Chapter 41: Expedition

Chapter 41: Expedition

Every time he stepped into the Vallum model, it felt like coming home. The way the armor flowed around him and responded to his movements like water was a constant source of amazement—though he knew it was unnatural. VAL enhanced the armor, making it better than Olivia or Garin's.

Both of whom were entering their own Armor. Colin was already packed and ready in the living space.

The air held nervous energy. Word circulated to the Academy about the trip, particularly about the contention between the Orders.

Usually, these two-week-long expeditions were more introductory affairs—some senior staff accompanied the caravan to conduct smaller missions, sure. Every time they prepared to leave the walls, the Order of the Verdant Oak aimed to maximize their expenditure of resources.

But this was something special. Grandmaster Oak broke tradition and extended the two weeks to three, then assigned half of the Order to the expedition.

No doubt, word had spread through the Orders of the Master Knight’s obsession with a white stag and the nightmares plaguing him. But Erec knew something lurked outside of their walls. Even with the number of people going with, it didn’t feel like nearly enough. If perhaps they’d had an army...

This was the purpose of their Order. To confirm and evaluate threats before they become a problem. Then organize and conduct operations to monitor the situation while the Kingdom prepared a response. And if a Master Knight had suspicions, most fell in line and went along with it.

Erec checked over the hatchets attached to either side of his Armor, comforted by the brutal war axe on his back. If he were to die here and fulfill what those shadows whispered in his ears, he’d do it while taking out as much as he could. His gaze drifted over to Garin, fussing over Olivia.

The last two weeks had been filled with his friend fawning over the girl and her flustered attitude over the attention. To call the love affair sickening would do it little credit. It also didn’t fit his image of his friend, who’d fluttered from girl to girl like a bird through the high branches of the trees in the bio-caverns. Honestly, the behavior was starting to worry him. What set Olivia so apart?

Erec grabbed him by the shoulder and gave Garin a slight shake. He was stopping her from finishing her preparations, and he didn’t wanna run late.

“Oh—uh,” Garin mumbled, pulling away from Olivia. “You ready, buddy?”

“As ready as ever.” Erec made sure to take Garin to the living room to give Olivia breathing space.

Colin gave them both a nod. “Prepared, are we? Did you bring rations along this time, rust bucket?”

Erec looked at his bag—stuffed full of survival equipment collected from the quartermaster a couple of days ago. And a couple of other tokens. Including the letter from his mother. It didn’t feel right to leave the walls without it this time, but he had indeed slipped in some extra food. But not for the reason Colin might’ve thought.

“I did. Are you going to freeze up when we run across bugs again, brat?” Erec asked

Colin scoffed and shook his head. “I doubt there shall be bugs.”

“You never know!” Garin coughed and shook his head, looking between the two.

“No, the only thing bugging me will be you two, I’m sure.” Colin shot back and... laughed. He laughed at his own bad joke.

Erec groaned. The only thing worse than Colin acting like a complete prick had been his sense of humor—something so buried away in that self-obsessed ego that they’d never seen it. But now that he’d been coming out of his shell...

“Get it?” Colin asked, his voice slightly raised as neither of them laughed.

The Cardinal scowled—and the weight of his judgment flooded over everyone as if the mere thought held a heavy strength. Still, before that oppressive onslaught of forced empathetic emotion, Boldwick didn’t waver.

Is this due to high Faith or does he have a Divine Talent?

“You shall be taking five of my priests and a contingent of Silver Flames Knights as their bodyguards.”

“By whose authority?”

“Grandmaster Flames has deferred to my judgment. The Goddess must have eyes on these events.”

Boldwick glanced back at the nervous caravan and then at the hardened line of Silver Flames Knights blocking their path. “You couldn’t have communicated this beforehand? Not to mention this is an Order of the Verdant Oak expedition—we’re the ones with authority on leaving these walls. Neither you, nor Grandmaster Flames, have any authority on who goes in and out.”

“We are here to ensure you do not commit sins, my child. Comply, and you shall not receive the ill-will of the church.”

Boldwick barked out a laugh. “What would you do if I told you to fuck off?”

The Cardinal stiffened, and another wave of contempt and disdain radiated off the man. Erec shuddered, but Boldwick still seemed unaffected.

“But fine. I don’t trust you, your church, or men that aren’t mine. I don’t want to cause any more of a headache for Grandmaster Oak. Order your men to pack their shit, and join my caravan. Though know this, out there—“ Boldwick jerked a finger towards the gate, “The other Master Knights and I are kings. Anyone that says or does something we disapprove of gets punished. This is not a political theater game; the wasteland chews men and women up without a second thought, especially now.”

The Cardinal didn’t seem to like that answer but didn’t offer a counter. At least not publicly, as whatever had been amplifying their conversation for the caravan to hear cut off.

Several priests broke away from the Knights and added their equipment to the steel wagons; they had no Armor, even if their bodyguards did. They had simple red robes like the cardinal, burnt at the edges but without elaborate jewelry.

It was said that when inducted into the church, a priest underwent a ritual. Though well kept, the results weren't. It made them immune to the scorching air and various invisible dangers that still infested parts of the wastes.

At least they didn't have to worry about the priests needing Armor.

With that confrontation dealt with, Boldwick pressed through the gate. The Knights of the Silver Flames parted like the great steel curtain to reveal a path out of the safe walls.

The Knights of the Verdant Oak left the kingdom, not bothering to wait for the priests and other Knights to fall in line with the caravan.

As a unit, they strode into the dead wastelands outside the walls. Into that dust bowl filled with alien life, hostile environments, and old-world ghosts that promised to haunt whoever dared to tread on their graves. To the west, where the sun would set.

[I wonder what condition the coast is in. A couple of our facilities were located there. Some contain research I’ve been unable to dig up with my limited remote access.] VAL mused and spilled secrets in his head. Erec looked forward. They said that water stretched along in a seemingly endless direction if they went far enough west. Not that any Knight had seen it, ever. Only history and old-world maps promised it.

Their troop made their way into the depths of the wasteland, diving ever deeper.

To where a White Stag waited in silence, its blood red eyes burning in the darkness.