Building a Kingdom and Conquering the World

Chapter 83  Zuna's preparation

About a thousand soldiers were marching toward the mountain where Henry's sword began its execution process. Zuna was leading her troops, accompanied by a small man with a crooked nose that looked as if it had been hit countless times, wearing white furred clothes. This man was the one who had secretely followed Elton to the mountain, where Henry had set up the trap.

"This way, your honor…" - The small man said, his hands rubbing together as he gave a smile that resembled a crafty little mouse. He guided the commander through the thick grey and white forest - "Captain Elton couldn't find any animals in this forest, and then out of nowhere, wolf howls started echoing from the mountain."

The rat-like man pointed to an inconspicuous mountain nestled amidst a vast range that stretched along the western horizon of Stahl – "There!" – His eyes then looking at Zuna, waiting for praises.

Zuna only nodded her head and kept walking ahead, using her hands to lift the spiky branches coming from the trees and blocking the way, not minding the kiss-ass man. They had been walking for hours without stopping. The soldiers following Zuna didn't have any armor and only wore furred clothes to stay warm, carrying wooden shields and rusted weapons. Their long beards and hair made them look untidy as if they hadn't shaved or showered for years, a common occurrence in the cold North.

From the moment they left the campsite, the soldiers had been cautiously looking around the forest as they tightly gripped their weapons. The rumors about Black Demons inhabiting Stahl's lands and the burning corpses of their comrades were still fresh in their minds, bringing up the fear of the unknown. The presence of the captains and the thousand comrades marching alongside them offered some peace of mind, but they were still afraid.

Suddenly, when they got in a clearing near the mountain's base, Zuna's hand shot up, her fist clenched in the air, as she commanded – "Halt! We will be waiting here!"

Zuna looked carefully at the mountain, not daring to trail Elton's footsteps. Although she had little experience as a leader, her job as a messenger helped her learn patience, caution and gain insights about human nature that no other captain in the army could reach in their limited vision of hunting bandits. There was no sign of Elton and the troops following him, so, something must have happened.

"Winter is coming, and the ground is too chilly for digging traps. It's not doable" - Zuna mused, pondering how to bring down the possible enemies holed up in the mountains. Sadly, her options were limited, setting up traps on the ground would prove difficult given the short amount of time and the lack of certain tools.

"What do you all think?" Zuna inquired, her gaze shifting to the five captains who accompanied her, trying to get their perspective on how to proceed. Maybe they could show some insights.

As soon as she asked, two of them quickly spoke up, their words laced with a hint of caution, trying to sound courteous. The woman's connection to the king held some weight in their minds, one they didn't dare to easily break.

One of them spoke up, his teeth audibly grinding in a suppressed display of controlled anger, "Commander, we should simply venture into the mountain! What's there to fear? We—"

"We have been chasing bandits since we learned how to walk. Let's just charge right into that mountain and chop off their heads"- The other one chimed in, his hand instinctively gripping the hilt of the sword hanging on his waist – "There are no dangers if they are dead."

Zuna looked at the two with an expression that seemed to say they were foolish. Then, she shifted her gaze to the other three, expecting to hear a different perspective, but soon found out that they seemed to share the same view. All the other three nodded in agreement as they clutched their weapons, ready to storm the mountain.

At that moment, Zuna realized the lack of intelligence among those responsible for leading the country in times of war. The long and constant battles against bandits and hunting down monsters seemed to develop a simple and barbaric mentality on them. It was a bit different from the small but complicated job as a messenger, where she had to be patient and intelligent in order to not have her head beheaded by a phrase. These people had no emotional control to sit down and think clearly about the scenarios. She would have to solve things by herself.

"You three, come here" – She said, ordering three inconspicuous man to step forward, before turning to the mouse-like man that helped her track down Elton's movements to here – "You are responsible for them. I want you to go near that mountain and set up a perimeter, then, report to me if anyone comes out of that mountain. No matter who, am I clear?"

The man's smile stretched across his face, a blend of delight and slyness, the kind you would see on those who had just secured a raise or promotion back on Earth. He lowered his head and spoke, trying to hide his happiness - "Of course! I'm ready to comply, your honor!"

Zuna nodded and then looked back at the five captains - "You will take charge of the soldiers," she instructed - "and have them cut down some trees. We'll create some improvised barricades with the logs, like the bandits in Luak do, to prevent them from charging at us! We don't know their numbers, it's better to be careful."

The captains stared at her with eyes filled by anger and fury. Again, this woman was treating them, nobles and proud leaders of Luak, as a mere labor force, commanding them to chop wood. They felt the urge to draw their swords and beat her in protest, but they still didn't dare to do anything, not with the king backing Zuna. They nodded and walked towards the soldiers, picking up parts of them to begin the work.

Zuna silently looked at them organizing their groups, before her gaze settled on the mountain, attempting to unveil the concealed truths hidden behind the rocks and the ice covering it. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

-x-

Deep within the mountains, Elton's widened his eyes in disbelief, struggling to make sense of the situation. It had happened too swiftly. He believed his strength and that of the enemy in front of him were not so far apart, both were probably at the Fourth Stage. There was no reason for him to be killed in a matter of seconds. It seemed unjust.

Elton lowered his gaze, confirming that everything was true, the sword had indeed pierced his hear. His emotions were a mixture of anger, fury and deep-seated fear, feeling that swirled within him. Elton turned his gaze back at the owner of those cold grey eyes, which were apathetically looking at him. He could feel that those eyes regarded him as a minuscule ant, no longer worthy of his ire. It was infuriating.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"- Elton's scream echoed as he mustered every fiber of his dying being in a desperate attempt to lift his sword. He wanted to kill this man.

But in that final effort, as his muscles strained, Henry's sword twisted swiftly within Elton's heart, rending everything in its path. Then, in a fluid motion, he took out the sword from the man's chest and swung it across his throat. There was so much strength and precision in that movement that Elton's head fell to the ground before the blood could spill all over the pristine surroundings. The once proud and arrogant eyes had met its end with a look filled with disbelief.

Henry casually flicked his sword to get rid of the blood, paying no mind to the big bloody corpse melting the snow around it. He turned to briefly watch his soldiers smartly using the advantage of a high ground to mine away and exterminate the enemies. This tactic would previously never be actively used if he hadn't passed it down to his commanders and generals. In the past, they would probably be shooting them down using distance, neglecting the strategic edge that a higher ground could provide.

As Elton's troops advanced toward the ground where the clash between Henry and Elton had unfolded, they could witness their comrades falling beside them with each step. They wanted to aid their captain, but the deaths were making them fearful, slowing them down. The turning point finally arrived when Henry beheaded their leader. In that instant, they stopped trying to advance. Instead, they stopped and hurriedly turned around. They wanted to get away from here.

"The Black Demons!" – This thought appeared in their minds.

Witnessing those remaining soldiers trying to run away, desperately running down the mountain, Henry turned his head and issued a cold command as he slowly walked back towards Grok – "This time…I want all of them dead…Scout this mountain and kill them…no matter their conditions"