was just her mind playing tricks on her. It was the way she was forced to be measured in her movements, silent and in her own head. Freddie was terrible at that. Whatever was in Freddie’s head was useless, and often annoying. So she tried not to think too much.

Some people could work themselves up with thoughts alone, could moderate their actions, their voice, but not Freddie. Freddie believed in absolute control, even when it came to her own mind. So, she released what she wanted rather than stewing on it. Said things that got her in trouble, acted impulsively. It was simply who Freddie was.

But if she was herself she could get the Void Knights stuck in a dangerous situation.

So, she couldn’t be Freddie.

No. She had to be the Heir to Nemo. Someone who puts her people first. Whose commands are deft and trustworthy. Someone who wouldn’t set the forest on fire to hunt down certain death.

Freddie straightened her back, being sure to walk in time with TIltham.

She paid close attention to the Void Captain’s movements, so when she held up her hand Freddie stopped swiftly —along with all the other knights. With a wave fo her hand, Tiltham beckoned the knights silently to her. They were in a huddle, blocking Freddie’s view of the forest, when they began holding their badges. Tiltham unbuttoned her badge and grabbed Freddie’s hand, positioning it so that they were both holding the metal star.

Report, Scouts. I sense something. Came Tiltham’s smooth voice inside Freddie’s head.

Freddie didn’t have time to be amazed or interested or anything another child should be. Instead, she was focused on the following words.

Instead of snow and ice, I clocked a field of water. When I threw a pebble from a distance it only sank a centimeter. Was the deep voice of a man.

It seems to go on in the direction of the dungeon, Captain. This voice was female and cutting, Freddie liked it. She wasn’t sure who it was though.

Then, we continue with extreme caution. It’s clearly not a dungeon break, though. Otherwise, there would be an overflowing of monsters. This is likely a single escaped monster. Tiltham ordered curtly, and pulled away from Freddie.

The last thing Freddie heard was a dozen, Yes, Captain!’s before they faded away from her awareness.

Freddie took a deep breath, trying to calm her mind.

“[Nemoan Protectorate],” she whispered so lightly that it was barely spoken at all. No one looked back at her but she watched Tiltham’s shoulders twitch.

Freddie felt the lands of Nemo build themselves around her in her head, the plains and mountains and the forest she was in. There was a tether linking her to her family, but it was pulled thin, so thin. Freddie knew if she went much further she would be out of range. But alas, she could feel her entire family so close to one another.

She released the air from her lungs slowly.

When she opened her eyes, they were sharp. She was ready to follow Tiltham into the unknown.

They walked for another fifteen minutes when they got to the edge of the clearing the scout had reported. With a field of water lining the dirt. Water that should be frozen solid.

At the center of the clearing was an archway of stone, a pulsing blue light shifting at the center.

And though Freddie knew that was the dungeon, she couldn’t bring herself to look at it.

Because the Knights of the Void and Freddie were not alone in the clearing.

No.

Standing in front of the stone archway was a woman with soft blue skin and waves of white hair. She was in a translucent dress, with her arms crossed.

Her eyes were focused on Freddie.

Her eyes, Freddie said, pressing her lips together. They are whirlpools.

“Hello, Godtouched,” the blue woman said, filling the clearing with power so overwhelming the trees shook, “I believe it is time we met.”