With the departure behind them, Mikael, Amelia, the fifty Adamant Guards, and the logistics team made their way westward toward Blackthorn Fortress.
The fortress lay a considerable distance from the capital, but under normal circumstances, Mikael and Amelia could have covered the ground swiftly. However, they were not alone. Traveling alongside them were numerous ordinary soldiers and civilians, and even on horseback, their speed was significantly reduced. The burden of supply wagons further slowed their pace.
Yet, speed was not their priority. Even if Mikael and Amelia could have outpaced the others, it would have been pointless. Their strategy hinged on the synchronization of two attacks—the assault on the war camp outside Blackthorn Fortress and the strike on Redgate City. There was no advantage in arriving too early, especially considering that Kiara and Lyra's forces, being larger and traveling a greater distance, required more time to reach their destination.
The reason for this careful coordination was simple: they aimed to deliver a decisive blow to the Valden Kingdom. Surprise was their greatest weapon. But achieving it would be no easy feat, especially since Redgate City was deep within enemy territory. Infiltrating the Valden Kingdom undetected would be an immense challenge for Kiara and Lyra's army.
At first glance, such a feat might have seemed impossible. After all, their departure from the capital had been anything but discreet.
But that was precisely the point.
Their grand exit, flanked by the Adamant Guards, had been a spectacle. The two armies had dramatically moved in the opposite direction of their actual targets, ensuring that any spies lurking among the crowd would carry false information back to their superiors.
And the Valden Kingdom wouldn't be foolish enough to believe that a mere thousand men would dare infiltrate enemy lands to seize a city, right?
It would be a reckless, suicidal endeavor. Even if successful, the city would be reclaimed within days, and the invading force massacred.
Likewise, attacking a war camp of 17,000 soldiers with only fifty warriors seemed so ludicrous that no sane strategist would even consider it a possibility.
And that was precisely what they were counting on.
Thus, their journey stretched on for two days.
Mikael, however, did not let the time go to waste by merely sitting idly atop his horse. Instead, he seized the opportunity to meditate, drawing in the aura and mana generated by his device. With each passing second, the energy flowed into his core, refining and expanding it, gradually making him stronger.
Amelia, ever disciplined, followed his lead. Though her generator was a weaker version, she still used it diligently, training alongside him in silent focus.
By the end of those two days, Mikael had made notable progress—both his mana core and aura core had advanced from E+ rank to D-.
But that wasn't the only noteworthy event of the journey.
Seraphis, ever watchful, had taken an interest in the small item Mikael held in his hand. Her curiosity led to conversation, and from that moment on, the two spoke often throughout the journey.
Of course, "throughout the journey" was an exaggeration. The divine crest that allowed them to communicate was far from perfect, and its connection was intermittent at best. Even so, despite these limitations, the time they spent talking was enough to forge a deeper bond between them.
Before this, Seraphis had regarded Mikael as nothing more than a figure connected to the Records—a mercenary of sorts whom she had enlisted to aid her kingdom. During their initial meeting, he had left a positive impression on her, but that was all it had been—an impression, fleeting and insignificant.
Now, however, something had changed. For the first time in eons, she found herself 'strangely' drawn to someone. His occasional flirtations, laced with that ever-present teasing tone, no longer passed over her unnoticed.
"Blackthorn Fortress just ahead," declared the Adamant Guards' second-in-command, who also served as their guide.
At his words, a silent understanding passed through the group. The days of leisurely travel were over. The time for war had come.
From where they stood, they could see the Blackthorn Fortress in the distance, and the least that could be said was that it was massive. Towering above the surrounding landscape like an unbreakable bastion, its dark stone walls stretched high into the sky, their sheer size making it seem more like a mountain of iron and stone than a mere fortress. Battlements lined its formidable walls, each manned by resolute defenders, their armor glinting under the sun. Monolithic watchtowers rose even higher, their reinforced structures allowing archers and siege weapons to rain death upon any who dared to approach.
But today, those walls were under siege. From their vantage point, they could see the battlefield stretching before the fortress—a chaotic expanse of destruction and violence. The war camp of the Valden Kingdom, a sea of tents and banners, sprawled across the plains just beyond the fortress's reach. Thousands of soldiers surged forward like an unrelenting tide, battering against the stronghold's defenses with siege towers and battering rams.
Thick columns of smoke coiled into the sky, rising from flaming projectiles hurled by catapults. Arrows rained down in deadly arcs, glinting like falling stars before embedding themselves into stone, flesh, and earth alike. The sounds of war filled the air—clanging metal, the dull thuds of bodies hitting the ground, the agonized cries of the wounded, and the barked orders of commanders trying to impose order upon the chaos.
Despite the relentless assault, Blackthorn Fortress stood unyielding, its walls refusing to crumble, its defenders fighting with the desperate resolve of men who knew that behind them lay their families, their homes, their kingdom. It was a true bulwark, a bastion that had withstood countless sieges, and even now, against overwhelming numbers, it showed no signs of breaking. But for how long?
Mikael's gaze swept across the battlefield, taking in every detail—the smoke, the rivers of blood soaking the dirt, the towering siege engines inching forward, and the undying defiance of the fortress's defenders.
