Re: Tales of the Rune-Tech Sage

Chapter 831: The Stronghold Army Arrives II

CH831 The Stronghold Army Arrives II

***

Now, approximately five kilometres from the Frontier March’s valley entrance, beneath the cover of dense forest vegetation, Baron Benn Stodge surveyed his men as they confidently finished off a group of berserk beasts that had attacked them.

The frequency of berserk beast attacks this far from the Frontier March was noticeably higher than usual.

To the Baron, this only confirmed that the situation within the Frontier March was dire.

After all, if an area this far from the domain already contained an unusually high number of berserk beasts—most likely the result of beasts spilling over from the Beast Tide—then one could only imagine how much worse conditions would be within the domain itself, where the tide was actively raging.

The Baron turned towards Etgar.

“We’ve encountered far more berserk beasts since taking this detour under your guidance. I trust this secret route is as safe as you promised,” he said.

“Rest assured, Commander…” Etgar replied with an ingratiating smile, rubbing his hands together. “The secret route is completely secure. My family spent more than a decade constructing it. We’re the only ones who know about it, as it was meant to serve as our escape route should anything ever go wrong within the domain. It was a last resort known only to the heads of the Dunn Clan.”

Baron Stodge merely nodded, though his eyes scarcely concealed the disdain he felt towards Etgar and the Dunn Clan.

‘So, this family of traitors had been preparing to betray their domain lord for years… Meeting the Commander merely presented the opportunity they had been waiting for,’ he thought with undisguised contempt.

The expedition bypassed the valley entrance and continued along the foot of the mountain range that formed a great arc around the Frontier March, isolating—or, depending on one’s perspective, protecting—the domain from the rest of the Empire.

Beyond the opposite side of that mountain arc lay the depths of the Great Berserk Beast Forest.

Attempting to march around the entire mountain range through such dangerous territory to attack the Frontier March from the rear was simply impossible for an army of their size.

That reality caused Baron Stodge to keep a particularly close eye on Etgar.

The moment he believed the man was leading them too far towards berserk beast territory—and potentially into a trap—he would immediately call off the operation and order a retreat.

Fortunately, it never came to that.

Etgar led the Stronghold Army to the concealed entrance of a cave situated roughly halfway around the mountain range.

Apart from a small group of berserk beasts that the army quickly eliminated—posing no greater threat than the ones encountered along the journey—there was nothing particularly dangerous in the surrounding area.

Baron Stodge surveyed the surrounding area and quickly concluded that it would be an excellent location to establish a fortified position should the need ever arise.

The terrain sat on a gentle incline, with a small stream flowing down from the mountain nearby, ensuring a reliable water source.

Furthermore, the surrounding trees showed little sign of significant berserk contamination. The few traces present were most likely the result of prolonged exposure to the aura emitted by nearby berserk beasts.

Once those beasts had been eliminated, the land would once again be suitable for agricultural cultivation.

In short, Baron Stodge judged it to be a position that was easy to defend yet difficult to assault.

It was the ideal location from which to secure this strategically important tunnel passage, safeguarding the army’s rear as it advanced through the mountain and preventing any attempt to ambush them within such a narrow chokepoint.

The tunnel itself was surprisingly spacious.

Even while mounted, three or four riders could travel abreast with little difficulty.

For a brief moment, Baron Stodge found himself wondering how the Dunn Clan had discovered, excavated, or managed to conceal such a tunnel.

The thought disappeared almost as quickly as it had arisen.

‘It doesn’t matter how they found it or built it. All that matters is that it now belongs to the Stronghold,’ the Baron thought.

Baron Stodge left behind a platoon of just over fifty soldiers to guard the tunnel entrance, ensuring that the main force could not be attacked from the rear while passing through such a confined passage.

The remainder of the army continued onwards through the tunnel.

When they finally emerged from the opposite end, Baron Stodge immediately recognised the familiar silhouette of the Ashwell mountain range in the distance.

Ashwell Town lay only a few kilometres away.

A satisfied smile spread across the Baron’s face.

Judging by the location of the tunnel exit and its proximity to Ashwell Town, he estimated that once the town was secured, timely reinforcements from the Stronghold would allow him to hold the area for a considerable length of time—even if the Frontier March still possessed a capable standing army.

That would provide Viscount Dunhill and Marquis Brendford with more than enough time to manoeuvre politically and wrest control of the Ashwell Mines from the so-called Count Skywalker.

This would not only earn him Viscount Dunhill’s favour—and with it, a generous retirement reward—but would also bring him recognition from Marquis Brendford himself.

House Brendford had once been a retainer of House Skywalker.

Yet rather than mourn House Skywalker’s fall, House Brendford had become arguably its downfall’s greatest beneficiary.

Perhaps only the berserk beasts had profited more.

As such, Baron Stodge believed Marquis Brendford would do everything within his power to ensure that House Skywalker never rose again.

At least, that was the Baron’s belief.

“Move out! We’ll seize Ashwell Town from these ‘beasts’ before the day is over!” the old man shouted after allowing the army a brief rest once the entire force had emerged from the tunnel.

“Uwaaa!!!”

A chorus of war cries erupted from the army as the five thousand troops marched menacingly towards Ashwell Town.

Watching the army advance upon the mining capital of his former domain, Etgar Dunn wore a sinister, vicious smile.

That smile—and countless others throughout the army—soon gave way to expressions of confusion.

The veterans, in particular, were the first to notice that something was wrong.

Situated on the very edge of the Great Berserk Beast Forest, Ashwell Town had been destroyed and rebuilt countless times over the decades whenever the Beast Tide surged forth.

No matter how many walls had been erected, they had inevitably been reduced to rubble by the berserk beasts.

As a result, Ashwell had gone decades without a proper defensive wall.

It should have been ripe for the taking.

Or at least… It should have been.

As the army rounded a hill that had concealed Ashwell Town from the tunnel exit, they found not an undefended mining town, but a towering wall.

Standing atop that wall were numerous figures silently gazing down at the approaching army.

One figure, however, stood out above the rest.

A young man who appeared to have only recently come of age.

His crimson eyes glowed faintly as he looked down upon the invading force with an overwhelming aura of authority.

His cold, crimson gaze held nothing but disdain and utter disregard for the army below.

“Count Skywalker!” Etgar Dunn roared, his voice filled with hatred.

The Count did not even spare him a second glance.

Instead, he simply raised a hand.

“AWWWUUUU!!!”

A deafening wolf’s howl echoed across the valley.

Then, from the surrounding mountains, an uncountable number of wolf-type berserk beasts emerged into view.

Without another word being spoken, Baron Benn Stodge immediately realised the horrifying truth.

They had walked straight into a trap.

***