Chapter 75: Loyalty (II)

  General Kaelstrife and his Silverfangs stood before the structure. The so-called tomb was built underground, so it didn’t have a looming presence outside, but still, something about it felt towering.

  Kaelstrife narrowed his eyes, scanning the supposed entrance before them. One of his men stood closer to it, using his magic to analyze it further.

  Turning slightly, he called out to the man. “Sergeant Marwin, report.”

  Marwin turned around toward Kaelstrife. “I found two peculiar things, General. Watch this.” He said before he touched the archway with a glowing hand, and soon it dissolved, melting away, revealing nothing but a solid stone wall.

  A few soldiers muttered in disbelief. Others exchanged shocked glances.

  Sergeant Marwin exhaled before turning back to the General, his expression both satisfied and cautious. “That’s the first thing, General. This isn’t an entrance at all – just an illusion to deceive intruders.” He rapped his fists against the solid stone to prove it was a wall. “See? Just a wall.”

  Then the illusion returned, and the wall once again resembled an entrance.

  Kaelstrife nodded, though his expression remained firm. “Good work, Sergeant. But I knew as much from the scouts.” He crossed his arms. “Edmund’s men somehow placed my brother’s body inside. Which means the real entrance is elsewhere – one which they knew about.”

  “Damn traitors! Teaming up with the Axul!” one of soldiers shouted, and many of his comrades murmured in agreement. “We must find the real entrance.”

  Sergeant Marwin smirked slightly. “It’s a good thing I already found it, then. Follow me.”

  The sergeant turned, walking a few paces along the side of the tomb until he stopped. He took a deep breath and pointed at a seemingly blank section of the tomb’s base – just another stretch of smooth, untouched stone.

  Kaelstrife frowned. “Another illusion, I assume?”

  Sergeant Marwin nodded. “Right you are, General. And not just any illusion – this one will rip to shreds anyone who dares to dispel it. I only tried analyzing it and I could feel its animosity toward me. I would’ve died if I continued further.”

  Kaelstrife’s gaze remained fixed on the wall, unreadable. Then, he spoke, his voice full of resolve. “Then we brute force our way in.”

  Without hesitation, Major Nilson raised his arm, signaling to a cluster of soldiers. “Ironflames, you heard the General! Front and center!”

  Twenty men immediately stepped forward, their movements sharp and disciplined. Each of them rolled their knuckles, or muttered a spell, their hands catching fire, ready to unleash devastation on command.

  Kaelstrife gave them a single nod. “Blow this wall up.”

  The Ironflames obliged without a word. They raised their hands, and their magic surged forward in the form of explosive flames. Waves of fire, searing light, and raw magic slammed against the illusion-covered stone in rapid succession. They kept going, seemingly making no progress, but the General pressed them on. “Continue.”

  “General, we’re being watched.” One of the men behind Kaelstrife called out, pointing at the tomb’s roof.

  There, high above, stood a woman clad in traditional robes, a helm with stag horns on her head.

  “A Priestess of Axul!” A different man called out. “That’s what my System tells me. The General was right - the Axul are alive!”

  Before anyone could say anything else, three more priestesses appeared, stepping onto the rooftop beside the first one.

  Then, they attacked.

  A barrage of blazing magic rained down on the Silverfangs, but the trained soldiers didn’t even need orders. They were a force of war.

  Before a single blast could land – ten men already moved.

  They sprinted forward swiftly, in perfect coordination, and conjured barriers above them to shield all of their comrades.

  The explosions crashed against the barriers, but none of the Silverfangs seemed to falter.

  Then, just as seamlessly, the Ironflames shifted targets. They turned away from the wall they had been blasting moments ago, and redirected their devastating firepower toward the attackers.

  The coordination was perfect, and the Priestesses barely had time to react.

  One of them was caught in the onslaught. She screamed as an explosion slammed into her and she fell downward, crashing to the ground with a sharp gasp.

