Spiritbound [Spirit Magic, Military, Progression] (Book 1 Complete)

"Enough of your excuses!" Carl slammed the palm of his hand on the wooden desk. Splinters and cracks spread through the surface at a thunderous speed. The books on the shelves shook, falling to the floor with a heavy thud. "Do you have any idea how badly this loss cost us?"

"Roughly two thousand soldiers and two hundred knights." The quiet voice came from a man with his head down low. His white cloak hardly moved and the bright blue embroideries seemed to have aged with time.

"So you know, and this is all you can do?" Carl glared at the brown-haired man before him. "Do you have anything to say, Nox?"

Nox looked up, meeting the commander's gaze with his violet eyes. "I have no words, sir."

Carl felt a sharp pain hammer the side of his head. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. They had lost half the platoons in the plan, and the only ones that retreated in time were the Thirtieth and Thirty-First. It was a devastating failure compared to their initial defense. Most of the Empire's forces involved with the assault on the fourth sector had gotten through unscathed.

He couldn't even begin to describe his frustration at the current situation. Nox had suggested a plan that left him hesitant, but the other captains of the platoon gave their approval. If he had known that the Empire's forces had a barrier artifact with them. Then he would have scrapped the entire plan before setting it in motion.

"You were one of my most trusted advisors. I knew your father from a young age and watched you grow into an exceptional individual." Carl sat down in his chair and covered his face with the palm of his hand. "How is it you blundered this severely?"

Nox kept his head down. "I made a mistake."

"A mistake isn't enough to describe such a thing." Carl leaned back in his chair. The light in his eyes dimmed, and a heavy aura pressed on Nox's shoulders. Yet, the advisor remained composed with no signs of breaking down.

But it was at that moment, fierce screaming could be heard from outside the office. Carl raised a brow at the commotion. Steps were drawing close,r and the sound of metal striking metal entered his ears. They were within the depths of the high castle. The one area where the fortress's defense was strongest. For the Empire to push this far was impossible. However, Carl knew better than to hold on to blind faith.

He placed his hand on the hilt of his blade. The shouting grew louder, and soon the wooden door burst open, slamming against the wall with a thunderous bang. Carl stared at the guards knocked out on the floor and the two watchmen who pushed the others aside.

"You goddamn bastards!" Ray burst in screaming at the top of his lungs. His ragged breathing and bloodshot eyes caused Carl to hold his tongue.

The commander could tell that the two men before him were fuming with rage. One was like an open book, the other was silent, but deep within was a storm that hadn't settled.

"What can I do for you, fine gentlemen?" Carl asked.

"You—" Ray shook off the guard who grabbed onto his ankle and kicked him aside. "Can start off by telling me why the fuck you ordered the inner gates to be closed!"

"The inner gate?" Carl's eyebrows pinched together. "What do you mean? I never gave the order to seal the inner gates."

"Bullshit, then who did?" Ray approached Carl's desk and slammed his hand hard on the surface. "You locked our comrades out before they even had the chance to enter!"

Carl slowly turned to Nox, a sharp glint lingering in his eyes. "What is the meaning of this?"

"Was it you?" Ray turned to Nox and grabbed the fabric of his ivory cloak. "Did you fucking order them to seal the gates and lock out Captain Welford and Captain Morgan?"

Nox felt himself lift off the floor, but held his ground. "I had no choice. It was the only option to preserve the rest of our forces without endangering—"

Before he could finish his sentence, Ray's fist crashed into Nox's jaw, cutting him off in an instant. He flew backward from the blow, only to be caught by Eric.

Eric glared at Nox, holding him upright. Ray raised his fist once more, but before he could swing. A powerful aura forced everyone in the room to kneel. They struggled to turn their heads, but it was clear who it came from. Carl rose from his chair with his arms crossed.

"Enough." Carl walked towards them. "There will be no more infighting."

Ray gritted his teeth and fought back. Barely rising to his feet while staring Carl down. "Do you think this bastard deserves to be alive?" He forced those words out of his mouth as the pressure grew stronger. "This fucker has single-handedly sent our brothers to their deaths, and you want us to stop?"

Carl glanced at Nox with eyes filled with disappointment. The advisor was gasping for air, and Carl knew the watchmen had to stand down before he retracted his killing intent. "He will be dealt with, for now, I need you two to remain composed."

"Composed?" Eric coldly chuckled before standing. "Commander, with all due respect, do you have any idea what morale is like at the fourth inner gate? Have you walked around and seen the expressions on the men's faces? The despair? The rage?"