For the first time, Mikael truly witnessed the horror of war with his own eyes. Corpses littered the ground like discarded remnants of a futile struggle, comrades perishing under each other's gaze in a conflict that, to him, seemed utterly meaningless. It was a scene of pure carnage, and even Mikael, who had long been indifferent to death, felt a faint unease creeping into his heart. A part of him wanted to turn away, to ignore the slaughter before him, yet his morbid curiosity kept him watching.
After a long moment, he finally tore his gaze away. His eyes flickered toward Amelia, noting the slight paleness in her expression, though he chose not to comment on it. Instead, he issued a firm command. "Let's move. We need to reposition."
Without delay, their small group shifted farther from Blackthorn Fortress, seeking a location concealed by dense vegetation. There, they needed to establish contact with the other force to coordinate their assault. Normally, in such a scenario, messenger pigeons would have been used to relay information between armies. However using the Records, they possessed a far superior means of communication.
Using the party system, Mikael swiftly sent a message.
Mikael [1:03 PM]: We just reached near Blackthorn Fortress. How long will it take you to reach Redgate City?
Kiara [1:03 PM]: Hmm, a few more hours. We should be there by 8-9 PM!
Mikael [1:04 PM]: Alright, keep me updated when you arrive.
Kiara [1:05 PM]: Noted! But what about your side? What's Amelia doing? You're not near her, are you??
Seeing Kiara's possessive, jealous message, a small smile tugged at Mikael's lips. He found her reaction amusing, almost cute, before he replied.
Mikael [1:06 PM]: Not at this moment. My attention is all on you…
From that point on, their conversation continued in a relaxed manner, helping to pass the time. Hours slipped by until dusk settled over the land. The sun had long since dipped below the horizon, leaving only its final, fading glow to cast faint illumination over the battlefield. With each passing moment, the encroaching darkness swallowed more of the land, shrouding the remnants of the day's violence. The siege had come to a temporary halt, and the soldiers withdrew into the war camp, their weary figures disappearing into the flickering torchlight. Though the battlefield now lay silent, there was no question that at dawn, the cycle of bloodshed would begin anew.
Mikael once again used the party system to confirm their coordination with Kiara's group. The moment the signal was given, their offensive would begin.
A sharp glint flashed in his eyes. "We can attack!"
His voice cut through the air, drawing the attention of everyone around him. A mix of hope and doubt flickered across their expressions, especially when their gazes drifted toward the massive enemy encampment. Nearly seventeen thousand Valden soldiers were stationed in that war camp, while Mikael's assault force consisted of only two people.
Even with their status as divine envoys, the sheer disparity in numbers gnawed at the warriors' confidence.
Yet Mikael and Amelia remained unshaken. Without hesitation, they each summoned their weapons from 'thin air.' Gasps of astonishment rippled through the gathered soldiers, but the duo ignored them.
Amelia turned toward the second-in-command of the Adamant Guards. "Be ready for the signal."
The man gave a sharp nod. Having been briefed on this part of the plan, he knew exactly what needed to be done.
With no further words, Mikael and Amelia vanished into the encroaching darkness, their figures blending seamlessly with the dying light. Like shadows, they moved swiftly toward the war camp sprawled just outside Blackthorn Fortress.
Within moments, they reached the perimeter, stopping just beyond the patrols' line of sight. The enemy had been thorough in their preparations—torches had been lit all around the encampment, casting flickering light over the area. The steady glow illuminated both the camp and its immediate surroundings, making infiltration nearly impossible. Any attempt to cross the exposed ground would be noticed instantly by the patrolling guards.
Of course, brute force could have been an option. If they moved at extreme speed, they might have been able to dart across the open space before anyone could react. However, there was a problem—Amelia was too slow. Her physical stats weren't high enough to reach the necessary speed.
She could compensate by activating her Aura Cloak, vastly increasing her mobility. But doing so would cause a bright blue glow to envelop her body—a beacon of light in the otherwise dark night. Stealth would be utterly impossible.
Given the circumstances, Mikael opted for a more subtle approach.
Extending his hand, he conjured a nearly invisible thread of aura, guiding it toward one of the soldiers standing near a torch. The delicate thread slithered through the air like an ethereal serpent, unseen by the unwary sentries.
Then, with a flick of his fingers, the thread coiled around the guard's ankle.
The next moment, the man stumbled.
"Shit!" the soldier cursed as he tripped over what seemed to be a loose rock. His body lurched forward—straight into the torch beside him.
The impact sent the burning torch tumbling to the ground. Flames sputtered before dying out, plunging the immediate surroundings into shadow. Darkness surged into the space once occupied by light.
"What the hell, Zel?!" another soldier barked in frustration, marching toward his fallen comrade.
Zel groaned as he pushed himself up, rubbing his head where it had struck the ground. He seemed dazed, but his fellow soldier's irritated voice quickly snapped him back to reality.
"Get that torch relit, now! If one of our superiors sees this, we'll be punished!"
Zel's face paled. He scrambled to his feet, hurriedly working with the other soldier to reignite the flame.
Two minutes later, the torch was burning once more. The two guards resumed their watch, the previous incident already fading from their minds—completely unaware that the darkness had given Mikael and Amelia the perfect window to slip through.
After successfully infiltrating the camp, Mikael used shadow magic to conceal himself, while Amelia relied on the stealth techniques she had mastered as an archer. To ensure their presence remained undetected, they remained perfectly still for two minutes, hidden in the shadows. Only after confirming that the guards at the entrance had returned to their positions without noticing anything unusual did they continue forward.
Author Note:
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