Chapter 398 - The King's Hold

Late night for me tonight so I think a chapter tomorrow is unlikely. I'll aim to have it out on Friday instead so I don't need to rush it. Hope you like the chapter!

Hump didn’t like the streets leading to the King’s Hold. It felt over the top, like the people that had constructed it had done so with the goal of impressing people. Likely, they had. The palace, the temples—everything was to draw people into the rituals and splendour that were the gods. Not to mention the many Chosen patrolling the roads. Hump doubted there was a single shadow that wasn’t being watched—clearly the attack before had left them on high alert.

The streets leading to the military headquarters were a stark departure from the crowded paths of much of the city. Smooth stone paved the roads, their edges bordered with carved drains that carried rainwater away from the city’s heart. The sound of bustling vendors and street performers faded as the group approached this stately quarter. Here, it was mostly soldiers, worshipers, or staff of the many temples, palace, or military. There was an air of respect to the people here. Even the buildings were spaced further apart, their pale marble and finely cut stone facades adorned with all sorts of decoration.

To the south, down the gentle hill, Hump caught a glimpse of the sea, a shimmering expanse beyond a tall, grey wall that hugged the coastal cliffs. Towers rose at intervals along the fortifications, manned by patrolling soldiers.

As they neared the King’s Hold, Hump spotted a well-dressed man with glasses working his way back down the road, a frown on his face as he inspected the different buildings. He wore wizard robes, carried a wand at his hip, and carried two books to his chest.

“What do you think he’s up to?” Hump asked quietly.

“Don’t know, but if he keeps looking around like that, I think one of the patrols will pick him up.”

The surroundings grew increasingly ornate as they continued. Statues of gods and heroes stood vigil along the streets, carved from pristine stone and painted in bright, vibrant hues. Some were so detailed that Hump could have believed the figure was there and alive, the sculpture somehow capturing the divine essence of their subject. Many were minor gods he had never heard of their divine features almost intimidating in their detail.

Celaine walked up to one, reaching up to touch the arm of a goddess, admiring the statue. “I cannot believe such things are lining the streets. How can people create such statues?”

“They are fascinating, aren’t they?” Dylan said. “I’m afraid I’m as clueless as you. I’ve had some practice with whittling but the best I can do is a fairly accurate dog and a face that looks like an old man that’s been possessed.”

Celaine snorted. She turned to Hump. “Anything here stir up those memories of yours?”

“If you’re asking whether any of these temples of government buildings are the bakery that used to hand out food, no,” Hump said flatly.

She wrinkled her nose. “I thought you might recognise something.”

“Only from a distance,” Hump admitted. “I don’t think I’ve ever been here myself.”

“Didn’t you live here?” Emilia asked. “You should have at least been to the temples!”

“Big city,” Hump replied with a shrug. “And they don’t exactly let street kids wander around this part of the city.”

Emilia frowned at that. “Is that so?”

“I thought you said there were charities that gave food away,” Celaine said.

“You see any homeless people around?” Hump shook his head. “The charities aren’t here. You’ll see them in some of the smaller temples around the city, or street carts. No, this is where those deemed worthy are permitted to worship.”

“Someone’s feeling cynical today,” Bud said.

“Maybe things have changed,” Hump said. “Let me know if you see any well-fed street kids.”

Ahead, the King’s Hold stood at the foot of the kingdom’s palace and temples, its position placing it between them and the rest of the city, a sentinel against those that sought to enter it. Beyond its looming walls, and farther up the road, Hump could see the gleaming spires of the palace, their white stone capped with golden domes that gleamed in the sunlight like celestial beacons. The domes reminded Hump of the Temple of Sanctum in Fort Nordric, however where the temple was formed of large blocks, the palace was thin lines and elegance. To the north lay the temples, each different, representing their own god—the verdant walls of Emirai’s were covered in vines and flowers, Kelisia’s temple was of dark, smooth stone, Ordana’s of a warm, welcoming white.

Even the King’s Hold embodied grandeur. Its walls were carved with scenes of battles and deities, many were gilded with gold and painted in bold, commanding colours. Banners of crimson and gold streamed from its towers, fluttering against the grey stone like flames.

At the gates, Hump’s gaze was drawn to two towering statues. One depicted a knight in full armour, their sword raised triumphantly. The other was a mounted woman, her bow drawn, ready to release the arrow, her body poised to take the shot. Above the arched gate stood the imposing figure of Byzantius himself, large round shield in one hand, spear in the other, and a helmet that left his bearded face visible. It was the eyes that gripped Hump. They glowed with the same red light of his blessings, and Hump sensed divinity within them. This was no ordinary statue, but a piece containing divinity.