A silence filled the room. Carl had been too occupied rallying the men on the other fronts to visit the fourth bastion. Left and right soldiers were dying one after another, and many of the captains had their hands full. To lose two platoons and four captains all in one day was a devastating loss. But the cause was none other than his childhood friend's son.

His friend, who stood with him through countless battles and skirmishes. A man he trusted with his life, and even though Carl swore he would take care of his comrade's son. He knew that the conflict had grown too deep.

There was no saving him. Nox had committed a sin, one he couldn't ignore. Carl gazed at the guards with sorrowful eyes. "Detain Advisor Nox and confine him within the cells of the castle. Your fate will be decided with the other advisors."

The pressure dissipated, and soon the guards entered the room. Nox was dragged away without a word, while Eric and Ray remained still. When they didn't move, Carl knew there was more on their minds. He slowly exhaled and gestured at the empty chairs before his desk. "Take a seat. It seems we have much to discuss."

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"Hm…" Brian pondered for a moment, thinking about what Tucker had just said. A relic? There were plenty of relics in the Everheart Kingdom, but none that would cause a war. "I don't know, to be honest. This is the first time I've heard of such a thing."

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Captain Welford gazed at the tired men in the main chamber. He sat on the stone steps, his eyes staring into the distance. "There's much we don't know about this war. We need information, something that'll give us an advantage."

The dim lanterns barely lit up the room, and all the soldiers were resting with their weapons firmly in their hands. They had dragged the bodies out and laid them out before the storage building. It was a reminder of the Empire's failed attempt and a sign that they were still here. Alive and well.

"Jones, how is the situation with our comrades?" Tucker asked.

"They're good, Captain. Everyone has been given food and water. There's no shortage of supplies, and their equipment has been repaired or replaced," Jones replied.

"Everyone? Including the prisoner?"

"Ah… almost everyone."

Tucker took out two pieces of beef jerky and a small canteen of water from his leather pouch. "Give this to the prisoner."

The soldiers around them froze. Jones hesitantly stared at the rations held out by his captain.

"Are you sure?" Jones asked.

"We need the prisoner to at least be able to talk when questioned." Tucker dismissed the gaze. "If we want to tip the scales in our favour, we need every last bit of information we can get. That being said, I have a plan that requires each and every single one of you."

"Oi, Jones you heard the captain." Nemo pushed Jones forward with a smirk. "What's the plan?"

The sun had set beyond the horizon, and in a few more hours it would be night. They knew the Empire's forces had occupied the surrounding buildings, but that didn't matter. Many soldiers of the Twenty-eighth and Ninth had lived in this area for years, so they knew the layout like the back of their hand.

Tucker took out a small piece of white chalk from his pouch and began marking the floor in the center. Several rectangular boxes and wide streets were drawn. Then, the alleyways, various points of interest, and finally, the storage building.

"We know the Empire's forces have us surrounded." Tucker pointed at all the adjacent buildings. "But we can't keep defending. Our losses will only increase."

"So what are you proposing? That we attack them?" Brian asked.

Tucker nodded. "We need to strike them before they fully settle in."

"That's… insane," Wilfred pointed out. "There's no way for us to know how many of them are in each building."

"Their numbers don't matter. It's the effect we're after." Tucker marked the buildings. "We need to put them on alert, remind them who it is that lurks in the night."

Brian stared at Tucker and then at the other knights. He understood his intentions, but that didn't mean he could agree to such a risky plan. It was practically suicidal and there was no telling what was in those buildings. Even those from the other platoons were speechless. The only ones who believed in the plan were those from the Thirty-First.

"I don't need everyone to participate, just a handful of skilled soldiers," said Tucker. "Those who were hunters or have some experience sneaking around."

Nemo raised his hand. "I'm down for the adventure, Captain."

"Would Jones also be joining us?" asked Tucker.

"I can convince him."

"Are there any others that want to join us?" Tucker looked around the room, but no one raised their hands. Even Brian was silent. "Alright, then it'll just be the three of us. In that case, we need as much information as possible."

Tucker took the chalk and drew several lines to the nearby buildings. "Does anyone have any suggestions to get to these buildings?"

"Ya can't use the streets," one of the knights said. "Those bastards have lights on their side. They would see ya once you're halfway through."

Murmurs and whispers broke out one after another as they discussed the possible options. They could try to break the lights, but it would only raise suspicion and put them on guard. Another pitched the idea of sprinting through before the Empire's forces noticed them. However, it was quickly silenced by the other soldiers.

"Then what about the sewers?" Nemo jokingly asked with a grin. "It smells like shit so I doubt people would go down there but if it's like the ones near our barracks then we can reach the other side easily."

Tucker and the other soldiers all stared at Nemo with blank expressions.

