Chapter 20

[Guide Growth] helped Maya reach the first groove in [Control]. Flint estimated he had enough sand to get [Mind] there too, but he didn’t want his best girl fragile.

“Maya is plenty intelligent already,” Flint said, thinking out loud. He studied the [Mind Sector] wishing a book would appear to detail how everything would work. “You wouldn’t happen to give her magic, would you?”

He couldn’t begin to imagine Maya wielding magic. It felt like a brilliant prospect, but he didn’t have any guarantees. He was confident that [Power] increased resilience and strength, though, so he divided the sand equally between it and [Mind]. He wanted Maya balanced to continue her reign as his beta.

Flint certainly hoped he didn’t have to get every sector to the first groove to upgrade her and Bjorn to the next stage of existence. He wasn’t sure what produced the sand, but he didn’t go through dozens of battles to progress the class quest. Besides, the next stage of existence would likely come with a significant power boost. It wouldn’t just increase their chances of fending off future suppliers but also ensure Maya or Bjorn didn’t get hurt.

As Flint studied the node compass one more time, he wondered whether fae-touched beasts were just ordinary creatures enhanced using magic similar to [Guide Growth]. Initially, Flint believed that since the fae was much closer to nature than humankind, animals followed them willingly. The fae—Wyldmasters—used their fae magic to enhance the creatures that fought with them. Now he understood that was only partially true. Some, if not all, the animals that followed them were magically manipulated to become weapons of war.

It angered Flint that the Wyldmaster had taken away Bjorn’s will. The Iron Army weren’t much better. Dogs followed their masters willingly, but the army had horses, elephants, and war goats. They used beast masters with relevant skill stones to break them and force the creatures into servitude. As Flint thought about it, he realised the fae’s methods were probably gentler.

They were innocents in the war, like the dogs, horses, elephants and other creatures the Iron Army broke to serve on and off the battlefield. Neither side had the moral high ground and was as bad as the other. Despite how they treated him and their reasoning, Flint believed the villagers of Lea’s Slumber had made the right decision. Staying out of it all made the most sense. Things would change eventually once the champion came into power, but Flint needed access to Lea’s Slumber before he could get to the bottom of that mystery. Until then, he hoped to keep the Sleeping Fort off the radar.

Once done, he let the dogs rest and play. After the previous night, they deserved it. For the time being, he focused on smaller projects. While Twylip intended to go back to the fort at nightfall, Adam retrieved basic equipment before lunch. He set up shop in the hut by the ever-burning firepit. Much to Flint’s surprise, after burying the dead fae, he claimed their weapons and threw them into a cauldron over the pint.

“He’s got metal detection and smelting abilities,” Twylip said. “I doubt the fae weapons are all stone as they appear. Otherwise, they’d have no chance against us.”

The moon mage snorted at the comment but didn’t add to the information. Flint thought it was a good time as any to learn about the village, so he engaged Twylip in chit chat.

“They’re pretty proud up there, aren’t they?” He asked after ensuring the moon mage was out of earshot.

“Oh yeah. Especially the older people. They keep telling us how we’re descended from the great champion Lea and her party of classers—it’s why we’ve got so many skill stones.” Twylip lowered her volume and moved in closer. “Do you think that’s why the fae came all the way out here?”

“I don’t know,” Flint answered. “It might be me or the village. I’d love it if you didn’t tell anyone in the village this, but I saw strange shapes in the foothills on my way here. They were gone by the time we reached the walls, but you know what happened afterwards.” He nodded at the moon mage. “She and her friends came looking for the woman I killed. So, I’m not sure whether it’s me or there is something in the village they want.”

“I don’t think so—”

“Just think about it. Don’t you think it’s a little unreasonable how much Mr Mayor wants me gone? I’m not with the army and just want to help, yet he appears terrified by my presence.” Twylip’s brows furrowed as Flint spoke. “There is something more at play here. I can just feel it! Do you think it’s possible an artifact or trinket belonging to the old hero or her party could be somewhere in the village? It might be that the fae is looking for it.”

Twylip looked uphill at the slope. “Almost every major family in the village has something or the other that they claim belonged to Lea or one of her companions. It could be anything. I’m sure it’s the same all over the lands, though. Lea and only a couple of her friends came here to rest. They wanted to get away from the politics and all, but according to the stories, they visited every major city to celebrate their victory and detail the treaties. Despite what the elders claim, not all of her party settled here.”

“Do you think Miss Lya would know?”

