The morning mist rolled gently over the shoreline as a lone boat drifted toward the coast. Waves lapped softly against its wooden hull, the sound almost lost beneath the cries of seabirds circling overhead.
Two sentries patrolling the shoreline narrowed their eyes.
"A boat," one muttered.
Their hands instinctively rested on the pommels of their swords until a banner slowly rose above the vessel.
The wolf of Dunmere.
Immediately, their posture relaxed.
"It belongs to our people."
The boat scraped against the shore before coming to a stop. A man jumped onto the wet sand, boots sinking slightly as he steadied himself. His clothes were stained with dust and seawater, his face worn with exhaustion.
He wasted no time.
"My name is Jack."
The guards exchanged knowing glances.
Weeks ago, Captain Wulfric had left strict instructions.
If a boat arrives carrying a man named Jack, give him immediate passage.
One of the guards stepped aside.
"The captain is expecting you."
Jack gave a grateful nod before breaking into a run. His breathing was already heavy, but he never slowed. Every second mattered.
His footsteps echoed down the dirt road leading toward the nearest village where the mercenary camp had been established.
In the forest
"Steady..."
Hugo's calm voice blended with the whisper of leaves dancing overhead.
"A little higher."
Aldreic adjusted his aim without taking his eyes off the deer grazing between the trees.
"...Now."
The arrow whistled through the air.
The deer flinched just as it struck a nearby tree, missing by only a few inches. Startled, it bolted deeper into the forest.
Branches shook violently before silence returned.
Hugo chuckled.
"Not bad for your first time."
Aldreic remained focused on the trail the deer had left behind.
"It really is my first."
"You've never hunted before?"
"I've only used traps... back in Eryndor."
His voice trailed off.
"...Before."
The single word lingered between them.
Hugo noticed the change immediately.
Every time Eryndor was mentioned, the boy's expression became distant. Like someone opening a door he wished had stayed closed.
Choosing not to dig into old wounds, Hugo smiled instead.
"Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed."
For a brief moment, Aldreic remembered the dream he'd had that morning.
The familiar wooden ceiling.
Shelves overflowing with bottles.
The quiet clinking of glass.
His mother's workspace.
It had all felt so real.
Then he'd opened his eyes...
...to a canvas roof.
Cold air.
A soldier's tent.
The warmth had vanished.
Without saying a word, he crouched beside a patch of disturbed grass.
"We're still following it."
Hugo blinked.
"You can tell?"
"The branches."
Aldreic pointed ahead.
"They're still moving."
Sure enough, a few leaves continued swaying long after the wind had settled.
The two continued walking.
Birdsong echoed through the trees while the morning breeze carried the scent of damp earth.
After a while, Hugo spoke again.
"You mentioned earlier... that you aren't a Christian."
"I said I don't know anything about religion."
"So you don't believe in God?"
Aldreic thought for a moment before answering.
"I've never been introduced to the idea of god."
He stepped over a fallen log.
"And besides... Eryndor isn't particularly known for being a godly kingdom."
"That's true."
Hugo smiled faintly.
"But I still hope one day you'll believe."
Aldreic glanced at him.
"Why?"
Hugo's expression softened.
"So you'll have someone to believe in when life becomes unbearable."
The forest suddenly felt quieter.
Even the birds seemed farther away.
Aldreic didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he looked ahead, watching the broken trail left by the fleeing deer.
Finally he asked,
"Why do you believe?"
Hugo looked upward through the gaps in the trees.
Sunlight spilled between the branches, painting shifting patterns across the forest floor.
A peaceful smile found his face.
"Because the world is too beautiful for me to believe it happened by chance."
Aldreic listened carefully.
"What proof do you have that your God created the world?"
Hugo looked back at him.
"My Bible tells me so."
Aldreic lowered his gaze.
Someone to believe in...
The thought settled somewhere deep inside him.
He didn't understand faith.
He barely understood people.
But...
Someone to believe in.
It sounded comforting.
After a few moments of silence, he spoke again.
"Where's Captain Wulfric?"
"Hm?"
"Doesn't he usually follow you around?"
Hugo laughed.
"You make him sound like my shadow."
Aldreic simply waited.
"The camp still needs someone in charge. If both the captain and I disappear, chaos follows."
Aldreic nodded.
Then, without warning, he stopped walking.
Hugo nearly walked into him.
"What is it?"
Aldreic slowly raised a hand, signaling for silence.
His eyes scanned the trees ahead.
Then he quietly whispered,
"It stopped running."
Hugo frowned.
"You can tell?"
Aldreic nodded.
"I can smell it."
Hugo stared.
"...Smell it?"
"Yes."
"You mean... the deer?"
Aldreic looked genuinely confused.
"...Can't you?"
For a second, Hugo forgot about the hunt entirely.
He simply stared at the boy.
There was no pride in Aldreic's voice.
No attempt to impress him.
He had answered as casually as someone saying they could hear the wind.
What exactly... did Nimue and Gareth raise?
Hugo kept that thought to himself.
Aldreic calmly reached behind his shoulder and pulled another arrow from the quiver.
Without another word...
He drew the bowstring.
"10 minutes earlier"10 minutes before Aldreic and Hugo return
Captain Wulfric had barely finished fastening the straps of his leather armor when the flap of the command tent was thrown open.
