The Devouring Knight

Eldric stepped forward with a faint smile. "Lumberling, Baron Roland has agreed to your conditions. We'll make it official with a signed contract later."

Lumberling turned his gaze to the Baron and gave a single nod.

Roland met his eyes. "Please, come inside. Rooms have already been prepared for you and your men. You must be tired from the road… and the fight." His voice was polite, but there was an undercurrent of careful respect.

"Thank you," Lumberling replied. He then turned to Aren and the other captains. "Help them with the reconstruction and clean-up."

Roland glanced toward him, surprised. "How courteous of you, Lord Lumberling. We appreciate the help."

The Baron gestured toward the city streets. "This way, I'll show you to your quarters."

They began walking through the battered streets. Everywhere they passed, people stopped what they were doing. Some froze in place, others ducked into doorways. Whispers spread quickly, low and tense.

Roland sighed, his tone apologetic. "Forgive them. They've been through too much. Victims of war tend to see danger everywhere… especially in those they don't understand."

"I understand," Lumberling said quietly. His eyes moved over the crowd, faces gaunt from hunger, clothes tattered from long months of hardship. Most were refugees, clinging to what little they had. Some watched with wide, fearful eyes, others gripped old tools or broken weapons as if those could protect them. Their hands trembled, but they didn't look away.

Lumberling said nothing more, but the sight stayed with him.

Lumberling's gaze swept over the streets again before he spoke. "You don't have enough people keeping order here. If things stay like this, it wouldn't take much for chaos to break out."

Roland's expression tightened. "I'm aware. I'd like to hire more guards, more hands for the work… but we're running on nothing. No coin means no new recruits."

The two walked in silence for a few steps. Then Lumberling said, "Let my people handle the city's defense."

Roland glanced at him sharply, caught off guard by the offer.

Lumberling continued, his tone even. "If this keeps up, hunger and fear will turn your own people against each other. Riots, theft, worse. We'll take care of outside threats, you focus on keeping order inside. And…" His eyes narrowed slightly. "Take the spoils from the last battle, the armor, weapons, food. Sell what you can, use the rest to feed them. Hungry people don't think about loyalty, only survival."

Roland stared at him for a moment, surprised that someone so young spoke with such direct understanding of leadership and unrest. He'd seen commanders older than him miss what this monster lord had grasped in a glance.

"Once again, I can't thank you enough," Roland said finally. He turned to Captain Derrek. "Spread our remaining men throughout the city. Keep the peace, no matter what."

Derrek straightened and saluted. "As you wish, Baron."

....

Inside Baron Roland's Office

The steady scratch of a quill filled the quiet room. Baron Roland sat behind his desk, signing and sealing document after document. On the table between him and Lumberling lay an official decree, one that would place the Duskpire Mercenaries under the Baron's banner.

Roland paused, looking almost uncomfortable before speaking. "If the empire questions me about… your people, I'll have to say they're my official slaves." His tone held both reluctance and shame. "It's the only way to make it legal under imperial law. Without that… they'd be hunted once discovered."

Lumberling leaned back in his chair, unfazed. "If that's what it takes. Titles don't matter to me. What matters is they aren't treated as enemies the moment they're seen."

Roland nodded slowly, relieved but still uneasy. With the final stroke of his quill, the documents were done, on paper, the monsters were now legal residents of the city, their presence protected by imperial law, even if under a cruel label.

Lumberling's eyes shifted toward the Baron. "What's the situation in the empire?"

Roland's face darkened. "Terrible. Sengolio has sent armies everywhere, burning and raiding. You saw their work here yourself."

Lumberling frowned. "Why? What do they gain from it?"

"They're forcing Pentaline to stretch its forces thin, and Sengolio isn't just after territory," Roland explained. "They want something. And the emperor's behavior… none of it makes sense."

"How so?"

"Instead of stopping Sengolio's army, he's pulled his troops to guard one specific region. It's as if…" Roland hesitated, "…as if he's protecting something. I just can't imagine what could be so important."

Lumberling's gaze sharpened, though he kept his expression unreadable. 'So the Baron doesn't know about the artifact. And the emperor… is he guarding it?'

Roland's voice pulled him back. "That's why so many cities and towns have fallen. Nobles and City Lords are on their own. If this continues…" He let out a heavy sigh. "…Pentaline empire will collapse."

...

Lumberling settled into the quarters the Baron had provided. It wasn't large, just a sturdy building near the inner walls, but it was enough for him and his men.

In one of the rooms, the faint scent of smoke from the earlier battle still lingered, drifting in through the cracked shutters.

One by one, his captains arrived, taking their usual spots around the table.

Skarn leaned forward, arms crossed. "What's the next move, my Lord? Are we staying in this city?"

"For now, yes," Lumberling replied. "We'll build our first base here. This will be our foothold."

Krivex spoke next, his tone thoughtful. "The Baron, he's a good man. Not naive either. I'd say he's worth keeping as our first human ally."

Lumberling gave a small nod. "Agreed. For now, we help stabilize this place. Have the golden eagles scout the surrounding area. Krivex, you'll take the archer squads and handle city defense. Keep an eye out for trouble inside the walls."

Krivex grinned faintly. "Understood."

"For the rest of you," Lumberling continued, scanning the room, "we'll be moving around the region. I want to know what's happening in the nearby towns and roads. If trouble comes, we deal with it before it reaches the gate."

The captains straightened, the air in the room charged with purpose. For the first time since they'd arrived, this city was no longer just another stop on their journey, it was becoming theirs to protect.

They just didn't know yet how quickly they'd have to prove it.