The Kingmaker System Chapter 717 - 716. Vanguard: Knights (2)

Alarice experienced no shock at the extent of devastation wrought by the shifters across the small towns flanking the northwestern trade routes.

With next to no survivors, a great distress fell upon him. He had been so certain that such a calamity would never befall the kingdom while he held control over Frosthail, yet here they were, confronting damage he had once deemed impossible.

Dahlia, conversely, was equally distressed. She had witnessed destruction within the kingdom before, once, when she fought alongside Ocean to safeguard the people. However, this seemed different. In the past, rogue shifters were smuggled into the kingdom and then unleashed upon a town. This time, the stakes were far greater, and these shifters were mutated.

The mutations were enough to evoke memories of the two cheetahs she had observed in Mordino—the pets of the former King Salem, who had fed them demon's blood and engineered the powerful mutants.

But in the present circumstances, the sheer number of shifters present made it difficult to comprehend how this could have been accomplished or for how long the planning had been underway.

She had learned from Ocean that an individual on the side of the dark forces possessed teleportation abilities, making it highly plausible that they had somehow teleported such a multitude of shifters into the kingdom. Yet, this still left too many questions swirling in her mind.

Dahlia swung her spear, sending droplets of blood flying as the knights under her command finished off the last remaining shifter wolves.

Wiping the sweat from her brow, she glanced up at the rain clouds. Had it not been for the blood of the fallen and the shifters, the environment would have been suffused with the mana present in the rain.

A faint smile touched her lips as she reflected on how, while the battles raged, the purification of the lands proceeded alongside the subtle healing of the fighting forces.

"Always one to cover all possibilities," she murmured, then sighed as she brought the communication brooch beneath her armor to her lips.

She channeled her aura into it, her thoughts directed towards her husband.

"Alarice? Alarice, can you hear me?" she called out.

After a few moments, the sound of shuffling and rustling emanated from the clear crystal.

"Yes, my dear. Are you alright?" Alarice responded.

"I am fine, but... do you also find the number of these shifters to be abnormal?" she inquired.

"Yes, I do."

"Has anyone from the Seraph Knights contacted you?" Dahlia asked.

"No, and that’s what perplexes me. I reached out to them a while ago, and they reported that nothing was amiss in Frosthail," Alarice stated.

Dahlia’s eyebrows drew together in a frown.

Just then, Sir Adler, who had been accompanying Dahlia, rode up beside her.

"We have finished clearing this area, Madam," he reported.

Dahlia nodded to him, her attention remaining fixed on the ongoing conversation.

"Then, could it be that they were teleported?" Dahlia mused aloud.

Alarice hummed, "Master Ocean did mention that the dark forces have access to teleportation, but... for a single mage to teleport so many shifters in an organized manner is impossible."

"Unless there is more than one mage involved," Sir Adler prompted.

Dahlia nodded, and Alarice added, "Indeed, I was contemplating the same. However, that would mean we must confront the dark mages."

"Where are you at the moment?" Dahlia inquired.

"I have concluded securing the northwestern trade routes and also inspected the Magic Gate. It is thoroughly destroyed, so receiving reinforcements from Frosthail will not be easy," Alarice replied.

Dahlia’s frown persisted as another thought occurred to her, "But isn’t it peculiar that these mutated shifters are still operating in coordination?"

Typically, rogue shifters would inflict great harm not only upon their surroundings and the people within them but also upon themselves, especially when different kinds of shifters were involved. However, these mutated shifters seemed to distinguish between targets to attack and those to spare.

"Whatever it may be, we will ascertain it later. First, we must address the current situation. Where are you located?" Alarice asked. "I am en route to you."

"I’m at the intersection of the-"

As Dahlia spoke, Sir Adler detected something from his peripheral vision. Before the other knights who noticed could raise an alarm, Sir Adler's sword was drawn, and with one hand, he pushed Dahlia away.

His sword clashed against a dark whip that coiled around his blade, instantly causing his weapon to rust away.

Sir Adler was stunned as he yanked his blade back, only to watch it crumble to pieces.

"What the-"

"Watch out!" another knight shouted. Dahlia and Adler swiftly maneuvered their horses away from a massive hammer that slammed into the ground precisely where they had been standing moments before.

The earth fractured with the collision, prompting Dahlia and Sir Adler to pivot towards the two figures garbed in black. One adversary brandished a whip that writhed like a venomous serpent, while the other hefted a colossal hammer, appearing twice the size of its wielder.

Observing from behind, Dahlia noticed a third individual standing passively, devoid of any visible weaponry, seemingly present only for reinforcement.

Exchanging a look with Sir Adler, she understood their objective: to battle these three and secure the answers they sought.

Meanwhile, as Alarice was poised to depart the northwestern trade route and advance further north, he encountered two more individuals, also cloaked in black. These two, however, stood at an imposing height of approximately two meters each, and both were armed with formidable claymores.

"Dark mages," he deduced swiftly, drawing his own blade.