“I’ve been in her house, and she shows off Lea’s rings all the time. One of them has an aura that encourages plant growth, but that’s it.” Twylip’s eyes widened as if she had come upon a sudden realisation. “Mr Mayor and Percy have been meeting outside the fort regularly ever since you got here. It’s strange.”

“What is?”

“Now that I think about it, Percy hasn’t spent much time fixing up the fort. He’s fixed up the external walls on the ground floor, but whenever he thinks I’m out, he goes down to the basement.”

“He was pretty insistent we work on the fort first,” Flint said, thoughtfully. “I’ll start there.”

Before starting on his little adventure, Flint built a shelter around the former [Totem of Healing]. He made two walls and a roof to give her some privacy and protection from the elements. The Iron Army wouldn’t give her such luxuries, but he believed in respecting his prisoner. In fact, he didn’t like the idea of having a prisoner at all. Flint didn’t think of her as a lesser for being fae. After all, he was a Woodson. If he treated her well, perhaps the moon mage would eventually open up.

Flint released the woman for a few minutes to relieve herself and get freshened up as dusk approached. He kept the manacles on, of course, keeping her magic locked away. She didn’t try anything and followed instructions. Flint guessed she had no confidence in an escape without her spells. Perhaps her magic didn’t work during the daylight hours.

“Thank you,” she said when he served her dinner, surprising him.

Flint wasn’t sure what game she was playing, so he asked Adam and Bjorn to stay and keep an eye on her. Meanwhile, he and Maya followed her up to the fort. Up close, the structure appeared much bigger and intimidating. The ancient builders seemed to have carved the fort’s wings out of the cliffs before joining either side with the central structure. The floors beyond the first two were pockmarked with holes, and the roof appeared to have mostly crumbled. Yet it managed to tower far above them.

Twylip led Flint and Maya through a maze of rubble and through the mostly collapsed inner walls. Once at the entrance, the trio waited until the orange lights on the ground floor went out. They all knew what it meant. Percy had done enough for one day and was heading to the pub.

“I want you to stand guard by the walls, Maya,” Flint said before heading in. “Our guest might have friends hiding out in the plains. If any of the others show up. howl for us?”

Maya’s eyes darted between the fort and Flint. She whined, but Flint didn’t budge. Maya yapped at him before running downhill. Twylip marched into the structure while Flint followed warily. He couldn’t help but marvel at the fort’s detailed construction. It wasn’t just grand but practical too. Twylip couldn’t give him an exact age, but five centuries was still a long time. The structure hadn’t benefited from maintenance, but its support structure appeared mostly intact.

Percy appeared to have done an excellent job of clearing out all the rubble on the first level. While there were several missing dividing walls, he had restored most of the arches and fixed the floors. “I don’t know how good the old coot is at building, but he’s got a good touch when it comes to repairs,” Flint commented as they searched for a way down.

“You don’t want to see the first floor,” Twylip replied. “It’s like he doesn’t even care. I think he cleared up this floor more so he could find a way down to the basement.”

Her words proved correct when they came upon a corner with stone fragments piled almost to the ceiling. A set of stairs sat behind it, leading down into the darkness.

“I smell mushrooms.” Twylip dug through her satchel as she sniffed at the air. She dug out a glass vial and shook it. The clear liquid inside burst into light. “Let’s see what they’re hiding.”

“No.” Flint pulled her back and pointed at the cracks bordering the hole. “It doesn’t look like Percy has been securing around his dig site. If there is a collapse, I can do emergency work to save myself. It won’t be as easy with both of us down there.”

“You expect me just to stay up here and wait?”,

Flint nodded. “Or you can go up to wherever you sleep and rest. I’m going down there alone. If I deem it worthy of a future visit, next time, I’ll bring you along.”

“Fine,” Twylip grumbled, crossing her arms. She pulled two more containers out of her pocket and pressed them into Flint’s hand. “There are mushrooms in this region that produce sleep-inducing spores. If you feel yourself getting drowsy, rub the salt paste under your nose.”

“What’s the other one?”

“Worm’s bane,” Twylip answered. “If you run into big bugs, open the container and run. It won’t keep them away for good but will slow them down long enough for you to escape.”

“I’m starting to think going down alone might not be the best idea.” Flint raised a hand, silencing Twylip before she could get a word out. “I meant the dogs, not you.”

She rolled her eyes, turned around and left. Flint thought about praying, but he’d given up on the concept of faith. After shaking the glowing vial in hand to brighten its glow, he headed into the darkness.