The caravan slowly rolled along the forest road. Teamsters chatted between wagons, horses' hooves clicked against the stone, guards traded idle jokes, and the steady creak of wheels drifted beneath the canopy overhead. Trees along the road were high enough to shade the path giving everyone much needed shade.
Numerius sat in the lead wagon, he was practically buried in ledgers, manifests and supply documentation and legal notations from both Isopike and Postlumia. These were the documents he had inherited from the previous Logistician. Because he was placed in the position last minute he only had the time to go over their most important documents. Now he could really go through everything with a fine toothed comb.
Rufinus sat across from him reading through the ledgers with him. Honestly the man made Numerius nervous. Not that he was doing anything to be intimidating, Rufinus had the unnerving habit of finding mistakes everyone else overlooked. He had uncovered the previous Logistician's embezzlement and had him removed. Numerius didn't want to do anything that would ruin this promotion for him within the company.
The caravan had been progressing on pace and they were sure to reach the town of Korim before the end of the day. This would have them ahead of schedule by at least twelve hours. He wasn't sure of the reason but the draft drakes had been far more docile and cooperative than usual. The teamsters in charge of them had reported that they believed an alpha had formed amongst them and was keeping them all in line.
Setting the matter of the drakes aside, he reached for the next ledger. His mind wandered again, he would need to have a meeting with the Procurement Specialists. They had three hundred mouths to feed and nearly two hundred draft animals. He would send them ahead of the caravan to buy any feed, water, or other supplies so they wouldn't have to do so in the morning. It would keep them ahead of schedule.
He let out a relieved sigh and sat up a bit straighter. Twelve hours ahead of schedule for most people it was a pleasant surprise. For Numerius it was proof the expedition was finally beginning to run the way it should.
"Did you find something?" Rufinus asked.
Numerius looked up from the paper in his hand.
"Oh, no. I was just thinking." Numerius cleared his throat. "We are making excellent time, if we keep this pace I am sure we will make it to the border without any issue."
"Indeed. After what happened with that bastard Jovian I was unsure how the rest of this trip would progress," Rufinus said. "When I was told we would be getting a replacement for the Logistision so quickly I was a little skeptical. However, I will say that I am impressed so far. If there is one thing I can say about the Consortium higher ups it is that they usually have a good eye for people."
"Thank you sir." Numerius said.
"If you don't mind me asking, are you from Postlumia?" Rufinus asked.
"No, my parents moved to Isopike before having me. This is actually my first time going to the Empire." Numerius said.
"Ah, yes of course, this is the first time for many of our brothers and sisters on this trip." Rufinus said with a nod. "I am from the Empire and moved to Isopike when I was one hundred and fifty. I was not ready for that trip but I was young and foolish. I thought I could take on the world with nothing but big dreams."
"Sir?" Numerius said.
"Sorry, I know you are still young, sometimes us old folks just ramble. You are in a better place than I was at your age. Keep up the good work and I am sure we can see to moving you up. Since I will be in charge of the expansion in Postlumia I could use someone like you on my team. Something to think about at least. I think you will find the Empire to—"
There was a hurried knock on the tailgate of the wagon that got both of their attention.
"Rufinus, we have a problem!" A voice said.
"We will talk after this." Rufinus said as he stood up.
Numerius simply nodded too speechless at the offer of the coming promotion to come up with any other response. His mind was already thinking about what he should do. Moving to the Empire was not out of the question. If he was able to do so as a part of the inner circle of a branch manager—that was not a promotion he could not take lightly.
"Rufinus, there we have a report of a rift appearing nearby." The man at the tailgate said. "One of the Security Group's people just got back with refugees. There are a lot of injured among the villagers. Ismene is requesting you."
Numerius looked up from the document, his eyes widening with the news. His stomach tightened. In the Consortium's manuals, entire chapters were devoted to emergency procedures in the event of a rift. He had never expected to need them. He stood up as well walking over to the tailgate.
"Where is Bjorn? Is he back?" Numerius asked.
"I am unsure." The man said.
"Bjorn. The hydra?" Rufinus asked.
"Yes he went out hunting now that we are in freeland. Ismene sent a couple of her drake riders to make sure they remained safe." Numerius said.
"Take us to Ismene." Rufinus ordered.
***
Numerius had so many concerns and questions he didn't even know where to start asking. He knew about rifts but only as a distant concept relating primarily to the Chaos Lands or the Deadlands. From his understanding it should be extremely unlikely to happen this far from either zone.