Davian and Rune, who had been diligently clearing their designated areas of shifters, were achieving a measure of success. They had discovered a few survivors who received immediate first aid before being teleported to Oasis.

However, the accounts provided by these survivors presented a grim new reality.

Davian had extricated a young man from beneath the debris of a collapsed dwelling. The youth was trapped alongside the remains of two others, and the shifters had evidently presumed all within to be deceased.

The survivor recounted witnessing several shadowy figures preceding the horde of shifters. Leading this dark vanguard was the silhouette of a young child, accompanied by four tall individuals, all concealed within black attire.

The young man could not discern any distinguishing features. All wore hoods pulled low, and before the townsfolk could even contemplate questioning them, the devastating onslaught had already commenced.

Visibly traumatized and suffering from severe injuries, the young man was promptly escorted away for care.

As Davian and Rune traversed the woods, a palpable air of tension lingered between them. Both were evidently contemplating the same disturbing thoughts, yet neither initiated the conversation.

"Young Master Rune, Prince Davian," Sir Rudyard's voice broke the heavy silence from behind them.

The other Knights, having also been privy to this disturbing news, were eager to comprehend the nature of their enemy, prompting their Captain to address their burgeoning concerns.

The two young men turned towards him, and Sir Rudyard began, "Regarding the account from the witness in the last town..."

Rune and Davian exchanged a knowing glance before halting their mounts and turning to face the Knights under their command.

Davian recognized the difficulty in revealing that their current conflict extended beyond the mutated shifters to include dark mages. These Knights, including himself, had no prior experience battling such adversaries. Yet, admitting a lack of knowledge could shatter the men's morale. Thus, he had been strategizing on how to maintain their spirits.

Rune's gaze flickered to Davian before he spoke, "Master Ocean had forewarned us of this possibility."

Sir Rudyard's lips tightened, his jaw clenching. A few nearby Knights overheard this and their unease escalated.

"Th-Then does Young Master know what we are facing?" one of the Knights inquired.

Rune's fingers tightened around his reins before he responded, "We are under assault by dark forces. The individuals the witness described are highly likely to be dark mages."

This revelation profoundly shocked the Knights, causing their horses to grow restless, mirroring the distress of their riders as they shifted uneasily.

"B-But how can this be?! The dark forces? Dark mages? Aren't those merely myths?" one of the younger Knights stammered.

"Given the current situation, do you still believe it's fictional?!" another beside him retorted sharply.

"But if these are dark mages, then... does that imply even a demon is involved?!" another Knight voiced aloud, his curiosity tinged with fear.

Waves of stunned gasps and fearful speculations rippled through the entire platoon, and Davian let out a weary sigh.

He glanced at Rune, who remained remarkably composed, as if expecting the situation to resolve itself. However, at that precise moment, Rune turned his head, meeting Davian's gaze. Though no words were exchanged, Davian felt a clear message: it was now his turn to address the troops.

Davian gave a slight shake of his head, droplets of rain catching the light on his raven-black hair as he moved.

"Enough!" he commanded loudly, silencing the Knights momentarily as they turned their attention to him.

"Creating a disturbance and succumbing to panic will not resolve our predicament," he stated with unwavering conviction.

"B-But how are we to confront the da-dark forces, Your Highness? I-Isn't it only the Dragons who possess the capability to do so?" one of the Knights queried.

"Watch your words! Dragons are inherently evil!" the Knight next to him grimaced.

These last words irked both Davian and Rune deeply.

"Have you personally encountered one to be so certain of their malevolence?" Davian inquired of the Knight.

The knight opened his mouth, but a murderous glint in both young men's eyes advised him to remain silent.

"Whatever we label this battle can be decided later. For now, dire times are upon us and the kingdom is in danger. So, instead of panicking like headless chickens, contemplate what will happen to your families and loved ones if you let the enemy go free simply because you fear their infamy."

The men clamped their mouths shut upon hearing Davian's words, which carried the steel of his strength.

"Dark forces or not, they are here to bring harm upon our lands, so it is our duty to fend them off. I and Young Duke will take the lead, as before, and face these vermin. What you do will be your own decision."

Davian turned to Rune, who offered him a shrug. Sir Rudyard gripped his horse's reins and announced,

"It is my duty to protect the Young Master and Prince Davian. I dare not flee for my life when you are risking yours. I shall go with you."

The knights, hearing him, felt greatly ashamed. They had fought in the war against Denril, and each had brought glory to their families. Yet, here they were, cowering after merely hearing of an ancient enemy? What could be more disgraceful?

"I will go too!" one of the young knights shouted from behind the group.

"I shall go too!"

"I wouldn’t dare face my father if I turn back here. I’ll go too!"

"These vermin need to be taught what happens when they mess with the wrong people."

"We all will follow your command, My Lords!"

The energetic roars of agreement rolled over the men like thunder flashes above them.

Davian turned his head slightly, a small smile tugging at his lips upon hearing the men's battle cries, before giving his command.

"Alright men, let’s march forth!"