Fortress of Humanity (1)
“Uh, sure. Go ahead.”
Lucia replied hesitantly. As soon as she agreed, Felber quickly whisked Akasha away.
The hurried, almost frantic, retreat of the wizard. The door closed with a thud, cutting off the view of his retreating figure.
Only then did Lucia realize that her tone had been a bit sharp earlier.
Why did I do that? she wondered, pulling her hand away from the map.
‘Felber’s behavior was unusual.’
Perhaps it was because he had crossed the line between life and death. Normally, Felber was the epitome of calm.
Even after being resurrected as Dalen’s servant and facing countless battlefields, it was rare to see him flustered or hesitant.
Always composed and collected, his responses were as adept as his years of experience were varied.
His eloquence often made him the one to handle delicate negotiations with outsiders.
If Sienna was the aggressive negotiator of the party, Felber had the air of a laid-back schemer.
‘But just now… he seemed unusually anxious.’
His breathing was slightly uneven. His gaze was unsteady.
Even with his staff in hand, his fingers trembled slightly, and his speech was somewhat disjointed.
Akasha, led away by Felber, was no different.
The eyes of the true dragon, usually filled with intelligence, now held a vacant look she had never seen before.
”…”
Her gaze lingered on the door the dragon and wizard had exited through.
A nagging sense of foreboding tickled her mind.
No, it’s probably nothing. Maybe they just had something to discuss privately. They might have wanted to talk to me later since I was busy with the map.
Trying to dismiss her thoughts, Lucia felt only a growing sense of unease. With a deep sigh, she picked up her sword and headed outside.
The walls of the Silver District were tall and wide. Lucia strolled slowly along the deserted ramparts.
Normally, the walls would be heavily guarded, but now they were eerily quiet. There were even sections with no guards at all.
Most of the defense forces were undergoing special training to combat demons and monsters, leaving only a minimal force for maintaining order.
The gaps left by the guards were filled by the transcendents of the Golden Palace, who combined their powers to create a vast detection network.
‘They say maintaining the detection network consumes hundreds of chests of gold worth of materials and potions every day.’
Hundreds of chests of gold a day. The Golden Palace must be wealthy indeed.
Dalen had scoured the continent for years, barely scraping together that much.
But then, being able to spend that kind of money is what allows them to maintain such a massive city.
“Haah.”
A white breath escaped her lips, brushing her cheek as it dispersed. It was a headwind.
Coming up to the wall had been a good decision. The cold winter air helped cool her restless heart.
But as the boiling emotions subsided, a sense of emptiness settled in her chest.
Lucia rubbed her cold cheeks and leaned against the parapet.
’…It’s been over a month already.’
A month ago, she and her companions had been expelled from the labyrinth.
Without warning, Dalen had opened a dimensional gate, pushing his comrades through it.
The swirling exit of the gate had led them to a plaza centered around a ruined tower.
Having been there before, Lucia recognized it immediately. The ruined tower was the barrier tower that had been bombed, and the plaza was the central square of the labyrinth city’s Silver District.
‘Someone came out of the barrier tower! Report to the higher-ups immediately!’
‘Are you alright? Don’t worry. You’re in Falcion. You’re safe here!’
The knights guarding the plaza had made a fuss, thinking they were explorers who had escaped the labyrinth by some means.
When the Golden Palace arrived shortly after the report, the commotion nearly reached the point of fainting.
In any case, after the initial chaos, the Golden Palace treated them with utmost hospitality.
Even without Dalen, each of them was a transcendent or a formidable warrior.
Gaining such a powerful elite force on the brink of war was something to be celebrated.
”…”
Despite the warm reception, Lucia couldn’t leave her room for a while.
The first few days were filled with ‘why.’
Why did he send me back?
Why didn’t he fight with us?
Was a holy knight with just a sword and divine power so unreliable? What about the others? The archmage and the dragon? The witch and the explosives expert?
The mix of doubt and self-reproach turned into something close to resentment. She was determined to confront him when he returned.
Even as she resumed training after three days and participated in detailed strategy planning after ten, those thoughts lingered.
And time passed.
A month went by, and Dalen still hadn’t returned.
”…It’s about time you came back.”
She muttered, biting her lip. Her nose tingled. Lucia closed her eyes tightly. It was a bit cold.
She hadn’t been idle in her efforts to hear news of Dalen.
Regular contact with the Seer of the White Eye through Everon, the face of a thousand changes, was part of those efforts.
Of course, the answers she received were always vague and unsatisfying.
They said it was difficult to trace the path of one not bound by fate.
Or that predicting a river overflowing and losing its course was nearly impossible.
“Damn spellcasters.”
[It’s unsettling to hear you badmouthing us like that. Caw—]
”…?”
A sudden caw interrupted her thoughts. A crow, perched on the wall, was preening its feathers.
It smoothed its feathers with its beak and shook itself before letting out a sharp caw.
”…I wasn’t talking about you.”
[I know. Just saying. You’re so stiff. Typical of a holy knight. Caw caw caw.]
“If you’re here to argue, go away. Don’t you have more important things to do as an informant?”
“I need some time to clear my head too, don’t I?”
The last part was spoken in a human voice.
Click. Clack.
Low-heeled shoes clicked briskly on the wall. Lucia turned her head.
Ascending the wall was a woman with black hair.
Her long hair matched her dark eyes, framed by long, enchanting lashes.
