B5 Chapter 28 – Beyond the Mountains

Vien slowly, ever so slowly, clenched his fingers tight. Then he released them, patiently, ensuring the movement was as tight and controlled as possible. His muscles responded, his blood flowed, bringing back a hint of feeling and helping push the cold away.

Good. Do it again.

Perched in his tree, concealed by the frost-covered foliage, the Imperial Scout repeated the simple process over and over again. Like a bear waking from winter slumber, his body began to respond. Just as the first light of the sun began to peak over the horizon, he’d regained the full sensation of his fingers and had turned his attention to his toes.

A lesser scout may have complained about the enchantments on his light-weight kin-hide armour. Despite being worked by the finest craftsmen of the Golden Legion, worked on by the very best Arcanists, there wasn’t a drop of energy devoted to environmental protection. Nothing to help ward off the deathly cold of these mountains.

But Vien knew better. He was gold ranked, level seventy-nine, as indicated by the burnished insignia woven into the leather on his left shoulder. Weather, he could overcome himself. Be it the burning heat of the desert at midday, or the frozen mountain heights in the depth of winter, he was able to endure. That was his training.

His armour helping to deflect projectiles and defend against magickal attack was far more useful.

When he was ready, the scout finally stood, his muscles screaming in protest after a night spent perched on a tree branch. Frost and icicles dropped from his cloak, which he disguised as natural snowfall from the tree. After waiting to see if there was a response to his movement, he dropped down from the tree, his cloak activating to slow his fall. Vien landed so lightly his feet didn’t even sink into the fresh snowfall, nor did he sink after taking his first steps. Lightfooted, a very underrated ability, but not for the scouts in the Golden Legion.

Birdcall, a bluebird, the faint sound carried far over the snow covered ground, pricking Vien’s ears as sure as a shout.

Over a few seconds, he checked his person and gear, ensuring everything was in its place and that he hadn’t experienced any unseen injury during the long night. Nothing, everything was as it was supposed to be.

With that, he was off, speeding across the snowfall as light as a hare and twice as fat. His armour warped and shifted its colour, blending into the scrub and endless white as he moved, his body always as low as possible. A small copse of trees appeared towards his right and he angled towards them.

Another birdcall and Vien changed his angle slightly, heading towards a particular pine, tall and thick with needles. When he reached the tree trunk, the Scout curled down at the base, his cloak spread over his body and blending into the snow.

“Vien?”

“Yes, Captain Brolk.”

“Wait for the others.”

Hunched down, pressed into the snow, Vien waited patiently, his eyes constantly scanning, looking for any sign of movement. Within a few minutes, he caught sight of the other scouts, rapidly closing in on their position.

“Took you long enough,” he greeted them with a wry smile.

“Shut up, Vien,” his friend, Techar scoffed.

The southerner rolled up a ball of snow from his hunched position and flicked it at Vien, who swatted it out of the air with one hand.

“Shut up, all of you,” the Captain growled, his voice held impossibly low.

“Yes, Captain,” they all replied, speech so soft it barely disturbed the air in front of their lips.

“According to the timetable, we push down out of the mountains and onto the plains today. Forty kilometres, thereabouts.”

There was a hint of irritation in the Captain’s voice, a hint of emotion which normally would never be found. Not in the field.

“Something wrong, Captain?” Vien asked.

Instead of the reprimand he expected, the Captain was silent for a moment.

“I’m getting mixed signals from command,” he said finally, causing the other three scouts to raise their brows.

If command sending confused orders was unusual, the Captain sharing it with them was doubly so. Vien felt his heart rate pick up and steadied his breathing.

“Some are saying go, others are saying to pull back. There’s some sort of pissing contest going on, and I don’t think it’s command.”

The court.

It was the only thing that made sense. The Golden Legion were the Hammer of the Emperor, an efficient and professional fighting force that did their job without ego or allowing petty power grabs to get in the way. Without using so many words, the Captain was telling them there was politics being played by the court, interfering with the mission.

Every member of the Golden Legion knew what that meant: When the High Lords and Ladies meddled, Soldiers got killed.

“As of this moment, my orders are to continue our advance, so that’s what we are going to do. Be aware that this may change, so I want you all to check in with me at the end of the day, rather than tomorrow morning. Does everyone understand?”

In other words, exercise extreme caution, something fishy was going on.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

“Got it, Captain.”

“Understood.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Get back out there. I’ll see you when the sun sets.”

Vien was the first to move, up and running in an instant, speeding across the snow once more. Despite what he’d been told, he didn’t let any distracting thoughts seize his attention. If the danger was higher than they thought, then all the more reason to do his job perfectly.

Kilometres away from his fellow scouts, Vien proceeded to race down the mountain side, his hyper-acute senses attuned in all directions, allowing no sight, sound or scent to escape his notice. Wind rushed past his face as he ran, only pausing to survey the land ahead.