"My Lord... I welcome you to Watcher's Retreat."
Laris knelt on one knee and bowed before the imposing form of Richard von Petra, the general placed in command over the fort. Though Laris was not from Lord Petra's lands, he knew well of his battle prowess and ingenuity.
Laris was but a child fumbling in the dark when it came to the art of battle, especially when compared to the likes of Richard von Petra.
"Rise, Laris. I appreciate your consistent and thorough reports. You have done as well as could be expected with the lackluster troops you possessed. For now, I would like the current list of all remaining Marked Ones and their abilities. We shall incorporate them into my troops and attempt to match them with the platoons that suit them best."
"S-s-sir... truly?" Laris struggled to respond due to shock. He was expecting for Lord Petra to run the Marked Ones into the ground until nothing was left, then pick up where they left off.
"Yes. I understand Alorek does this, and it has shown a rather decent amount of success in various skirmishes. So, I shall try to do the same."
"I shall fetch the documents at once."
Laris looked to the group before him. Not only was there Lord Petra, but he also saw someone with similar eyes and hair that was likely a brother or cousin. He also recognized the massive seven-foot-tall frame of Commander Arturo.
Behind them were a shady looking group of characters. Two elves and a human. One elf was a woman with flowing black hair and amber-colored eyes.
Once he locked gazes with her, she smiled and stepped forward. "Hello, my name is Shiyani, a pleasure, Commander Laris."
His back straightened and the hair on his neck stood on end. This woman was very dangerous. She was also likely the assassin that would be eliminating the thorn in their side.
Shiyani grinned. "Why thank you. Don't mind if I do."
The elven woman pocketed a few pieces of the explosive crystal before moving throughout the rest of the equipment. Nothing else seemed to catch her eye, so they then moved on to the supply depot.
Again, not much caught her attention it seemed, but she did gather a few extra supplies including a crystal that generated clean water when mana was poured into it. A surprisingly useful item, especially since they were going to be trekking through a desert.
She also picked out a few cloaks designed to keep the sun off of them and keep them cool in the scorching sun.
"That should do it I suppose... Thank you, Commander Laris." Shiyani gave him a seductive smile that made him sweat from fear more than attraction. "Any information regarding the kid's whereabouts?"
"I received word that they are heading to Fort Sella with some Eroan soldiers to resupply before returning to their mission. I expect it to take a few days, so if you are swift, you might be able to catch them as they leave."
"Good... thank you Laris."
"Also, please do not kill the Eroan's if you can. We don't need a war with our allies... Kalivas is stationed at Fort Sella, so if we upset them badly enough, he might come at us and I worry about our ability to hold him off..."
"Don't worry sweetheart, I won't harm a single strand of fur on their little heads. I was only paid to take care of the kid. Anyone else costs extra and I don't work for free."
Laris nodded in understanding and sighed with relief as the elven assassin quickly moved away. He dared not look at her. Like a child fearing a monster under their bed, he pulled the metaphorical covers over his eyes and hoped that if he didn't look at her, she was no longer there.
Soon the pressure the woman exuded disappeared and he sighed in relief. "Watch your back Lucius. I don't think you'll be able to get out of this one as easily as you have in the past. I've done some research on you and you've gotten lucky a few times... that luck ends here, boy." Find your chapter at m_v_l_e_m_p_y_