"What?" Nemo stood straight and returned the gazes. "Not good?"

"No… it might work actually." Wilfred grabbed a piece of blue chalk from the floor, along with the others from the Twenty-Eighth.

Together, they began drawing a series of lines and paths overlapping the city. It was a rough sketch at best, but the general idea was there. A series of tunnels connected the streets together, and with the way the drains and sewage system were set up, countless paths were available.

"Are we sure this is as accurate as possible?" Wilfred asked his comrades, who shrugged.

"Whether it's accurate or not, we'll just have to find out when we start." Tucker turned to Brian. "I trust you'll hold the fort while we move out?"

"Without a doubt," Brian replied.

Tucker shifted his gaze to Wilfred, "Could you and a few others help lead us in the sewers?"

"It would be our pleasure, Captain Welford," Wilfred said.

"Alright, then let's get some rest. We'll move out in the dead of night." Tucker glanced at the floor map one final time. He had memorized it, but he couldn't trust memory alone. "Nemo, see if you can convince Jones to join us."

"On it." Nemo saluted and immediately took off. The sound of Nemo's footsteps grew distant, leaving the other soldiers and captains in the chamber to themselves.

There was always a chance for failure—Tucker knew that. But fear couldn't be the thing that decided their next move. They needed to act and strike while the enemy was still unprepared. He had hoped the knights would join them, but from their grim expressions, that wouldn't be the case. And if they didn't believe in the plan, they likely wouldn't follow it. All that was left now was to wait until nightfall and see if Nemo and Jones could pull through the upcoming challenge.

But in the back of his mind, there was a doubt.

They were fighting an uphill battle, desperately trying to gain ground against the Empire. Barely scraping by, and if this decision was a mistake, then many more people would lose their lives. This wasn't like his first mission with the bandit hideout. Back when he was reckless and overconfident. Now, each move needed to be precise. The men were relying on him to be the pillar that kept them standing, and he couldn't let them down.

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Jones let out a tired sigh. He placed the food and metal canteen in front of the prisoner, catching his glare. "You don't have to look at me like that."

"Why shouldn't I?" the knight retorted. "What's this? Poison?"

"Just some beef jerky and water," Jones replied.

"I'm your enemy, why the hell are you giving me food?"

Jones stared at the damp cobblestone room that had been converted to a prison cell. It was cold and lifeless. Once he shut the door, only darkness would be the knight's companion. There was no reason for them to give him food, and quite frankly, Jones didn't want to. However, Tucker had given him the order, and he would follow it.

"It wasn't me, but the Captain who gave the order," Jones said. "It's not poisoned, eat it if you want. Doesn't matter to me."

Without waiting for a response, Jones walked toward the open door. He glanced over his shoulder and watched as the knight glared back. It was normal to be skeptical, yet something about the knight's composure shook him. For a moment, it seemed as if the knight was prepared to die. Like they had already given up.

The young man scratched his dirty blonde hair and slowly exhaled. If that was him, would he also be like the knight? Or would he fight back even if it meant death? Jones didn't know and closed the door behind him with a soft click. The guards that were keeping watch saluted, resuming their duty.

Compared to the dimly lit cell, the brighter corridors were far more inviting. Yet as Jones walked down the hall, a familiar sight caught his attention.

"Yo." Nemo waved at Jones. "There's a plan in the works right now that needs your help."

Jones slightly frowned. "A plan? What type of plan?"

"One that involves crawling in the sewers to sneak past enemy lines."

"Ha!" Jones chuckled for a second, but soon saw Nemo's expression. "Oh wait… you're serious? Who's the idiot that suggested that?"

"Dead serious, and it was my idea, by the way."

"Ah, that checks out. And the reason you're here… is it to recruit me?" Jones worriedly asked.

Nemo nodded with a grin.

"Hell no! There's no way I'm going to join!"

"Oh yeah? Even if I'm part of the team?" Nemo teasingly asked.

"Especially if you're part of the team!" Jones shouted, turning away from his friend while marching down the hall.

"Right… right, but what if…" Nemo paused for a moment. "What if our captain was also part of the team?"

Jones stopped. "What?"

"That's right, Captain Welford is leading it himself, and right now it's just the three of us."

"The three of us, you say?"

"Right, it'll be treacherous and grueling, but to do that with our captain. A watchman? It's like a dream come true." Nemo smirked and held out his hand. "So what do you say?"

Jones stared at Nemo's hand. Maybe it was stupid. Maybe it'd get them killed. But following their captain into the unknown? Fighting alongside a watchman on a stealth mission? It was like a dream come true.

He slapped Nemo's hand. "I'm in."