  “Rosa, no!” One of the priestesses on the roof shouted.

  Before the fallen priestess could recover, a different soldier was already upon her. He closed the distance in an instant, his sword already pressed against her neck as he apprehended her from behind.

  Flanking him were two other Silverfangs, their weapons drawn for insurance.

  “She’s apprehended, General.” The soldier declared, glancing toward Kaelstrife.

  Kaelstrife gave a single nod of approval before stepping forward, eyes fixed on the remaining priestess above who now stopped attacking.

  He spoke, his voice commanding and absolute. “If you do not surrender and open this tomb, I will execute your comrade without a second thought.”

  A heavy silence enveloped them.

  Kaelstrife remained motionless and waited for a moment before he spoke. “Very well.”

  He stepped forward, closing the distance between himself and the apprehended priestess kneeling before him – she was barely conscious from the fall.

  His glaive gleamed under the moonlight as he slowly raised it, the edge pointing at her chest.

  “Five.” His voice was calm. “Four.” His expression merciless. “Three.”

  “Wait!” A shout sounded from the roof.

  The three women stood up from their hiding, their hands raised in surrender. They slowly floated down from the rooftop, landing cautiously before the gathered warriors.

  Kaelstrife kept his blade poised. “If you value your comrade’s life, you won’t try anything.”

  They made no sudden movements. The Silverfangs acted without needing orders – within seconds, the three priestesses were apprehended as well, their hands tied behind their backs. All except one.

  “You will open the tomb.” Kaelstrife ordered her, gesturing toward the wall.

  She nodded reluctantly and stepped forward.

  This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

  “Where’s Gaelith Alloraine’s body?” Kaelstrife asked, his voice sharp. “What have you damn cultists done to it?”

  The priestess’ eyes widened in surprise as she whispered. “Noctyra…”

  Kaelstrife narrowed his eyes, his expression revealing he knew what the word meant.

  “You have no idea what you are interfering with.” The priestess said, shaking her head. “You are nothing but blind fools, outsiders trampling upon things beyond your comprehension!”

  “Yo, lady, just open the damn doors.” Sergeant Marwin spoke up. “We don’t care about your cryptic threats.”

  Murmurs of agreement sounded between the soldiers.

  “Filthy outsiders.” The priestess spat as she lifted her hand toward the wall.

  Suddenly, the illusion dissolved, revealing a massive double stone door. Then, she clenched her jaw before thrusting her palm forward. With a deep, grinding groan, the stone doors began to open.

  “Here. You're satisfied now?” The Priestess said, her tone filled with disgust.

  Kaelstrife nodded, his expression calm as he gave the command. “Execute them all.”

  There was no hesitation. The Silverfangs acted immediately, slashing the throats of their shocked captives.

  The priestesses collapsed to the ground, the light leaving their eyes.

  The moment the last body hit the ground, Kaelstrife turned to his men. “Steel in hand. Barriers ready. Prepare for battle.” He cast a glance at the corpses at his feet. “After what we’ve see now, a fight is inevitable.”

  The men nodded and saluted in unison. Then, commenced the final preparations.

  As they stood alone, Major Nilson spoke to Kaelstrife. His voice was measured, but at the same time, he sounded hesitant.

  “General,” he said, “was it necessary to execute them? They were already apprehended.”

  “Yes.” Kaelstrife didn’t turn to face him. “The Axul scum are going to be sorry they didn’t actually vanish two years ago.”

  After a few minutes of preparations, Kaelstrife led his men inside.

  The Silverfangs pressed forward, thought their march into the tomb was relatively slow. The corridors were narrow, restrictive, barely enough for them to move in formation, forcing them to adjust their positioning as they advanced.

  Despite the tight quarters, they pushed through, fighting off the Axul’s resistance. At some point, monsters joined the fray, siding with the cultists.

  Kaelstrife moved at the front lines, his glaive carving through the enemies who sometimes looked like simple people and not trained fighters. His orders were absolute. “Take no prisoners! The Axul die here, tonight!”

