Soul of the Warrior

Laughter filled the air as Reivyn caught up with Teilon and Kimberly. He didn't leave Kefira out of the conversation, but she was just as interested in learning about her man's best friends, too. Teilon regaled them with tales of his exploits over the years, clawing his way up to an Epic Tier 4 Class as a kid who started off in the lowest of the low tier Regions.

The procession didn't normally officially stop for lunch, but Reivyn made an exception. They took the opportunity of meeting up to have an extended break, and he ordered the officers to let everyone know they could break out some of their food other than travel rations and enjoy a meal. The group sat around an impromptu campfire as they conversed and ate their fill.

Teilon's stories of how they had trained and delved Dungeons across Tier 2, 3, and 4 Regions started off fairly tame. He was cognizant of Refix's presence, and he often glanced at the man while telling his tale. When Refix didn't say anything but only smiled and nodded, he slowly got more and more exaggerated in his retelling of their exploits. At one point, even Kimberly rolled her eyes at him.

"There we were, facing off against several of ogres in the labyrinth. Kimberly and I had been cautiously advancing around the maze, hoping to avoid getting entangled with more than one or two at a time. Sometimes luck just isn't with you, though, ya know? We turned the corner and four of them just happened to be standing there at the same time. We didn't despair, though. We had killed dozens of ogres already.

"We squared off against them, Kimberly getting their attention with her spear dancing, and I flitted through the openings to dish out some damage. We were in for a long battle of attrition where one misstep could lead to serious injury for either of us. We had been preparing for this for years, though, and we didn't back down.

"Everything was going well, and we were slowly whittling them down, when all of a sudden, the screeches and scampering of those little blue devils intruded on our senses. A horde of those enhanced goblins came screaming around the corner. Did we falter, though?"

"You did," Kimberly interjected at the perfect time.

Reivyn snorted at Teilon's offended look as he sat back and brought a hand up to his chest.

"Wha-?"

"You stuttered your step and almost got brained by one of the ogres," Refix pointed out, grinning at Teilon. His sharp canines seemed to give his smile the look of a predator pouncing on its prey. "I had to step in to block the follow-up blow, and the rest of the team took care of the goblins, anyway. I guess you forgot that I was there for that one." Refix chuckled.

"Oh, come on!" Teilon looked up to the sky and sighed. "Can't I have a little glory? It was a minor misstep that we almost immediately recovered from and turned into victory."

"Sure, sure, you did well," Refix agreed. "I don't deny that, but it wasn't all rainbows and roses."

"Any way," Teilon punctuated the word, "We managed to press on to the eighth floor of The Descent for the first time on that delve. Without Refix and the main members of the team, though, we've only gone down to the fifth floor consistently over the past couple of months."

"The eighth floor, you say?" Reivyn asked. "How many floors does The Descent have?"

"Your mother and I have made it to the twentieth floor," Refix answered the question for Teilon. "There were records available at the Adventurers Guild in the city we found that Dungeon. Some of the papers talk about magical analysis done on the Dungeon, and their hypothesis is that there are a couple hundred floors. Another paper is the record of a Tier 7 retired Imperial delving as deep as he could one last time before he got too old to continue adventuring, and he made it to floor sixty. That's the deepest delve on record."

"This is the Dungeon you have the key to?" Reivyn quirked an eyebrow. "When were you planning on telling me about it?"

"You never asked," Refix shrugged his shoulders. "We would have explained it to you before you went on your first delve with us into the Dungeon, though."

"The interesting thing about The Descent is it's like a Dungeon within a Dungeon," Teilon said animatedly. Reivyn found that he was always excited when he talked about Dungeons. "Your father's key leads directly to the floor of the Dungeon where the entrance to The Descent is located. It's actually tied to The Descent and not the other Dungeon.

"There's evidence to suggest that The Descent itself exists in multiple Dungeons across multiple Regions. We might be able to encounter a different entrance to the same Dungeon in one of these other Tier 4 Regions."

"Ok, but, why?" Reivyn questioned his friend. "We have a key."

"I'm just saying," Teilon rolled his eyes. "Don't you find that interesting? A Dungeon in a Dungeon, possibly connected to yet more Dungeons? Seems like it's something that would interest you."

"It is interesting, and coupled with my experiences and things I know about Dungeons, I can see how it could work. Can one use The Descent to travel between different Regions, you think?"

"I don't think so," Teilon shook his head. "There seems to be some sort of way the Dungeon keeps track of where you enter from, and there aren't any records of other exits deeper in the Dungeon. I guess it's theoretically possible, but I wouldn't know how it would work."

"What do you think?" Reivyn turned to Kefira.