Her fur coat gleamed with a luxurious sheen. The crow had vanished without a trace.
”…Sienna.”
The greatest informant of the labyrinth city and the most powerful witch of the Feathered Ancestors.
Sienna shrugged. She spoke.
“Why are you looking at me like that? Did I do something wrong?”
“No.”
“Then can I sit next to you?”
”…Sure.”
The witch plopped down on a nearby wooden crate as if she had been waiting for permission. Lucia regarded her with a wary gaze.
As a holy knight, she wasn’t particularly averse to people from the shadows. But this witch made her uneasy.
She was a reliable ally, yet somehow uncomfortable to be around.
“It’s cold.”
”…”
“Well, it is winter. Of course, it’s cold. Aren’t you wearing a fur coat over your armor, holy knight? Aren’t you cold?”
This time, it was Lucia’s turn to shrug. Sienna rubbed her nose and muttered.
“I’m the only one who’s cold, huh. Whether it’s holy knights or dragons, or half-dragon humans, they don’t understand the frailty of a mere spellcaster…”
“Why did you come up here?”
“I told you, to clear my head.”
A soft, white breath spread out. Sienna chuckled at Lucia’s incredulous reaction. She spoke.
“I came up because I’m worried.”
”…What?”
“Lucia Castachald, the demon slayer and the sharpest sword of the war god. Even though you’re a hero admired by all, you’re still human. But because of your formidable reputation, there aren’t many who look out for you, are there?”
“Why do you care about me?”
“Because Dalen cares about you. A lot.”
The witch smiled sweetly, her eyes curving into a smile that could charm any man.
“Don’t worry. Witches live long lives. Not as long as true dragons who live for centuries, but barring any accidents, a thousand years is nothing.”
”…”
Lucia didn’t respond. She felt as if she was losing somehow.
The witch, fiddling with her sleeve, turned her gaze. Her eyes followed the sprawling cityscape within the Silver District’s walls.
“People are gathering. Isn’t it fascinating?”
Sienna spoke softly. The holy knight’s gaze naturally followed the witch’s.
“The apothecary who treated us is the best in the western continent. She’s even acquainted with Shania. Healers and priests from all over have gathered in this city. Even the elusive sea shamans number over a hundred officially.”
Lucia nodded. It was true.
The sprawling city had been a refuge for months, welcoming refugees and reinforcements from across the continent.
It was no secret that the newly assembled forces far outnumbered the existing regular army.
“Even the proud knightly kingdom and the three eastern kingdoms have joined us, not to mention the elves who brought their entire dynasty into exile. The Tsar’s nation sent over ten thousand troops. And the High Orc chieftain… Tarum, was it? It’s been a while. Seems like he left only his family in the north and brought the rest of his clan here.”
The western guild alliance was no different.
Mercenaries, engineers, and an enormous amount of supplies and weaponry streamed into the city daily.
From the south, where the empire lay, some nobles who had rebelled against the imperial family sent their forces.
It was a transparent political move to gain future support from the labyrinth city. Yet, the Golden Palace did not reject them.
After all, the knights and private armies of some imperial nobles would be invaluable with the impending battle.
“You know I don’t trust humans. There are exceptions, but most have a vile nature.”
Sienna crossed her legs and leaned against the battlement, her voice languid.
“To think people can unite like this. After all those bloody battles over a line in their reputation or a piece of gold?”
“Seers and prophets all point to the labyrinth city as the site of the final battle. What use is a throne or gold if the entire continent vanishes?”
“Well, people aren’t as logical as you think, Holy Knight. Even if they die tomorrow, today’s loaf of bread matters.”
“I know. I’m not saying it’s not surprising. Without Dalen… the continent wouldn’t have come together like this.”
It would have fractured before any unity could form, Lucia added.
The witch, who had been listening quietly, turned her gaze to the Holy Knight, a satisfied smile on her lips.
“Exactly.”
”…What is?”
“You remember what Dalen did to stir the continent, right? So, let’s trust him once more.”
The witch’s eyes curved into a crescent.
“I don’t know how strong this new dark god is, but if it’s the Dalen I know, he’ll overcome it. He’ll get the Stone of Wishes without us. And then…”
“He’ll appear out of nowhere, as if he was never in danger?”
“Exactly.”
Lucia sniffed lightly. It seemed the armor alone wasn’t enough to keep her warm.
Sienna was right.
How many times had they overcome seemingly insurmountable odds, turned the tide of impossible battles?
True trust was believing when you couldn’t see the path ahead. Given Dalen’s proven track record, trusting him once more wasn’t difficult.
”…Thank you.”
“Don’t mention it.”
The witch chuckled softly, and this time, Lucia managed a smile in return.
Feeling a bit relieved, she stretched and turned her body.
Beyond the silver walls, the western plains stretched out, bathed in the glow of the setting sun.
The horizon met the crimson sun, the sky painted in shades of purple and deep navy.
Against this brilliant backdrop, three pale lines rose.
White lines? Lucia squinted.
‘Smoke…?’
It was a beacon. A signal from the western fortress.
One line meant all was well. Two lines indicated trouble.
Three lines meant invasion.
“Holy Knight, am I seeing things, or is that…?”
Sienna asked beside her. Lucia shook her head.
A long, resonant sound of war horns followed from behind them.
From the towers of the seven walls, the horns blared in unison, their echoes reverberating through the city streets.
It was the sound heralding the dawn of war.