Chapter 115: A Calm Before the Storm

Aturs, Year of Severus, 15, I.R., the 47th day of Fall, Arenfall

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"We are already used to that." The man smiled. "Well met, my friends. I am the one they call Corvinus, child of the Orkamuu people. May Apholak bless you and protect you with his light!" Corvinus reached out for his hand and offered it to the both of them.

The beastman still couldn't help but stare at him.

Adaloun had no choice but to hit him in the belly with the back of his hand. The beastman winced as the pain slowly radiated on his stomach.

"I told you, don't stare." He whispered at his curious friend who snapped out from the visitor's tantalizing charm.

Corvinus smiled at him, "They couldn't help it. Please forgive him." The Orkamuu took the beastman's hand and shook it. "Well met, friend!"

After a brief interaction with the astounded beastman, the Orkamuu turned his attention to him. He extended a hand to him and waited to be answered in kind. Adaloun gracefully took his hand and clasped it but as he did, a sudden jolt of electricity rushed down his spine.

It was an odd sensation. It was something he had never felt before. The Orkamuu looked surprised and took some time for him to let go of his hand. The visitor's puzzled and amazed expression summed it all up.

"By Apholak's beard!" Corvinus smiled to him. "May the moon favor you in the darkness!" The Orkamuu greeted him differently. The visitor placed the back of his hand on his forehead, before bowing slightly and putting his hand to his chest.

It was a unique greeting that Adaloun had never seen before. The room erupted in whispers, as the Principalian hosts were confused of how the Auxillarum delegate greeted him. It was something that even the Knights nor the Royalty hadn't been greeted before. But Adaloun simply looked at him, confused and unmoving. Corvinus looked at him, baffled at his reaction.

"You don't know that greeting?" He asked.

Adaloun shook his head. He truly doesn't know.

"Hmmm," He stroke his chin and raised his eyebrow. "Interesting. Well met, friend." The Orkamuu's enthusiasm towards him suddenly dwindled. He walked away and left them at the tent's opening. 

Commander Crovar cleared his throat, "Are you done with this…introduction now, August?" He sternly asked his friend.

"Yes, I am, Syleon and you don't have to stress yourself with that." He answered.

Commander Crovar glared at Lord Prestonheim momentarily, before setting his attention on them. "Well, since you're here, I think we could start now." He took a deep breath, "What are you doing there? Come forward for crying out loud!" The old Commander ordered.

Adaloun gestured to Ulfaar and approached the group in the long table. There were parchments and leather maps scattered on the table. The prince genuinely made an effort of creating the maps and the strategies like he said he was going to that time he visited their campfire.

Lord Prestonheim handed him a copy of the map, "Here's your own map." The silver-haired Commander said. "You will be the main person responsible with guiding us once we go underground, but we're bringing maps along with us as well, incase we split up." He added.

He looked at the map. It was accurately drawn exactly based on what he told the prince. He traced the map with his fingers, recalling every step he made going in and out of the hole. The huge clearing inside the cave hosted another hole. He recalled how he got dragged into it and how he saw the gruesome secrets lying there.

He told most of them to the Prince and the Commanders but as for the other things he saw, he can't completely confirm whether it was a dream or not, so he chose not to mention it to them. The cave itself felt like another world, full of wonders and nightmares completely pressed underground. By the morrow, they will step into that abyssal delirium once more. He took a deep breath and bowed to the Prince.

"This is indeed of great accuracy, Prince Arterius." He put the map inside his satchel that he hung on his hip.

"Clearly we had spent our time staring at each other and this damned table rather than planning for tomorrow's descent." Commander Crovar interrupted. "Can we run through the plans now?"

Adaloun could see the exasperated face of the old Commander.

"Yes, indeed we shall!" Lord Prestonheim took over once again. The silver-haired Commander massaged the bridge of his nose, "The descent will be done by squad."

"Squad one will be composed of Adaloun, then one man from the auxillarum, one healer from Commander Crovar's ranks and seven of my men will follow you down." Lord Prestonheim said. "You will be the spear headers. Tristam will be joining you, he will lead the knights down there with you."

Adaloun notice that he was the only freed slave joining the first squad and it worried him. "What about my other comrades?" He asked.

Lord Prestonheim nodded, "We needed to separate the four of you. After seeing everyone's ability, It would be best to have one of you in each squad to get us higher chances of surviving this ordeal."

It was indeed a smart and efficient plan, although Adaloun hadn't seen his other comrades in action, he could feel that they were more adept than him when it comes to magic, especially the faerfolk.

"Do you have any questions about that?" The silver-haired Commander asked.

Adaloun shook his head. "I'm sorry to interrupt you, my Lord. But I have none."

Lord Prestonheim nodded and proceeded with the other squads' composition. The rest of his comrades were well spread out with the other teams along with Lord Prestonheim's trusted lieutenants and Auxillarum members.

"I also would like to request his Majesty, to let me join one of the squads." Commander Crovar requested Prince Arterius to let him go with them.

Prince Arterius looked at him sternly, "I'm afraid I have to decline that request."

"But, Prince Arterius, I can—" The old knight tried to reason out.

"No. I am sorry Lord Commander, but you are needed in the surface, I need you to defend it incase something go pop-out of the ground." The prince adamantly stated.

"He's right, Syleon, trust are brave men to claim this mission for Principalia's glory." Lord Prestonheim agreed. "We have talked about this already! You need to protect the Prince with me on the surface. Period!"

Commander Crovar wanted to rebut, unfortunately for him, he was met with the Prince's gaze scrutinizing him for his insistence. The old knight sighed and never mentioned it again.

Somehow, Adaloun remembered himself at the same spot as the Commander was a few reincarnations ago.  During that reincarnation he was a veteran soldier tasked to protect the royal family who started a war against another nation.

It was at the time of their last battle when he requested that he'd be a part of the battlefield, but the spineless king refused and asked him to stay at their side to protect them. That was the greatest blunders the royal family of that world ever did.

They lost the war and unfortunately lost the crown a few months later. He was deliberately exiled for not doing his job in the war by the cohorts of the crowned opposition and the family he protected were executed at the end of the war.

He felt the welling frustration of the old Commander trying to prove his worth and name to advance his nation. However, the Prince and Lord Prestonheim had a point. He was needed in the surfaces, incase some monsters or the House Bieroff decided to invite themselves in.

Lord Prestonheim sighed, "Syleon, please discuss the strategies. I don't want to hear another—"

"Understood, August." He begrudgingly answered. "I won't even dare mention that." He rolled his eyes.

Commander Crovar laid the plan as perfectly as he can. Adaloun and all the other participants listened closely as the veteran knight laid out the plan to the rest of them. The plan covered all the possible worst-case scenarios during the expedition, from ambushes, ground collapses and even unnamed plagues that might occur during the extraction of the riddled ores.

He also mentioned the weapons and pickaxes the dwarf had made for each squad. Albeit bitter about it, he read the ward's appraisal on the dwarf's handiwork and proved it to be genuinely sturdy and battle-grade, even the simple pickaxes he made.

He wished the dwarf could see the distorted face of the loathing Commander as he tried his best not to spit on the dwarf's work with the rest of them watching. It was a small victory that Adaloun was more than happy to tell the dwarf especially after all the insults and dirt thrown at his friend.

The meeting ended with not a single snag. They ended early before the hours of the Obscura. It was truly a calm night with only the moon shining in the sky. It was eerily quiet, too quiet and it seemed like it a storm was about to come.