  His men obeyed without hesitation, slaying every man, woman, and child caught in their way as they descended deeper into the tomb.

  Some of Kaelstrife’s men fell, struck down by spells or monsters. But the Silverfangs did not mourn yet. Their fallen were avenged in blood and fire.

  They descended further, seeking the body of the legendary knight, until – a tremor shook the tomb. It started as a low rumble, but then the ground shook violently, dust and debris falling from the ceiling.

  Kaelstrife barely had time to react before the door behind him slammed shut. The heavy stone crashed down, cutting him and Major Nilson from the rest of their force.

  Nilson analyzed the door quickly. “It’s magic, General. I can't dispel it, and we won’t be able to blast our way through.”

  Beyond the door, the Silverfangs called out to their leader. “General, what are your orders?”

  Kaelstrife didn’t hesitate. “Push forward! Keep descending! Find my brother’s body!” his voice was resolute. “Nilson and I will find another way out and rejoin you! Meanwhile, Daniels is in charge!”

  A short pause followed, before a response came. “Understood, General!”

  Kaelstrife stepped away from the door, exhaling slowly as he turned to Nilson. “Come. There must be a different way out of here.”

  Kaelstrife and Nilson moved through the dark corridors, the only light shining their way coming from sporadically placed torches.

  The deeper they went, the more distant the sounds of battle became – until suddenly, a thunderous explosion echoed through the tomb, followed by a deep tremor.

  Nilson instinctively steadied himself against the wall. “I hope the men are holding their ground.” He muttered, his voice filled with concern.

  Silence stretched between him and the General for a few paces before Nilson spoke again. “I still can’t believe it…the Axul. Alive. Just like you said.” He exhaled sharply, shaking his head. “I thought they vanished. Two years. Not a single sign of them, and yet…”

  Kaelstrife glanced at him sideways. “Did you doubt me, Nilson?”

  The major visibly tensed. “Of course not, General – “

  Kaelstrife let out a short, unexpected chuckle, waving his hand.

  “Relax, I’m joking. Even I wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t known what I know.” His expression turned serious, his voice lowering. “I know things about them, Nilson. Things I won’t share. But they were enough to make me connect the dots and figure out they were still here.”

  Nilson absorbed the words silently, nodding as they continued, entering a large chamber with walls full of murals.

  Then, Nilson broke the silence again. “General…what happens after this?”

  Kaelstrife didn’t look at him, but his silence was acknowledgement for Nilson to continue.

  “The audience with the King…that was intense. You withdrew us from the front without permission, marched us to the capital, and confronted him directly. The fact he let us walk out of there without chains was shocking. You know he won’t let it slide. So I have to ask…” Nilson inhaled deeply before finishing. “What happens after we retrieve your brother’s body?”

  Kaelstrife slowed his steps, his gaze remained forward.

  “After we grant my brother the proper burial he deserves, maybe…all those chants about me being the King in the North will become reality.”

  Nilson’s head snapped toward him. “You mean to turn all the lands we conquered into a sovereign state? Under you rule?”

  “I might.” Kaelstrife replied simply, before going into detail. “Tepan is going to fall on hard times soon. It's only a matter of time. Only a blind fool like Edmund could miss the obvious snake that is his cousin and first advisor.” He shook his head. “With Tepan in political turmoil, we’ll hardly face any resistance doing whatever we want with the north.”

  Nilson exhaled sharply before stopping. Then, with a sharp precision, he snapped into a formal salute.

  “You will forever have my support, General. And not just mine – “ he lowered his hand. “The men will stand with you. Even those who remained in the north. You already commanded their loyalty more than the King ever could. If you give the order, we will follow.”

  Kaelstrife nodded. “I'm honored, Nilson.”

  Before Nilson could respond, something suddenly caught his eye.

