The Ogre Strength Fairy and the Eldest 'Son'-Chapter 340 - Rumor Mills Churn, Caravan Hopes Burn

In the mess hall of another fort, the news had spread like wildfire among the bored defenders. Cultivators and mortal soldiers alike gathered in clusters as they ate during their breaks. Animated exchanges of what little information had reached them through ’official’ channels was talked of often.

"...heard the Voidling leader tried to pull the same trick as before, aiming for a hostage when it wasn’t winning. But this time it chose the wrong target!"

And the much more ’colorful’ versions of events, circulating through some dubious means, were brought up just as much. Because they were filled with more personal details than military confirmation.

"Who did it target?"

"The Goltbred heiress! Qatrand er Yecine’s own wife. Can you imagine?"

"Attacking the spouse... it almost sounds personal."

"Yeah, well when they’d already killed one of your kind while protecting someone? Doesn’t sound smart to do right in front of them. No wonder they get beaten back every cycle!"

An archer from the Ironclad Order, who had been silently nursing a drink, couldn’t resist smiling at their take on the story. Helace had not said all of *that* to the first few people he told. Rumors really took a life and flavor of their own.

Over at a nearby table, a senior officer of the Continental Army was engaged in hushed conversation with two other large Guild representatives. While the content was different, the main subject was the same.

"We need to leverage this quickly. The morale impact alone could be significant across the entire defensive line."

"Agreed. But how do we best deploy someone with such capabilities? Traditional unit structures might not be optimal."

"Hm. A mobile strike force, perhaps? We’ve ran those before in some cycles. Something that can respond quickly to areas where leader-class entities appear."

"What about the Goltbred girl? I’ve heard she’s quite the sigilist. The pair of them might be wasted if-"

Their voices lowered further, discussing possible plans for the individuals not even currently present. But even if an heiress was there to overhear... she would merely be pleased that so many people were talking about her Qat at all.

⟠ ⟠ ⟠

Lady Aarengraf stood on the parapet of the fort she had stationed in, temporarily, to endure the worst of the early Descent. She gazed northward, as usual at this time of day when she was missing her homeland most.

"Two invasion leaders killed."

She murmured to herself what news the messenger had brought. Already her mind was calculating all possible angles - deception, truth, their mix... and who had the most to gain from any formation of it all.

"From the same Yecine who performed so impressively at the competition. Who married that frightening little empress of a girl."

The noblewoman shook her head as Leysah approached.

"You summoned me, Lady Aarengraf?"

An informal bow from her ’hired bodyguard’ was delivered as usual. Enough to keep up the act, but never more. While the younger cultivator did not entirely dislike her newest employer, there was still some mental pushback to treating this one too kindly.

"Yes. It seems the young continue to distinguish themselves. I’m curious about your assessment."

Even speaking vaguely, it was obvious what she was talking about. It was all everyone was speaking on.

"I believe they show exceptional promise."

"Indeed. And what of their... connection to each other? How firm do you think it is?"

Discomfort passed across Leysah’s face. An uncomfortable recognition... that she did not appreciate this line of thought, for reasons she couldn’t truly fathom. Something beyond just having personal ideals.

She knew that she had never been asked this question. But she also knew that it felt like someone had questioned her on this before, in regards to Elua. If the connection between her and the one she loved was really so... immutable.

"I couldn’t say."

Lady Aarengraf nodded slowly at the protective answer..

"I find myself increasingly interested in this pair. When the current crisis abates somewhat, I believe I shall extend an invitation."

"For what purpose?"

A thin smile spread across the face of the noble from another land.

"To better understand who and what she is. Those who rise so quickly often have the most interesting stories to tell... or secrets to uncover. They also make the most intriguing allies!"

⟠ ⟠ ⟠

By nightfall of the next day, the story had reached six different forts and was traveling further still. With each telling, it grew more elaborate and more like the stories of ancient cultivators made into plays.

Some versions claimed Qatrand had manipulated all the Gravity to crush the Voidling leader into paste. Others insisted the Yecine had anticipated the attack days in advance, knowing that more of its kind would come in revenge.

A few even suggested that was why the trap had failed... hubris of the young warrior in trying to lure the large entity into it instead of being satisfied with data the lesser types of Voidling. But across all variations, one theme remained constant.

The regional defense now had a hero nearly impossible to surpass for this cycle. Someone who had done things too improbable to match. And while cultivators, mortal soldiers, and civilians alike debated the exact details... many found themselves sleeping a little easier the night they first heard.

