novelraw Chapter 35: Captured Again
Chapter 35: Captured Again
After crossing the river and resting for two days, the Ironwall Legion set out once more.
When they left that small forest, they saw a duchy outpost.
When the outpost soldiers saw such a disciplined force emerging from the woods in formation,
their hearts broke into panic and they immediately lit the beacons.
What surprised them was that this army, whose banner bore the shield-and-spear emblem, did not attack the outpost; instead, they claimed to be a duchy force.
After bringing the outpost captain over, Fabio presented his seal and the commission issued by the Allied Forces.
The captain could not tell if they were genuine, so he could only report to the border fortress.
A few days later, a cavalry detachment from the duchy arrived, led by a noble officer.
After inspecting Fabio’s seal and verifying some information, he said he too could not decide whether the Ironwall Legion could enter.
However, the noble officer offered that they could camp here temporarily; they would requisition some supplies from the fortress and lend them to the Ironwall Legion for the time being.That wait stretched into half a month. Fabio darkened with anger, suppressing the fury in his chest.
He was in a rotten mood. Following Henwil’s suggestion, he had stationed the army several kilometers outside the border fortress.
Snow began to fall, and still the duchy gave no reply.
Today he had to swallow his pride and beg the fortress general for supplies so his men could survive the winter.
But the other side claimed fortress supplies were scarce and there was nothing extra to spare; the previous two batches had been squeezed out by him alone.
Fabio knew he was lying—he was not a farmer; he understood the purpose of a border fortress.
It normally stored enough food to sustain a six-thousand-man legion plus logistics personnel—eight thousand people total—under siege for three years.
Fighting the urge to punch the man, Fabio politely refused the suggestion to quarter in the fortress for the winter and returned to his camp.
After telling Henwil what happened, Henwil said, “We still have plenty of money. I’ll take people to Iron Pit City to buy supplies and winter fuel. There’s no need to squabble with these petty men; they’re following orders from above. The one really choking us isn’t him—he lacks the courage and the authority to do something like this.”
Fabio sighed, “Sigh! We fought through life-and-death battles, and look at the treatment we get on return!”
Henwil thought to himself, well, you didn’t have the nerve! Did you expect to be welcomed back with a triumphal arch?!
Five days later Fabio asked the fortress commander, “Did you really not see my men?”
After getting a definitive answer, Fabio did not press further and returned to the main camp.
The next day Duwien returned with people and asked to see Fabio alone.
Fabio asked calmly, “Are you sure?”
Duwien nodded. “Sure! Henwil and the others were ambushed and killed; their bodies were mutilated. But we could tell they were our men—one body’s build... looked somewhat like Henwil!”
“Any traces?”
“...”
Fabio snapped his head up and demanded harshly, “Speak! Who did it?!”
“There are marks from the border fortress cavalry, some pieces of armor, and fragments of cloth—things the scouts use!”
Fabio was silent for a long moment. Duwien dropped to one knee. “Legion Commander! I will find out who killed Little Henwil. He saved my life more than once. I won’t let him die like this!”
Fabio rasped, “He saved me several times too! Now notify all officers to come to my tent for a meeting!”
Hundreds of officers crowded into the main tent.
Fabio scanned them and asked quietly, “Who are you?”
They looked at one another, uncertain what he meant.
Duwien stepped forward: “We are the Ironwall Legion!”
“We are the Ironwall Legion!”
Fabio nodded softly. “Yes! We are the Ironwall Legion! We are the Ironwall Legion that fought through blood and fire, cutting our way back from Plains City in the Ika Kingdom into the duchy!”
Fabio continued, “Then whose is the Ironwall Legion?”
This time the men answered in unison: “Yours, Legion Commander!”
Fabio drew his long sword. “Good! Our honor has been insulted. We fought the enemy and returned, and yet we are treated unjustly. No winter supplies, no winter quarters, no freedom of movement! They even ambushed our supply parties! I feel humiliated, I feel scorned! My Ironwall Legion has been wronged! How about you? What do you say we do?”
They had been holding their breath; one after another they drew long swords. “Fight!”
Fabio said coldly, “Send the order: whole army prepare. Tomorrow at dawn we enter the border fortress and disarm the garrison. If they resist, show no mercy!”
The troops roared agreement.
The next day, as the Ironwall Legion stormed into the border fortress, a hooded man watched Henwil slumped on the ground and said, “See? Isn’t this effect just perfect?”
Seeing Henwil silent, the hooded man chuckled. “Kid! I hear you’re clever. Now you know why Lord Fabio had you captured, right? He needed a reason to mobilize!”
Henwil said softly, “You’re Count Obiken’s man—sent to eliminate me as a threat! This wasn’t Fabio’s doing; he’s soft-hearted and wouldn’t do such a thing.”
A few days earlier Henwil had led a dozen guards to Iron Pit City to buy supplies, but on the road they were intercepted by scouts sent from the fortress.
Those scouts had orders to take Henwil to meet someone.
Henwil guessed it was to see a messenger of the duke.
He knew the duke wanted to use his words to negotiate terms with Fabio.
Before Henwil could respond, someone suddenly rose from among the cavalry’s shadows.
A few riders had no time to react before their throats were cut mid-ride.
Henwil realized he had encountered a dangerous opponent and called for his guards to form a defensive formation while sending out a distress signal.
But the signal flare was struck down before it flew.
Although Henwil’s accompanying soldiers were seasoned fighters, facing this ghost-like assassin they could not hold for long.
Henwil managed only a few moves before being disarmed and struck unconscious.
When he came to, he was already in a cave.
The man said nothing and gave no answers to Henwil’s questions.
He did not further injure Henwil, but he rifled through Henwil’s concealed items.
Every day he gave Henwil water and food, but he laced the provisions so Henwil could never regain his strength.
Only today did the man bring Henwil out of the cave to watch Fabio assault the border fortress.
At this point Henwil had already guessed his captor’s origin.