"I might be able to figure something out if I go down there and analyze the Mana signature of the Dungeon with my Space Affinity," Kefira nodded her head. "I can't guarantee I'll be able to do so, though, and even if I can, my Skills might not be high enough, yet. Tinkering with natural Dungeons would require some high-Level Space Affinity."

"You'll get the chance, soon," Refix said. "We might as well take the time to do some Dungeon Delves after we get back to Wispan. The rest of the mercenaries will also require some time to run the Dungeons near the capital to fulfill that end of the bargain they received when signing up for the mercenary company."

"Yeah, and you guys got a nother batch of potential mercenaries training and hopeful for a spot in the company right now," Teilon added.

"Oh? There's more recruits training in Willowan?" That was news to Reivyn. He had set up the school to train youngsters in the capital city, but he hadn't left any orders to train additional recruits for the company itself.

"Seems like a good idea, actually," Refix said. "Think about it. I bet a lot of the mercenaries we have right now will consider this expedition enough for their Life Experience. They're Adventurers. Most of them aren't going to want to be mercenaries for the rest of their lives. A good portion of them are going to get their pay, run their Dungeons, and then go back to what they're used to."

"And we'll need to replace them with more mercenaries before we can take on another commission," Reivyn realized. "Huh, I really messed up. I didn't plan far enough in advance to take that into account. Luckily, someone in Wispan has their head on their shoulders right and took care of the issue before it became a problem."

"They had to," Teilon said. "Word of your mercenary company has spread and Adventurers from all across different Regions are teleporting into Wispan for a chance to join. If they didn't at least set up the training regimen, there might have been a mutiny on their hands."

"Do you know anything about it?" Reivyn asked Kefira.

"Your mother set it up," Kefira confirmed. "I've been keeping tabs on the ones that stayed behind, and when it started getting a little out of hand I brought it up to your mother. She just told me she would take care of it. It was a way for her to feel close to you and your father, and since I'm actually coming with you, I let her do it."

"Are you going to be able to afford it? What's your remuneration for this commission look like?" Teilon asked.

"I paid the costs out of pocket, but the payment we'll get for completing this contract is definitely going to be enough," Kefira said. "It's in escrow with the Adventurer's Guild just in case something unexpected happens. We can withdraw it from any branch at any time after the contract is over."

"Escorting these Conscripts to the capital is the last official order on the contract," Reivyn said. "Once they get there, the contract will be considered complete."

"Do you have to check-in with someone to verify?" Kimberly asked.

"Nope," Reivyn shook his head. "The contract is System enforced. It's a good contract."

The group continued to laugh and joke around as they finished their meal. Reivyn suddenly got a strange feeling in his chest. It felt like a dull thrumming of his Danger Sense, but it was incredibly faint and felt slightly off. He looked around, inspecting the distant tree lines, but he didn't get any other direction from the strange feeling. It felt off somehow, but Reivyn couldn't put his finger on it.

He glanced around at his companions. They were all still laughing and smiling, but Reivyn's face shifted into a frown. Looking at them each in turn, he got a slightly different feeling thrum in his chest. It was strongest when looking at Kefira and only slightly less intense when looking at his father. Refix noticed him frowning while looking at him, and the smile on his face instantly fell off.

"What's the matter?" Refix asked, concerned.

"I don't know," Reivyn shook his head. "I don't know how to describe it. Anyway, lunch is over."

Reivyn stood up suddenly, surprising the others who hadn't noticed the shift in his demeanor.

"It's time to go. Right now," he said. "Let's clean up and get back on the road."

Nobody asked any further questions after looking at his face. They all stood up and began to tidy up. One of Reivyn's biggest stipulations for everyone in the mercenary company, his own companions included, was to leave the environment as close to as how they found it as possible. He had the men even break down the palisades and fill the moats in the mornings after camping for an evening.

Word was passed to the officers, and the entire procession was on their feet and ready to move within minutes. The Imperial Bodyguards were tasked with protecting Kefira on the road, and since they were still technically on the road, they fell in under Reivyn's command quite easily. They weren't going to become his personal cavalry unit for the procession, but they would do what he said in regards to their mission.

"Tell the officers to move the men at double-time," Reivyn instructed the runners.

The mercenaries took off to the front, middle, and rear of the procession to inform the officers. In a couple of moments, the call to move at double-time reverberated across the long line of soldiers. The Conscripts and mercenaries began to jog at double their previous pace, maintaining their March Skill. It was a little stressful for the Conscripts who didn't have as much experience and Skill Levels as the mercenaries, but they would quickly gain Levels in the Skill and adapt.