"Captain!"
A young mercenary stumbled inside, bent over with his hands on his knees, struggling to catch his breath.
Wulfric turned sharply.
"What is it?"
The messenger swallowed hard.
"...Jack... Jack is back."
For a brief second, Wulfric simply stared at him.
Then his expression changed.
"Jack?"
He quickly grabbed the rest of his equipment while muttering to himself.
"So... he finally made it."
He looked toward the tent entrance.
"Hugo isn't here for this..."
"Bring him in."
"Right away, Captain."
The messenger hurried back out.
Only a few minutes later, Jack entered the tent.
Dust clung to every part of his clothing. His boots were caked in dried mud, and the dark circles beneath his eyes told the story of a man who hadn't slept properly in days.
"You look like death."
Jack managed a tired smile.
"I've certainly outrun enough of it."
Wulfric slid a wooden cup across the table.
"Drink."
Jack emptied the cup almost immediately, breathing easier afterward.
Wulfric folded his arms.
"Report."
Jack's expression became serious.
"He took the bait."
The captain remained silent.
Jack continued.
"The disturbance was enough to catch his attention."
"...And?"
"He's coming."
Wulfric's fingers tightened slightly against the edge of the table.
"How long?"
"A week."
Silence filled the tent.
Only the faint crackling of a lantern could be heard.
Jack broke the silence.
"Seven days... give or take."
Wulfric slowly nodded.
"A week..."
He exhaled through his nose.
"Longer than I'd hoped."
Just then, voices could be heard outside the tent.
"Morning, Vice Captain!"
A familiar laugh answered.
Wulfric couldn't help smiling.
"About time."
Outside the command tent
Hugo walked back into camp with Aldreic following behind him.
Resting across Aldreic's shoulders was the large deer they had been tracking.
Several mercenaries looked up from preparing breakfast.
One of them burst into laughter.
"Vice Captain! That's the biggest deer you've caught all year!"
Hugo grinned and shook his head.
"You're praising the wrong man."
The camp fell quiet.
"What?"
Another mercenary blinked.
"The kid caught it?"
Hugo nodded proudly.
"He did."
A few whistles sounded through the camp.
Someone gave Aldreic an approving pat on the shoulder as another mercenary stepped forward to take the deer.
"I'll get this cleaned."
"Cook enough for breakfast," Hugo instructed. "Salt whatever's left. We don't know when we'll get another hunt this good."
The men quickly carried it away.
At that moment another tent opened.
Morgana stepped outside, stretching as the cool morning air brushed against her face.
Her eyes immediately found her father.
Then Aldreic.
Then the missing deer.
She folded her arms.
"You've never taken me hunting before."
Hugo rubbed the back of his neck.
"Well..."
He hesitated.
Morgana raised an eyebrow.
"Go on."
"...That's because you're..."
She sighed before he could finish.
"A girl?"
Hugo smiled awkwardly.
"You said it."
She clicked her tongue.
"That's not fair."
Although she sounded annoyed, there wasn't much anger behind it.
More disappointment than anything else.
Before Hugo could defend himself, another messenger hurried toward them.
"Vice Captain!"
"What is it?"
"Jack has returned."
Hugo's relaxed expression vanished.
"I'll be there."
He had barely taken two steps before stopping.
Almost as if remembering something.
He looked over his shoulder.
"Morgana."
She looked up.
"You too."
For a moment, her eyes lit up.
Finally.
A meeting.
Something important.
Her father was taking her seriously.
She quickly walked toward him—
Then noticed Aldreic following behind as well.
Her excitement faltered.
...Would he have called me if Aldreic wasn't here?
The thought came and went in an instant.
She hated herself for thinking it.
Still...
It lingered.
Without another word, she followed the two men toward the command tent.
Inside the command tent
As soon as Hugo entered, Jack stood from his chair.
"Vice Captain."
Hugo walked over and shook his hand.
"I'm glad you made it back in one piece."
Jack gave a tired laugh.
"Barely."
Only then did he notice Morgana standing beside Aldreic.
His eyebrows rose ever so slightly.
Lady Morgana...?
Then his eyes shifted to the boy.
Who's the kid?
Questions filled his mind, but now wasn't the time.
He simply repeated everything he'd already told Captain Wulfric.
"The disturbance worked."
"He's coming."
"...A week away."
Hugo lowered his eyes to the map spread across the table.
His finger slowly traced the road leading toward Vargarde's capital.
"A week..."
He remained silent for several moments.
Finally he spoke.
"Longer than I expected."
Captain Wulfric leaned against the table.
"What do you suggest?"
Hugo thought for another moment before answering.
"We continue advancing."
"But slowly."
"We'll have to buy time once we reach the capital."
Aldreic, who had remained silent throughout the discussion, finally spoke.
"...Buy time?"
The three adults turned toward him.
"For who?"
Hugo looked at Wulfric.
The captain simply smiled.
A small smile.
The kind that suggested the answer was both simple...
and important.
Hugo looked back at Aldreic.
"Our backup."
The tent fell silent.
No one explained further.
Outside, the camp bustled with laughter, clanging pots, and the smell of fresh venison drifting through the morning air.
Inside...
One word hung over everyone like an approaching storm.
Backup.