"The army has left the city," Informed Zela. She didn't have to tell me, I could see it clearly through my skill.
Earlier, Hiren left with a group of small riders.
I cut off the skill and turned to the two people sitting in front of me. Valentina and Robin, with Lola behind me.
"This is going to be very tricky. We will have to manage it well, or we will lose both the Baronies and Mirador Hold," said Robin, deep in thought.
"Yes," I replied.
I entirely understand how tricky it is, and we have been preparing for it for months. Even before the undead came for us, we focused on dealing with them.
It is what Carla had been working on; it is why she barely left the city aside from Navr, which was intentional.
As the destination was not Navr, but the fortress itself.
"What are our chances?" asked Valentina, nervously, which she didn't try to hide. "Half," I replied after a moment of silence. "It is a big risk you are taking for only a 50% chance," she said.
She isn't just talking about political and military risk, but also the personal risk.
Twenty minutes later, I walked out of my office and walked back into the party. I need to be informed of everything, and I will be; that is what telepathy is for.
I will be at the party, which I am sure of. My enemies will know, and it surely unnerves them.
As I stepped inside, many looked at me. I am aware that, through their connections, many have learned what is happening and are surprised to see me back at the party.
Many moved toward me, but Savfort was the first to reach me. One would not expect him to move so fast, with the weight he has.
"I am surprised, you are back, Lord Silver, with what is happening with Mirador Hold," he said, with many turning their ears to listen. "I had sent my army; there is nothing more I could do now other than wait," I replied.
"Mirador Hold is not something to be broken by an army," said the thin, tall man, joining the conversation.
"We will see, my lord," I replied, and could understand the look they were giving me. Like I became overconfident after my victory against the undead to think my army of thirty thousand would breach the Mirador Hold.
I mingled with nobles, showing blind confidence, while Zela and my people provided details.
There are two things I am focusing on most. First is the position of Dane's army, and second is the position of Grimvale. There is a third thing, I am most worried about, but we are silent on that.
Hours passed as I mingled with people, never leaving. It made them shake their head.
To them, I should be in the conference room. Looking over every detail, talking to different people.
Soon, it was midnight, and barely anyone had left the party. Usually, people do it by this time, but now everyone is staying put, keeping an eye on me rather than the bride or groom.
'They have reached it,' informed Zela, and she is not talking about Hiren.
He was the decoy; the real group was Carla and Cardin. They had left the city within minutes of getting the news.
…
Carla Salt
"The fortress," said General Cardin, looking at the fortress that appeared in front of us. It is only ten minutes away, and we have finally slowed down.
We have left, within ten minutes of getting the news, only five of us: Cardin, me, and three with the fastest cavalry skills.
Our movements are cloaked in a powerful witch spell.
It is powerful enough that no monster scouts or human scouts have discovered us. It was important that we came fast and remained hidden.
We had to come here before Grimvale's men came. We only have around thirty to forty minutes lead on them, and we have to make it count.
A few minutes passed, and we had really come close to the fortress when Cardin nodded at me, and I muttered the word.
Immediately, we become visible and sensory skills sense us. A few moments later, we saw people emerge from the shadows; they moved toward us before suddenly stopping.
"I think that is a signal," I said, and we moved without stopping.
The security around the fort is high; I could see hundreds of eyes on me. On top of being the target of cannons and ballista, which would be hard to defend with the single mage with us.
Finally, we reached the massive door of the fort and stopped before looking up.
There is a massive balcony-like thing above us; there are only guards, but soon, a few familiar people appeared. Including a fat man, whom Remus didn't like, and I got the same sense of feeling from him.
He looked at me, and I looked at him. His expression is unreadable until a smile appears on his face.
"Welcome to Mirador Hold, Lady Salt, General Cardin," he welcomed, and the small door opened. We looked at it for a moment before entering inside.
…
Lawson
"Open the small gate," I ordered, and a moment later, the gate began to open.
"Lawson, what are you doing?" asked Maras.
I tried to convince Dane to take this bastard, but he didn't listen. He is the only thorn in my mind, and I am thinking of arresting him, but that might make things troublesome.
I don't want trouble; it is not suitable for me or the deal I had made.
"I am handing over the fortress to its masters," I replied, and his eyes went wide. He is shocked by how openly I spoke, not by its meaning.
Yes, I am doing it and with Silver. I hate him; that would never change, but I could look past that for the benefits.
"You are betraying the Lord Commander," he accused, while looking at officers around, all looking stoically without any surprise on their faces.
Seeing that, reality dawned on him.