The guards were vigilant, all in matching suits of polished armour, other than three equipped in what must be personal gear. Hump immediately recognised them as Chosen. There was an aura to them that radiated strength that set them apart from the other soldiers even more than their equipment. The captain, a sharp-eyed woman, stepped forward. Immediately, Hump decided he was pleased he’d left Nishari back at the Rike estate. She would have drawn too much attention here.

“Who approached the King’s Hold?” she asked.

“I am Wizard Humphrey, and this is my party,” Hump said, stepping forward. “We’re here to see General Korteg.”

The captain guided them into a small reception room where they were questioned further, requesting their names which were recorded in a visitor’s ledger, checking the summons Hump had received, and noting down the reason for their visit. As Hump scanned the other names written down, the woman quickly closed the book and gave him and sharp look before handing each of them a metal coin. Hump turned the silver trinket over in his hand, interested in the runes on its surface.

“What is this?” Hump asked.

“Visitor’s identification token. Keep those with you at all times. They will grant you access to the general areas but enter a location you are not supposed to, and an alarm will sound. Don’t lose them. If you lose them, ask for assistance sooner rather than later. We are in high alert. The Hold will be put into lockdown if the alarm sounds, and if that happens everyone’s day will be ruined, believe me.”

“I do,” Hump said, slipping the coin into an inner pocket.

An escort arrived from another room, who led them through the gates. The King’s Hold opened into a sprawling courtyard bulsting with activity. Soldiers marched in tight formations across training grounds, their boots striking relatively in unison, but from their young age and appearance Hump guessed them to be new recruits. Elsewhere, A group of archers practiced at distant targets, while others trained with spear and shield.

Hump’s attention shifted to his left as they walked, where smoke billowed from a long building. The rhythmic clang of hammers revealed it to be a forge, smiths working tirelessly to arm the kingdom’s defenders. To the right, a grassy field stretched out, where cavalry drilled under the guidance of mounted instructors. The stables had to be around there. Other buildings lined the perimeter of the courtyard too, a number of barracks spread across the grounds, their doors open.

At the centre of the courtyard stood a massive obelisk of pale grey stone. Its surface was polished to a sheen, every inch covered in names etched deep into the stone. Thousands of them, line after line, rising upward until they were out of Hump’s sight—he supposed those one’s weren’t so important. At its peak, a carved flame blazed.

Emilia stopped beside it, her gaze reverent. Bud bowed his head, murmuring a quiet prayer.

“What is it?” Celaine asked quietly.

“The Obelisk,” Emilia said. “Each of them died protecting the monarch. They are heroes of Alveron.”

Their escort led them inside the central building—a keep turned into an administrative hub. What once might have been a stoic defence was now filled with polished wooden desks, stacks of documents, and the occasional ornate banner marking the various military departments. The air was thick with the scent of ink and parchment, mingling with the faint tang of oil from the soldiers’ armour.

After winding through a series of hallways, they entered a large meeting hall. The room was utilitarian—rows of chairs filling most of it, a chalk board at the front, while a map of Alveron dominated the back wall. At the head o the table stood Lady Anara, while many of the squads Hump recognised from the first wave through the rift were also present. Marcela and Randall were both there, seated. Hump caught the eye of Wizard Jentris, the lightning user, who gave him a nod in greeting.

“We’re not late, are we?” Hump asked.

“Not at all. Please, make yourselves comfortable. The last members will be here soon.”

Once everyone was seated, Anara began the briefing without preamble. “General Korteg will be joining us at the end if he has time, so he has left it to me to brief you on what will likely be a lucrative task for all of us. The situation with the warlocks remains volatile, but we have secured the rift to the Remnant Realm beneath Elenvine, on both this side and the other. While we have managed to secure its access point, the warlocks obviously have many strongholds across the Remnant Realm, and we need to identify them, then eliminate them before they can regroup to launch another attack on Elenvine or Fort Nordric.”

A person raised a hand. “Why these two cities? What about the rest of Alveron?”

“My apologies Teressa, but that information is restricted. What I can tell you is that they’ve succeeded in a number of other cities already—only Elenvine and Nordric are left.”

A stillness came over the room. Hump leaned forward, absorbing every word.

“Has it been confirmed that the warlocks achieved their objective in the other cities?” Marcela asked.

