The 'Extra' Lord (Unlimited Plunder) - Chapter 72

With the sun transforming the skyline into a gorgeous orange, Owen may have once wanted to sit down and watch it set. But now it signalled something that only raised too many questions, and brought with it the sign of doom. Night. 

Owen and his team cautiously made their way up the mountain pass. He knew it was dangerous, knew that if they travelled too far, then lives may be lost. But he also knew that he needed information. That sinking feeling in his stomach only grew stronger the longer he remained in this place; like a niggling thought at the back of his mind that was worming deeper within.

As they kept on going, the temperature plummeted. It was as if night had already descended, but because of the orange still in the sky, that wasn’t the case. 

Rehan shivered and pulled his collar up. “Supernatural heat one moment, the frigid cold of the north the next. Why can’t it just remain as one.”

“Afraid of a little cold?” Justin mocked from the side.

Rehan chuckled. “You don’t know half of the things I've gone through in my life, lad. A little cold is the least of my worries.”

“You don’t even know half of that half of the things you’ve done yourself.” 

Shoulders slumping, Rehan said, “Yeah, well if I did, then the statement still stands. You’re what, barely 14?”

“18.”

“When I was that age, I’d already hunted beasts that you only thought of in your nightmares.”

“Again, you have no memories.”

Rehan snapped. “Well If I did, they’d frighten you to death, boy.”

As the duo bickered, Owen took in his surroundings. It was composed mainly of rock and sand, but there was something that played in his mind. A red, tattered flag atop a rod of metal sticking out from a pile of rounded rocks. And there it was, flapping in the wind. Owen’s heart quickened. 

We’re almost there, Owen thought, turning to his people.

“Stop,” Owen said, putting up his hand. “Rehan, Justin, and Mirian, scout ahead. We should be coming up to the place. Whatever you see, do not engage. We will create a barrier here in case you are chased.”

The trio rushed ahead while Owen got Gorath and Draed to perch upon a heightened rock. While they were doing that, Owen and Lome created a funnel in the valley. Owen made it from plundered rock, then Lome enhanced it with metal. 

To the sides of the narrowing wall they had created, Owen dug out a pit all the way along on both sides, making only one path in. Here, Owen would mount the defence against the serpents. After all, why would he share with the others, when he could take all the experience for himself? What was more, is that he needed privacy to utilise Unlimited Plunder. 

At the end of the day, he had to worry about his own people. The stronger they became, the safer his kingdom would be. The terrifying visage of the orcen Lord cleaving down his own people was like a brand burned into his thoughts. He had to have that level of leadership, had to inspire that fear in his enemies—to thwart any attack on his land.

It was time to give those defending the walls a little rest.

Justin, Rehan, and Mirian returned a few minutes later. They all looked like they had seen something terrifying, their eyes hazed over in disbelief.

“Troll?” Owen asked, guessing what that reason was.

They nodded. “How did you know?” Justin asked.

“I told you, I know things,” Owen said with a smile, only to wipe it off the next moment. “Apart from that, what did you see? Was it possible to look over to the other side of the mountain?”

Justin shook his head. “No way. That thing loomed above. There’s no getting around it either.”

“I wonder if we can go below,” Owen said to himself, but Rehan overheard it.

“Why not?” he asked.

“We could give it a try,” Owen replied. “We can use your radar ability to tell if we need to stop. I'm just a little hesitant. It’s easy to fall into a tomb in the Cursed Lands. It’s why not many people dig down, despite having the ability to do so.”

“Then why did you carve that mountain of yours into a wasp’s nest,” Justin asked, summoning a lance from the darkness to lean on. “That’s pretty dangerous, no?”

“Well, that was more out of necessity.”

“So,” Rehan interrupted, “what’s the plan, my Lord? Stay here and wait out the wave to battle the serpents in the morn’?”

“No,” Owen said. “Since we can’t get answers here for now, we’ll head back and get them from the castle.”

So they returned. Owen didn’t let the disappointment of having questions go unanswered get to him. He couldn’t get to understand the serpents, for now. But tomorrow? He’d figure that one out when the monsters attacked tomorrow.

Upon returning, Hassan… and the Lord was waiting atop the high walls. The people belonging to the castle were still shifting bodies of serpents inside the castle. Despite them being almost human, they’d use the serpents' meat for food. The toxin in their bodies would be used to coat their weapons, and their fangs would be used for alchemical potions. Here, in the Land Between, corpses were an invaluable material. If they had no use for those materials, the Lord could just sell them on the market. 

And with a quick check, the Lord was doing exactly that.

The gates opened up and Hassan and the Lord were already making their way down the stone stairs that led up the walls.

“Owen, right?” The Lord said with a smile that held little emotion. his voice matched his impressive stature—commanding. “My name is Larian. You’ve sacrificed a lot to help us. Thank you, truly. We’ve sent many parties out in the sands, but few have come with the help needed.”

“Because they’re not crazy?” Owen asked, hands relaxed in front of his body.

“Because there’s not many out there,” he replied. “Or because my hunting parties didn’t come back.” 

“Well, my Lord didn’t send me here for free,” Owen said, making it clear he wasn’t here for anything else. “Naturally, we expect payment.”

“Naturally,” Larian said, smiling. “Please, this way. We’ll talk about payment.” Larian and Hassan guided them through the city. 

The buildings were made from an old brick, a type of stone that wasn’t native to the area. With how much rock Owen had plundered, he could be considered an expert in that regard. It was yet another question he had. Why did the people of this castle build it here? Was it because it was close to the entrance of the mountains, or was it for some other reason?

Owen, to his surprise, noticed a lot of younger children here, as well as older. Those who couldn’t fight. The children looked at them with smiles, approaching with high spirits despite their gruesome surroundings.

The Lord’s War really doesn’t discriminate, Owen thought grimly.

Owen matched their smiles, but upon noticing Lord Larian, they returned back to their homes. Well, Larian didn’t really have the approachable air, that was for certain. 

Larian spoke up. “Hassan tells me you can see the future. Or parts of it, anyway. Is that why you headed up the mountain? See anything?”

The older gentleman discreetly fidgeted with his fingers. It lasted only a second, if that. And if it weren’t for Owen’s crazy attention to detail, he’d have missed it. What is he nervous about? 

Owen shook his head. “Only a monster that struck fear in our hearts. We didn’t dare head any further.”

“I’m relieved,” he said. “If I knew you were going to go up there, I’d have warned you not to. That monster—the troll—isn’t something I have any notion of entertaining.”

“Did you settle here knowing there was something capable of wiping you out in a single second?”

“Heavens, no. When I arrived, I was lucky enough to be close enough to Hassan and a few others. We barely survived that first night, not to mention those after it. Battered, and almost broken, we arrived at this place. High walls, easily defendable, with a mountain pass on one side. God was blessing us. We noticed the troll was there a few days later, but it didn’t seem to leave its nest.” Larian gazed up at the mountain pass. “I admit, there were a few who weren’t keen with the idea of being so close to that… thing. But we had to pick our evil. In the end, we decided to stay here.”

Owen nodded along. “Were you always the Lord?”

“I wasn’t no. We didn’t really have a Lord. Everyone worked together. But things started to get strained. Everyone had different ideas on how we should run it. In the end, I was chosen.” After a moment, he added, “that’s enough about us. How is your Lord? Is he a good leader?”

“A good leader?” Owen asked himself, and in the end nodded truthfully. “He has his flaws, as all men do. But he cares for us. He’s gotten us through some very rough patches. What more can I ask for?” 

“You should join me here, instead.”

Owen frowned.