They might even unlock Forced March from this, Reivyn thought. He hadn't planned on pushing them enough to unlock the Skill, but he felt it was necessary after getting that strange feeling.

Immediately after getting everyone to move down the road a quicker pace, the thrumming in his chest reduced by almost 90%.

There's definitely something coming our way, Reivyn thought.

"Dad, I had some sort of weird Danger Sense thrumming in my chest," Reivyn turned to Refix to explain. "It doesn't feel like it normally does, though, so that's why I had a hard time articulating it. Once we started jogging, the sensation reduced to almost nothing. I think there's something coming our way, so we need to be prepared and on the lookout for it."

"Sure," Refix said. He didn't question his son's premonition at all. He trusted his son's instincts, and he was more thankful than skeptical.

Even if nothing happens, dad will just chalk it up to a good training experience, Reivyn chuckled to himself.

Kefira, Serilla, Teilon, and Kimberly had all fallen in next to Reivyn and Refix. They had arrived on horseback, but they had the Stats to move at their current pace for a long time. Even if their physical Stats couldn't match Reivyn or Refix's, their Stats were considerably higher than the Conscripts'. The Imperial Bodyguards didn't question Reivyn's decision, and they just matched the pace alongside the procession nearby.

They weren't the only new additions to the crew, though. Kefira had showed up with her maids and a couple of others who were dressed like Casters. The boy who had tried to get in Reivyn's face for speaking to Kefira in a familiar tone earlier was one of them. He had gotten back on his horse and brought it over to the group with Kefira's head maid trailing behind.

"What's the meaning of this?" He demanded, glaring at Reivyn. "You're going to run your men ragged, and we were promised the opportunity of participating in combat when we came along. We're just going to turn around and head back to the capital?"

"Who's this chuckle-head?" Reivyn ignored the young man and turned to Kefira.

"That's Oryin," she replied. She tried to give a warning look to the young man, but he deliberately didn't notice it. "He's the direct Disciple of the Court Magus and the son of a baron. He has a certain status in the Imperial Court."

"I see," Reivyn said. He turned to look at the young man in the face for the first time. "This is a military operation. l'm in command. You being a part of Lady Kefira's entourage means you're now under my command, as well. Do what I say, and don't question my authority again. Don't think for a minute I won't charge you with insubordination."

Oryin puffed up, his face turning red.

"I'm under your command? You, a mere liaison? I'm not under the command of Princess Kefira, so what makes you think you have authority over me as her liaison? I would love to see you try anything against me."

Oryin's body crackled with power as he drew on his Mana in a way Reivyn assumed the man thought was intimidating.

Reivyn ignored it.

Using his own Mana, Reivyn channeled a Mana Whip into existence and lashed it out at the young man on horseback. It whipped through the air at incredible speed and wrapped around the boy's neck. Reivyn used his willpower to easily suppress the Mana in Oryin's body, preventing him from bringing it forth any further than his impotent display.

Oryin started to raise his hands to his neck to grasp at the Mana whip, but Reivyn didn't give him the opportunity. He pulled, physically and with his Mana, on the whip. Oryin's eyes went wide and he flailed about with his arms as he was yanked through the air directly to Reivyn. Reivyn dismissed the Mana whip and replaced it with his hand around the boy's throat.

He stared into Oryin's eyes as he released a little of his Bloodlust Aura. Oryin's face went white as a sheet, his fingers grasping at Reivyn's hand that was like an iron vice. He didn't choke the young man, but he did suppress him ruthlessly.

"Do. Not. Question. Me. Again." Reivyn punctuated each word. "I don't care who you are or what you're capable of. You're nothing to me. If I tell you to do something, you do it. If you fail to do it, or you throw another childish tantrum, I'll have you strung up and flogged. Do you understand?"

Reivyn had never stopped jogging during the entire commotion. He was still moving along with the procession while holding onto Oryin with one hand. The boy was being dragged along the road as Reivyn warned him.

Oryin continued to scrabble ineffectually at Reivyn's hand. He didn't speak up, but Reivyn was preventing him from speaking with his grip. He wasn't actually choking the arrogant young man.

Reivyn shook his hand, rattling Oryin's body back and forth.

"I'm talking to you!" Reivyn said.

"I understand!" Oryin finally replied.

Reivyn released his grip and Oryin collapsed to the ground. He was quickly left behind where he laid, the Conscripts looking at him with wide eyes as they jogged past. He was till within Reivyn's range of Divine Sense, so he saw him stand up and dust himself off. He glared daggers at Reivyn's back, but he didn't do anything about his indignation. He quickly jogged forward to catch up with his horse and get back in the saddle. He didn't stick around near Reivyn any longer and rejoined the other Mages that had come along with Kefira.

