The clearing went silent except for the wind through the trees.
"My mother..." Liz’s voice was tight, controlled. "She sent me away before it happened. Told me to run.Her hands clenched."I never understood why. Why she stayed. Why she didn’t come with me."
"She was protecting you." Vera’s tone was gentle. "The order lost contact with her during the raid. But Corvin... Corvin found something. Documents. Evidence. That’s why he went to Ashveil. To confirm what he suspected."
"Which is?" Marcus asked.
Vera pulled a folded map from inside her shirt. Dirt-stained, well-worn, marked with dozens of annotations in different colored inks.
"This." She spread it on the fallen log.
The map showed the eastern regions in detail. Ashveil was marked with a red circle. But that wasn’t what caught Marcus’s attention.
Lines crisscrossed the map. Dozens of them, flowing in complex patterns that converged on specific points. Ashveil was one convergence. But there were others. And connecting them all, marked in black ink, was a route.
A supply route.
Running from Ashveil east to a location marked with a skull symbol.
"What is that?" Liz pointed to the skull.
"The main garrison." Vera’s finger traced the route. "Not the fortress you probably heard about. That’s just a forward operating base. This..." She tapped the skull. "This is Duskhollow’s primary facility. Where he’s conducting his research. Where the real operation is based."
Marcus studied the map, his mind already working through the implications. "The ley line at Ashveil feeds into this."
"Exactly." Vera nodded. "They’re siphoning energy from the convergence point. Funneling it east. For what purpose, we don’t know. But Corvin found evidence that whatever they’re building there... it requires massive amounts of magical power."
Tobin finally spoke, his voice a deep rumble. "Show them the other thing."
Vera hesitated, then pulled out a second document. A sketch, hastily drawn but detailed.
It showed different experiments. Multiple sketches, each more disturbing than the last. Corrupted fusion creatures with notes in the margins describing capabilities, weaknesses, estimated threat levels.
"Specimens." Vera’s voice was grim. "Duskhollow is creating them. Different types, different fusion combinations."
She pointed to the first sketch. "Human-Goblin hybrids. Tier 2 threats. Fast, numerous, expendable shock troops."
Her finger moved to the second.
"Hayate-Hobgoblin fusions. Tier 4. Combines Hayate corruption resistance with Hobgoblin raw strength and intelligence."
A third sketch showed something even more twisted. "Human-Hayate specimens. Tier 5 at minimum. They retain human intelligence but gain corrupted regeneration and enhanced physical capabilities."
Marcus studied the drawings, his jaw tight. "He’s building an army."
"Not just an army." Vera’s expression darkened. "The Ashfang have been taking people from border villages for months. Using them as test subjects. Trying to perfect the fusion process."
Marcus thought about the four freed prisoners beside them. "So hypothetically You were being transported to become specimens."
"Maybe." Vera met his eyes. "If you hadn’t stopped that convoy, we’d be in a research lab right now. Being... changed."
The weight of that hung in the air.
Liz broke the silence, her voice carrying the confidence of someone who had things already planned out. "Then we burn it down. The garrison, the research facility, all of it."
""That’s the plan." Vera folded the map carefully. "But it won’t be that easy with the workforce we have now."
Marcus leaned forward, his expression sharp. "Is there any reason he’s seeking this much power? What’s his intention?"
Vera was quiet for a moment, considering. "If I may think... rebellion of some sort. But I’m unsure of the exact details. Duskhollow doesn’t strike me as someone who serves others willingly. Whatever he’s building—" She gestured to the specimen sketches. "—it’s for something bigger than just control of the eastern regions."
"A coup?" Liz’s eyes narrowed.
"Maybe." Vera’s jaw tightened. "Or something worse. The amount of power he’s siphoning from the ley lines, the specimen program, the fortress network... it all points to preparation for war. The question is war against who?""But first, we need to reach Corvin. He has more intel. Details about the garrison’s defenses, the specimen program, everything. And..." She paused. "He may have information about your mother, Liz. About what really happened at Ashveil."
Liz’s hands clenched, her knuckles going white.
"Then we don’t waste time. How far to the rendezvous point?"
"Half a day’s travel." Dain gestured northeast. "If we push hard and avoid patrols."
"But we only have two horses." Mikael frowned. "That means three per horse. We’ll move slower."
Liz’s lips curved into a slight smile. "Lucky I stole the two horses from the cart on our way here."
Marcus raised an eyebrow. "When did you—"
"While you were chasing down that last soldier." Liz gestured back toward where they’d left the convoy. "The cart horses. Figured we might need them."
Tobin let out a surprised laugh. "Smart thinking."
"Four horses, six people." Dain calculated quickly. "That works. Two riders per horse, Vera and Mikael share one since they’re lighter."
Marcus checked the position of the sun through the canopy. Still several hours of daylight left. "Then we move now. Rest when it’s dark."
"Agreed." Vera stood, wincing slightly. "But there’s something you need to know first."
She pulled out the map again, pointing to a location between their current position and the rendezvous point.
A fortress symbol.
"There’s an Ashfang fortress blocking the main road to Ashveil." Vera’s expression was serious. "Built three months ago. Garrison strength at least two hundred soldiers. It sits on the only safe route. The forest paths around it..." She traced alternative routes with her finger. "Corrupted beast territory. You’d never make it through alive."
Marcus felt a flicker of interest. Feels like a nice place to level up. He glanced at Vera. "Can you describe the ranks and strength of Duskhollow’s soldiers?"
Vera pulled out another document, this one showing Ashfang military hierarchy. "They operate on a tier system. Tier 1 to Tier 5."
She pointed to each level. "Tier 1 are basic recruits. Standard soldiers with minimal corruption enhancement. Tier 2 and 3 are veterans with corrupted armor and weapons. Experienced, disciplined."
Her finger moved to the higher tiers. "Tier 4 are elite units. Officers, specialists, the ones who lead operations. And Tier 5..." She paused. "Those are the ones who successfully survived a minor experiment that boosted their potential. Enhanced strength, speed, durability. They’re rare, but deadly."
Marcus laughed a bit, the sound catching everyone off guard. "Don’t think that’ll be an issue."
They were all surprised, observing Marcus with new eyes.
"Are you that strong?" Dain’s tone mixed skepticism with curiosity. "Or jxt unnecessarily confident ?"