However when they arrived near the rear of the caravan it was clear there was at least some kind of attack. Injured dwarves from young children to elders were following asking for help, many of them injured or helping those that were.
The Martial Lions Security Group personnel were keeping the dwarves at a distance from the convoy for security. Ismene along with a rather battered drake rider approached. Numerius recognized the drake rider as one of the two sent with Bjorn and his companion. He remembered the name Knock before Ismene introduced him.
What followed was a short debrief of what the drake rider had experienced. Everyone was surprised to find out that not only was Bjorn and Soren still missing but Tanisha and Aurelius had also gone without informing anyone. The description of the rift and the ensuing battle at the village sounded like a nightmare. This was only compounded by the fact that he could see the aftermath.
"Why did you come back without Lady Tanisha?" Rufinus asked.
"I was told to report so we can gather a rescue force." Knock said. "She refused to return."
"I will correct his actions and have already sent a detachment to retrieve her." Ismene said.
"This reflects poorly on the Martial Lions Security Group." Rufinus said. "If anything has happened to the guest of the Oligarch there will be consequences."
"Understood." Ismene said. "What do you want us to do with the refugees?"
Numerius was already calculating in his head how many of their supplies they could realistically spare. They would soon be arriving at Korim and they were planning on resupply. If anything they could provide some of the herbal healing potions and a few rations for the more seriously injured and dehydrated.
His calculations came to an abrupt stop when Rufinus finally spoke.
"The Runeforge Consortium is not a charity." Rufinus said coldly. "The fate of these displaced individuals is not the concern of our convoy or the Consortium. They are free to use the road as any traveler but we will not render aid without proper compensation. You are to ensure those people do not hinder our journey. We will not slow for them."
"Sir." Ismene said.
She placed a hand on her chest, nodded and started giving orders to the Security Group. Rufinus and Ismene both turned in opposite directions. Leaving Numerius as he struggled to think about who he wanted to talk to first. Numerius looked back toward the refugees. Several children clung to exhausted parents as the Security Group shepherded them away from the convoy.
He decided to ask after Rufinus and quickly followed behind the expedition leader.
"We are going to leave them?" Numerius asked.
"Yes. It is tragic what happened but not our concern." Rufinus said.
"But sir we have extra rejuvenation poti—"
"Those potions belong to the Consortium, not to us. We don't have the authority to hand them out." Rufinus cut him off. "I will not risk stopping this caravan or give away its supplies with an active rift in the region. If we stop and get attacked you want us to risk our people to save these strangers. We have a duty to our own, to get them to their destination safely."
"It just seems like we are abandoning them." Numerius said.
"Send someone ahead of the caravan to Korim. We will inform the local authorities they will handle this. You just need to worry about the caravan. After we have confirmation that Tanisha and her party have been secured we will be doubling our pace. I want everyone ready, is that clear?"
"Yes sir." Numerius said.
A roar stole everyone's attention followed by a scream. A figure rushed out from the forest then another. It happened too quickly for Numerius to follow. Two dwarves were dead in moments. He froze as he saw a monster for the first time. His heart beat in his ears and he couldn't take a single step.
The Martial Lions Security Group sprang into action to defend the caravan as the monsters kept coming. Numerius had never so much as seen a fist fight. It was a shock to see the violence before him as spells, techniques and defensive magics filled the air with mana.
Someone grabbed Numerius's shoulder. It took a moment for him to focus enough to even hear the words Rufinus was saying.
"Numerius, run! We are going to the lead wagon!" Rufinus yelled.
Two drake riders rushed to them and pulled both of them onto their mounts. Before they even had the chance to run. The caravan was picking up its pace as warning bells sounded. He turned back and saw that they were leaving the refugees to their fate with the monsters. The Security Group wasn't falling back because they were losing. They were falling back because the caravan was the mission. Once the convoy was clear, the refugees ceased to be their responsibility.
For a moment Numerius couldn't breathe. He wasn't sure if he was going into shock. Then he noticed none of the monsters were moving anymore. The ambient mana was filled with a foul corruption that made him retch. He noticed he wasn't the only one. Nearly all of the elves he saw looked sick except those in the Security Group.
Every monster turned its head in the same direction as if controlled by a single will. None of them fought back as the Security Group rapidly dwindled their numbers. Many of the dwarven refugees had only survived because the monsters had stopped moving.
"Thank you." Numerius said.
"No thanks necessary, sir." The drake rider responded.