  “General, look.” He said, pointing toward a body lying on the stone floor – a body of a priestess. Nilson frowned. “That’s odd…” he glanced back the way they came. “None of our men passed through here. How did she end up dead?”

  Kaelstrife’s eyes narrowed. “You’re right...Internal dispute perhaps.”

  Nilson knelt beside the corpse, his brows furrowing as he examined it. The priestess looked freshly killed – but there was no visible wound.

  But something also caught his eye.

  Hanging around the priestess’ neck, was an amulet – a diamond-shaped, dark gemstone, so large it was the size of her palm.

  “General…?” Nilson asked, lifting the amulet slightly. “What gemstone even is this?”

  Kaelstrife stepped closer, his eyes narrowing on the stone.

  Before he could answer, a shadow moved. A sharp gust of wind rushed past them, and a figure lunged from the darkness.

  Kaelstrife reacted immediately. He raised his glaive, intercepting the incoming strike. Sparks flew as Kaelstrife shoved the attacker and his scimitar back, forcing them a few steps away.

  Under the flickering torchlights, the enemy became visible. A hooded figure, slightly humped, his face obscured completely by the shadows.

  Then, with a calm, almost amused voice, he spoke, his voice aged. “I’ll be taking that, thank you very much.”

  “Reveal yourself.” Kaelstrife demanded, his tone sharp. “Who are you? I can already tell you’re not an Axul. You don’t wear the same robes as the others we’ve fought tonight.”

  The figure let out a low, amused laugh. “No...I don't think I will."

  Kaelstrife exhaled slowly as he lifted his glaive. “Then you’ll die where you stand.”

  The hooded man laughed again. “Oh, General,” his voice was almost pitying. “This is not even going to be a fight.”

  The mysterious man raised a hand. With a simple flick of his wrist – Kaelstrife’s neck suddenly snapped.

  A sickening crack echoed through the chamber as the legendary general collapsed lifelessly to the ground.

  Nilson’s eyes widened. He dropped to his knees beside his commander, hands trembling as he reached for him.

  “General?” His voice cracked. He pressed his fingers against Kaelstrife’s neck, searching for a pulse, but there was none.

  Karl Kaelstrife – the Mad General, the Unyielding, the Silverfang – was dead.

  Just like that.

  Nilson gasped for breath, unable to process what had just happened.

  The hooded man now loomed before him, his hand extending forward. “Now then,” he said, his voice calm, almost bored. “The amulet.”

  Nilson’s fingers instinctively tightened around the gemstone, but he couldn’t speak or move.

  The hooded figure let out a quiet sigh. Then, without waiting any longer, he simply reached down and plucked the amulet from Nilson’s grasp.

  He walked to a large mural on the wall next to them – a painting of a priestess of Axul, surrounded by figures draped in white and green robes.

  The man raised a hand, and the wall trembled. Suddenly, a section of the stone shifted, a small hole forming in the mural’s center. He placed the amulet inside.

  “The Key will wait here.” He murmured, his voice distant. “Until it is needed again.”

  With a final motion of his fingers, the stone wall sealed itself shut, the amulet disappearing inside.

  At that second, something snapped inside Nilson, and he lunged forward, sword in hand.

  The figure’s back was turned, so perhaps he believed it would be easy.

  The blade struck, and a hit landed, but not on the intended target. The hood lay on the ground, but the man himself was gone.

  A voice – calm, amused, knowing – spoke behind him.

  “I’m right here, my boy.”

  Nilson’s breath hitched as he turned around. Then, his eyes widened in horror.

  An old man stood before him – one he clearly recognized.

  “S-Spurius Axul?” he choked out his name. “But you’re supposed to be long dead…”

  The ancient man grinned. Then, he lifted his index fingers to his lips, the gesture almost playful.

  “Shhh.”

  Then, with a snap of his fingers, Nilson’s neck snapped as well, and his lifeless body collapsed to the ground.

  [Time Plane Memory #5 – END]