“It has.” Anara continued, her tone grave. “And now intelligence suggests that the warlocks are consolidating their forces. Their attack on our cities was devastating but spread them thin. If they unite those forces within the Remnant Relam and bring them to bear on one of their remaining targets, they could amass a substantial army. While the element of surprise is no longer theirs, their strength is undeniable. This is why our stance as the military is to act swiftly and decisively.

“Which leads me neatly onto why you have been asked her today. Many of you are Chosen—here on order of the Pantheon and your king—but there are others here that are adventurers or otherwise outside that system. For those that accept, your quest will be to conduct reconnaissance within the Remnant Realm. Map the terrain, locate any warlock strongholds and other points of interest, and provide the information we need to mount an offensive. Now before we get to the details, does anyone wish to leave?”

Nobody moved.

Anara smiled. “Then are there any questions?”

Hump raised his hand, as did many others around the room. To his surprise, Anara singled him out first.

“What’s the timeline for deployment?” Hump asked.

“Within the next two weeks. Our Chosen of Loften and wizards are developing an artifact that will allow us to map out the Remnant Realm effectively. Once it is ready, it will allow us to map out the area simply by exploring and then combine your findings into a master map. Our orders are to wait for it to be ready.”

Hump listened for a while as the other members of the room requested more information. Much of their focus was on identifying what the warlocks were after, but Anara remained steadfast, revealing only that it was located in the Elenvine temple district.

Bud lowered his hand as Anara nodded in his direction. “Has there been news from Fort Nordric?”

“Daily reports have come in from Chosen of Vesta stationed there,” Anara said. “The city remains secure. A contingent arrived from the Infernal Halls today and will be returning to Elenvine to provide reinforcements.”

Hump wondered if Wizard Aldric would be amongst them. He supposed it depended on the state of the fortress. The wizard wouldn’t prioritise Hump’s introduction to the Three Eyes over the defence of one of only two remaining seals.

Once questions were over, Anara continued with her update on the situation, relaying news on warlocks located within Elenvine. They had been increasing patrols in the poorer districts of the city, trying to identify recruitment locations, as well as to search for any other hideouts they had across the city. The warlocks could be identified by a black stone they carried, much like in Sheercliff City, however the detector that Hump had helped to create no longer functioned. Something had changed.

There was a sense of unease in the room as the meeting drew to a close. The lack of information was concerning, but Hump supposed they had to start somewhere. General Korteg hadn’t arrived, which left Hump wondering about when they could claim their rewards. He understood that the man was likely busy, but he didn’t work for free. The session ended with a quiet dismissal, leaving Hump to mull over the implications of everything they’d discussed. At the end of the day, he wasn’t opposed to scouting the Remnant Realm. It might be desolate, but if the ancient temples had survived, it made him wonder what else might have.

He would need to see if the Book of Infinite Pages contained any information on the subject now that he had removed some of its restrictions. There was also the library in the lich’s phylactery—another task for him to get Walt onto.

“You all go ahead,” Bud said. “I want to see if Anara can arrange for a message to be sent to Fort Nordric. I want to know what the situation with my company is.”

“I’ll come with you,” Emilia said.

“Ask about the armoury,” Hump said. “We’re owed some shiny new equipment before we go jumping into other realms again.”

As the others began to filter out of the room, Wizard Jentris approached Hump. His eyes went to the silver streak of hair catching the essence stone light. She was younger than he would have guessed from the stories, perhaps in her late twenties. With her was the man Hump recognised as the wizard he’d seen wandering outside earlier, whose gaze seemed to linger on Hump with peculiar intensity.

“Wizard Humphrey,” she said, offering him a smile. “A word?”

Hump nodded, curious.

“I am still eager to have our chat,” she said. “I thought we might do so over a tour of the academy. I can show you our archives, lecture halls, research facilities, and training grounds.”

Hump tried to hide his nervousness as he replied. “It would be a pleasure, Wizard Jentris. I’ve been curious about Elenvine Academy since my youth.”

“You have never been?” she asked, surprised. “I assumed with your skills you would have studied there at some point, even if only as an affiliate. No matter. I have an opening three days from now for lunch. I’ll take you to the cafeteria. You will be amazed at what chefs can do when they have access to magic.”

After she left, Hump’s party looked at him interestedly.

“What was that about?” Dylan asked.

“She recognised me when we were in the warlock stronghold,” Hump said. “Told me she wanted to speak after the battle. I guess this is that.”

“Is that right?” Celaine said with a smirk.

“What?” Hump asked. “Free lunch!”