As the drake rider rushed them to their carriage the mount suddenly became agitated. It stopped and reared back on its hind legs. It wasn't just the combat drakes. The large draft drakes pulling the wagons also seemed to become more cautious. They slowed down and lowered their heads, nearly causing several rear-end crashes. from wagons not pulled by drakes.
"Woah, Dalius, calm down it is okay boy." The drake rider said to his mount. "What has gotten into you.
Numerius turned around and saw Bjorn break through the treeline near the refugees. Aurelius and Tanisha both attacked the frozen monsters, taking them down in moments where the security forces had fled to follow the caravan. It took less than a second from the moment he saw them before every frozen monster was little more than bloodied meat. Or whatever monsters were made of.
They ran and caught up with the caravan. Ismene followed them but even she was not quick enough to keep up with them.
"Stop. We need to speak with them." Rufinus said to the drake rider he was with.
They all converged on Tanisha's wagon where an unknown dark elf woman was driving. Numerius couldn't help but think that he had given Cornelius the job of relieving Tanisha's group of driving their own wagon.
The thought had vanished from his mind when he saw the state of Tanisha's group and especially Tanisha herself. She was in little more than ribbons. Blood caked what remained of her clothing, which had clearly never been designed for combat. Aurelius and Soren were both battered but both of them had armor which seemed to have survived far better.
Bjorn had dwarven children on his back which Tanisha placed inside their wagon. She then disappeared along with them.
"We don't have long." Tanisha said.
"I will get the reins." Aurelius said.
"Jocasta it would be best if you stayed with the caravan." Bjorn said.
"Where have you all been?" Rufinus asked.
"Not important." Aurelius said. "There is a jeweled winged monarch that came through the rift."
"A-are you sure?" Ismene questioned.
"What is that, another monster?" Numerius asked.
"It is a calamity-evolved monster." Ismene said. "We are all in danger. We need to quicken the pace again. Anything nonessential should be dropped here."
"Are you serious?" Rufinus questioned. "Can you not just kill it?"
"Yes it is that serious and no we can't just kill it. A monarch is a danger to all of Isopike. If it goes towards the Deadlands we are speaking about millions of monsters." Ismene said.
Numerius started to feel even sicker.
"Are you all sure it was this jeweled winged monarch?" Numerius asked.
"Yes. No doubt." Soren said.
Aurelius took the reins of their wagon and abruptly turned it around.
"Where do you all think you are going?" Rufinus questioned.
"I am assuming you all decided to leave the villagers right? We aren't going to do that." Aurelius said.
"You all are under the protection of this convoy and the Runeforge Consortium." Rufinus said.
"We are guests." Aurelius said. "Besides, some people need help and you all need to keep moving. The monsters will start moving again. We do not want more people to be caught in the monster wave."
"You all are guests of the oligarch. I have to insist you all stay." Rufinus said.
"Tanisha, you ready?" Aurelius asked.
Tanisha stepped out from the back of the wagon. This time in a red brigandine and obviously prepared for combat.
"How many health potions do you have?" Aurelius asked.
"Only sixteen I wasn't working on any." Tanisha said.
"I have five." Aurelius signed.
"I am all out." Soren said.
"Less than I hoped." Aurelius said with a nod. "We will give them to the most injured."
"Ismene." Rufinus said.
The lamia woman moved in front of the wagon.
"I have to insist you continue to follow the caravan." Rufinus authoritatively this time. "We can not have such esteemed guests such as yourselves be put into danger."
"Are you trying to stop us from saving people? It won't go well." Tanisha said threateningly.
There was a tense moment as Tanisha leveled her eyes at Rufinus. Bjorn let out a menacing hiss as the hydra lowered his heads as if to prepare to strike. More Martial Lions Security Group closed in but none of them drew weapons but they looked unsure as to what to do.
"No." Rufinus eventually said. "Ismene, send someone with them."
"Sir." Ismene said. "Bolder, Knock you two, time to redeem yourselves!"
"Numerius, how many lesser rejuvenation potions can we spare?" Rufinus asked.
Numerius hesitated. Those potions belonged to the Consortium. Rufinus was right. They had a duty to protect their own people and their cargo. But there were still people out there. He had only moments to decide the fate of strangers. Too little and some of the refugees would die to many and they risk their own should something happen.
"Twenty," he said. "We can spare twenty lesser rejuvenation potions without risking the caravan."
Rufinus looked at him for a moment. He could have sworn that a smile tugged at the man's lips before it vanished beneath the stern look the elf always held.
"Calculate the cost. We will send them an invoice when we reach Korim." Rufinus said.