It took quite an effort to keep only these people, but not all of them are in my grasp. The most powerful among them is Maras.
"I can't believe you all are in on this madness," he said. So, shocked that he was shaking, before he turned to me.
"Why?" he asked finally, after getting control over himself.
"Because I love this fortress and all its people, and I want to save them from needless death," I am lying, of course, I am doing it for the benefits that will set me up for life.
He didn't seem to believe it; the man is too intelligent to believe it.
"Silver is growing stronger, so is Grimvale. Do you think Commander stands any chance against them?" I asked. Playing with the facts, he already knows.
"He will once he captures parts of baronies," he replied, and I laughed.
"Do you think they will let him?" I asked back. "Let me tell you what would happen. If I didn't do what I am planning to do," I replied before he could answer.
"Commander's plan to take the piece of baronies and establish a base which he could use to conquer further into the baronies."
Last time it would have worked, and he should have listened to Wickham, but this time it would not because Grimvale or Silver won't let that happen. They will send their forces to the baronies,"
"Not to help the baronies, but to deal with him, "Commander will only have two choices then, fight a losing battle against them or retreat to the fortress."
"If he chooses the first one and fights, he will either be captured or dead. If he chose second and returned to the fortress, he would only buy himself some time."
"A year, two at most, as you know. Fortress can't sustain more than seventy-five thousand people, and that is a stretch. With lessening trade, it would be even less, while Silver and Grimvale are growing due to the cities they control."
"Soon, they will have big enough armies and shadows; they will eventually conquer the fort," I explained.
These words didn't just come out of thin air, but from Wickham. I had talked to him and listened to his reasons for betraying Dane. It was what finally tipped the scales in making this decision.
Though unlike him, I chose Silver instead of Grimvale.
I may not have a strategic mind, but with my decades of career in the military, I could understand a few things, and one of them is that Dane is a sinking ship.
Staying with him will be a slow drowning to death.
Why should I? When I could get out. Have the massive benefits that would let me live the rest of my life in luxury.
"It will be a bloody battle that will make many of our brothers and sisters die. I don't want that to happen, and I am sure you don't want to see it happen either," I pleaded, bringing tears to my face.
The words aren't just for him but also for a few officers who aren't entirely on board with the plan.
He opened his mouth, but no words seemed to come out of it. Unlike me, he is a true military man, a veteran of many battles.
He was having a conflict with his self when the guest finally arrived. Silver's whore; she is beautiful, I wish I could fuck her and Cardin, I hate that bastard.
"Lady Salt, General Cardin." I greeted. "General Lawson," replied the whore with a smile appearing on her beautiful lips, which I wish I could kiss.
Cardin, the bastard, only nodded and looked at the officers, including Maras. He is his friend, and they used to be tight before Cardin left for Greltheaven.
"I hope the journey went well?" I asked. "Yes," replied the whore.
"Good," I said, a little awkwardly. It is hard to be nice to people whom I hate so much. Still, I have things to do before I can get what I was promised.
I controlled my emotions and took out the fortress's ceremonial key from my bag.
It is a large grey stone with amber veins along it. I don't know what this thing is made of, but it is damn heavy. Thankfully, I am handing it over.
With this, I will say goodbye to this poor life and live my life in luxury.
There will be massive money, essences, and visits to legacy. It is the reason why I chose Silver over Grimvale. Silver matched the money Grimvale is offering, on top of the benefits of legacy.
Two legacies, actually, Inam and Greltheaven. I haven't decided yet which city I will stay in.
"I, General Gadius Lawson, hand over the Fortress Mirador Hold to The Greltheaven Dominion," I stated and moved to hand over the key to Cardin. When bastard Maras caught my hand, stopping it.
I wanted to curse at the bastard and push my hand away, but I knew how sensitive the things are and remained calm.
"What do you plan to do with the fortress?" asked Maras to his dear friend Cardin. "To make it what it should be, an aegis against Navr," replied Cardin.
"You think Silver could do a better job than the commander?" asked Maras.
"Absolutely," Cardin replied with confidence dripping from his voice. It is the thing I hate about this bastard. When he is sure, he could bring such confidence in his words that would make anyone waver.
"We have more experience in dealing with the undead than the whole damn empire." "We know the level they could go and will defend with our lives to stop them." He said.
"You know me, Maras, and you have seen things. Dane might be good, but he is no match for the undead."
"When Navr attacks, he wouldn't last for an hour in front of them, but we will."
"We will stop them at this fort, so they can never do the things to the region that they have done over and over across the ages," he stated, with conviction.
There was a silence for a moment before he removed his hand from mine, and I handed the key to Cardin.