Comforted by the knowledge that the invasion could be repelled by competent fighters this time as well. Every eighteen years there was always a chance that something could go wrong. That an unexpected tide of enemies could once again form and sweep over the land like in ages past.

The sort of event that came from unidentified and unexpected breaches... the kind not auspiciously closed by a little Ogre showing off to intimidate a thieving cat.

⟠ ⟠ ⟠

At one time, a great roadway existed in the location now overgrown by forest. That path had once been well-traveled - a secondary causeway that connected the southern trade routes of the empire spanning the Continent to several other key cities. Raised path with strong stone meant to last with minimal upkeep.

Now, where it had not been destroyed, it lay buried underneath a few millennia of encroaching nature. But the old path was still used, in a form. Parts of it were still visible and known to merchants, Guild, and smugglers especially who liked to use it as a landmark for locating their true path.

A silent road that looked like nothing much, except for the rustling of leaves and the occasional rotting creak of abandoned wagon wheels. Ryder moved cautiously through the undergrowth toward it, followed by two other Void Defense Society cultivators assigned to investigate the disturbance zone’s periphery.

The team had been formed and dispatched to determine the extent of remaining Voidling activity in the region. Especially surrounding the now destroyed gravity anomaly, as a leader’s presence always necessitated in case they were working on building anything up. Standard procedure for that Descent focused Guild.

Not searching areas where leaders were slain, thinking that all was now ’good’, had burned the Guilds as a whole too many times in the past. Active secondary incursion points were sometimes hidden well - but other times were out in the open. And it was hard to locate them when you discounted searching an area entirely...

"Signs of recent conflict ahead. Stay alert."

His companions readied their weapons when he murmured the warning. In a small clearing, rent tree trunks and churned earth could be found that told a grim story. Overturned wagons of goods lay in splintered ruin where they were likely camped.

Cargo containers had been scattered, their contents potentially looted by either survivors or destroyed in the struggle. Dark stains on the ground had already begun to fade as the nothingness was itself ’tainted’ by the existence of the material plane - but their presence and meaning was unmistakable.

Someone had fought Voidlings on this path recently.

"Another deceased to report to the Continental Army. Their scout didn’t make it." fɾēewebnσveℓ.com

One of the Void Defense members called from nearby bushes.

"Looks like they tried to flee on foot from something. Doesn’t seem like a Voidling wound."

Hearing the news, Ryder knelt beside a wagon to examine the distinctive markings half ruined on its side. It looked like a merchant insignia, but something more elaborate than usual. A stylized scale with a multicolored frog visible on the remaining side.

"Not a trading caravan I’ve read about. Probably not even a real one at all."

He observed before moving on to find more evidence. Eventually he located a small, torn cloth satchel with a little embroidery on it. Whether it was simply an item that was being moved for someone, an item carried by one of the smugglers, or something that had been stolen from this particular Guild-

"These markings indicate there may be a connection to the Saltfire Storm Alliance."

His closest companion frowned as Ryder stood, eyes narrowing as he surveyed the scene more carefully. Everyone knew about the attempt to frame the Void Defense Society, as well as a few other strange things lately. So it was hard to immediately feel any Guild was directly responsible for anything lately.

"I don’t expect they left anything, but check the wagons for any documentation or hidden compartments. Carefully."

Most containers had been smashed open and emptied. But it was clear the attack had been swift and overwhelming. Numbers that rushed through and attacked on the way. Not the work of bandits or desperate refugees robbing the caravan.

"Sir, look at this."

One of the Society members pointed to a distinctive set of claw marks on a fallen tree trunk. Ryder, as the senior most member, could only nod in a serious manner at the proof.

"Classic leader-class rend pattern. If we match the timing with how everything looks, they were caught here when the forces surged to the anomaly site. Ran over only because they were in the way. Unlucky souls..."

As they continued their search in a spiral pattern from the center, he noticed something unusual further out. A dense metal container unlike the others. It had been crafted with clear care, its surface etched with intricate sigils meant to conceal and protect what was inside.

Even damaged by something, its craftsmanship was evident. Most telling was that it lay empty. Its complicated locking mechanism had been torn apart with the sort of precision that common Voidlings lacked - and no great signs that they had congregated in this section could be seen.

"Whatever was in here. It was the big reason for them to be out here at this time. The rest of these containers were incidental."

His companions exchanged uneasy glances. It was the sort of box that could have been housing almost any sort of extremely valuable old artifact. But why it was so important to be moved this way during the start of the Descent was a real question.

’Moving it through hidden routes, when everyone else is hunkering down. What sort of dangerous or illegal item was it?’

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