The head maid didn't go with him. She stayed near Kefira in case she had need of calling upon her. She did give Reivyn a disapproving look, though, which Reivyn promptly ignored.

"Heh, heh," Serilla chuckled.

"What are you laughing at?" Kefira asked. She didn't give Reivyn a disapproving look, but she wasn't as amused by the situation as Serilla apparently was.

"He called him a chuckle-head," Serilla snorted. "I can't think of a better description for him, and he finally put him in his place."

"Put him in his place? I understand he was out of line with questioning Reivyn like that, but you seem to have a different meaning behind your words."

"You remember those rumors?" Serilla asked.

Kefira scrunched up her face in thought. After a moment, she got a look of revelation on her face.

"Yeah. It seems like he's let those rumors go to his head, and even he's starting to believe them, now. You've been so focused on Reivyn that you haven't noticed."

"Really? Are you sure?"

Serilla just rolled her eyes.

"What's this now?" Reivyn perked up at their conversation. "What rumors are these?"

Serilla looked at him then glanced at Kefira. She was clearly indicating for Kefira to explain on her own. Kefira sighed as she faced Reivyn.

"A bunch of the commoners have started rumors that he and I are engaged," she said. Reivyn didn't explode with outrage or anything. He continued to look at Kefira calmly, waiting for her to continue. "I've been required to go to a bunch of social events with him, and I guess seeing us together often has caused some misunderstandings. Serilla is saying he's begun to believe he's an actual contender for my hand and views you as a rival."

"I see," Reivyn simply said.

"You don't seem too concerned," Kefira said with a smile.

"The kid's a clown," Reivyn rolled his eyes.

He wasn't keeping his voice down, but Oryin and the other Mages were too far away to hear their conversation. He wouldn't have cared either way.

"If I want someone to perform some parlor tricks at our wedding, maybe I'll pay attention to him," Reivyn said.

Kefira laughed and Serilla snorted.

"That guy thinks he can compete with Reivyn?" Teilon spoke up. "Does he know anything about him?"

"Just that he's a liaison for Kefira," Serilla said.

"Oh, I can't wait until we get back to Wispan," Teilon chuckled.

"Why's that?" Reivyn asked.

"Guaranteed that guy challenges you to a duel or something," Teilon snickered. "Right now, you've convinced him he's under your military authority. Once we get back to Wispan, that goes away. You've ruffled his feathers, and he apparently thinks too highly of himself. This is gonna be fun."

Reivyn chuckled along with his friend. If there was one thing he wasn't worried about, it was a duel from someone in his own age range.

The conversation lulled after that, and the procession continued moving along the road at a jog. If the Conscripts hadn't been given the opportunity to participate in several battles and accumulate Experience and Levels, they would have never had the Stats to keep up with their pace. The speed they were moving at now would have been closer to a sprint for them before they had changed Classes.

Reivyn reminded the officers to keep an eye on their Stamina levels, but he pushed them further than he did when they were just Marching regularly. Each time they stopped for a quick ten minute break, the Conscripts had to catch their breath. The mercenaries were still fine, as well as Reivyn's group and those on horseback.

The hours went by and evening eventually came. Reivyn pushed the men longer than he had the previous days, and it was almost completely dark when he finally called a halt for the evening. Instead of letting the mercenaries teach the Conscripts Woodcraft and participate in erecting the fortifications, Reivyn and the others simply participated with their magic to get the job done as quickly as they could. There wasn't a need to get set up so quickly, necessarily, but it allowed the troops just a little bit extra time to rest.

They kept the pace up for the remainder of the journey back to the capital. Reivyn never let his guard down, and neither did Refix. The others weren't able to maintain their vigilance perfectly for such an extended period of time, but they wouldn't be caught completely unawares. Even with knowing one had to keep a look out, it was hard without the combat experience etching the lessons in blood into oneself.

They had been over half-way to the capital when they met up with Kefira and her group, and it only took another three days to reach the capital. The thrumming in Reivyn's chest continued to slowly increase as time moved on, and he breathed a sigh of relief as the walls to the distant capital finally came into view. There was still a couple of miles to go in the open country to reach the relative safety of the capital, but it seemed like they were going to make it without much incident.

The thrumming in Reivyn's chest shifted to the sharp pinging of Danger Sense, though, and he glanced behind himself. An almost equal distance away in the opposite direction, Reivyn spotted four dots against the horizon. He zeroed in with his Eagle Eye Skill, and he saw that they were some of the same cloaked figures they had previously run into from the invaders.

"Run! Run, run!" Reivyn used Commanding Shout. "Get these men into the city!"