"H-He... He stayed behind for us... They captured Felix!"
Sylvester sat down beside Gabriel and started using basic healing magic on him. He tried to keep himself as calm as possible to ensure he would make the best decision. "Tell everything. And where are Bishop Lazark and Elyon?"
"Bishop Lazark is safe. He went to the monastery to inform the Cardinal Suprima of the Duchy. Elyon got separated from us when we tried to rush back. He's probably sowhere in the mountains. But Felix... He stayed behind to ensure I could escape, but the last glimpse of him I saw was him being caught by the enemies," Gabriel said.
Sylvester did not know why Felix would take such a drastic asure. He knew Felix was a great friend, one who could be trusted. But, giving his own life... that was new. "Why were you in there? Why didn't Felix use the Duchy's n as shields?"
"We went with the Duke. We heard that an army of barbarians was coming towards the Duchy. To check and set traps, we went into the mountains. But it was a planned ambush, and the news about the barbarian army was fake.
"It was madness everywhere as the Barbarians had the ho advantage. They were hidden in the snow, the trees and everywhere. Just at the start of their ambush, most of our soldiers died or got injured. From there, it beca evident that retreat was the only option.
"The Duke, thankfully, ordered a retreat before an arrow ca and pierced his heart. But unfortunately, even more barbarians ca to reinforce their numbers at that ti. They caught , and without rcy, they stabbed left and right, blindly, all over my body.
"However, Felix ca and got freed. But then he stayed back, buying ti to run. I tried my best to get him to run as well, but all he said was, 'I can't have you die too... I couldn't do anything about Markus. I was foolish to see it. Not again.' I was then dragged by so other soldiers and Bishop Lazark. The last thing I saw in those mountains was Felix's back as he fought and eventually fell."
There was only regret and sadness in Gabriel's voice. His emotions reeked of anger with himself. After all, who wishes to be the reason for their friend's death?
Sylvester felt sowhat conflicted. 'Felix blas himself for Markus' death? But it was Markus' own decision to join the secret spy work.'
He looked at Gabriel and rembered the days they had just graduated from the School of Dawn. And at that mont, it struck him. 'Felix was Markus' dorm neighbour. Could that be the reason?'
There was no way to be sure of anything, but one thing Sylvester knew was that the ntal scars inflicted by oneself on themselves go much deeper.
"Baron Strongarm, what are the chances they'd keep Felix alive?" Sylvester asked.
The Baron rubbed his long wild beard and started interrogating Gabriel. "The n who attacked you, what did they look like?"
Gabriel groaned in pain but did his best to stay alert and answer. "They were not... all alike. But the majority of them wore black, furry turbans on their heads, matching their cloaks. They were ferocious and fought as if mimicking animals. So even had tal claws made of steel. The whole ti, I heard their chants 'Glory to Pentis' or 'Glory to Quaris,' as they fought."
"This is not good," Baron Strongarm frowned and explained. "Lord Bard, on a basic level, if we ignore the sixty-eight tribes in total, there exist two factions in the Pentapeak range. Every tribe adds the na of the nearest of the five Pentapeak mountains as their surna.
"There are seven forts in the mountains that act as the centre of power for them. From what Priest Gabriel described, the attackers were from the Borzol faction, whose headquarter is Grand Fort Borzol right up the White River, beyond the Thunder Pass. They are the most violent and cruellest of tribes. When I was abducted, I was taken by the Storst faction, which is much more peaceful and abhors everything the Borzol faction stands for."
Sylvester's shoulder fell, and he asked directly. "Can Felix survive? Yes or no?"
"It depends," Baron replied. "It depends on what the Borzol faction wants. The Borzol faction believes in taking what they want instead of earning it. They are violent people with violent traditions. If they want this Duchy, then I'm sure they won't hurt Archpriest Felix as long as he tells them about his church background.
"Church should be the last thing the Borzol faction would wish to fight against at the mont. So, keeping Archpriest Felix alive should be in their best interest. But I don't know how long he will last. Borzol faction is full of insanity. I rember hearing about it when I lived at Grand Fort Storst. Any Storst faction man abducted by the Borzol faction never returns alive. Almost always, it was death due to cold." The Baron warned him at the end.
Sylvester's mind fired up instantly. 'They must keep their prisoners naked. A good prisoner is a weak prisoner, after all. But Felix won't survive long if he's injured as well.'
"Forgive , Sylvester. Because of , Felix--"
Bam!
Sylvester knocked on Gabriel's shoulder. "Now, don't beco a brooding fellow like Felix. He showed his brotherhood by sacrificing himself. The best you can do is get stronger and make him proud. As for that fool, I will bring him back."
"No!" Aurora caught Sylvester's arm. "I won't let you. I know you're stupidly risk-taking, but this is insanity. You won't survive there if you're caught."
Sylvester patted her hand and pushed it away. "My sister, if you were in Felix's place, I'd do the sa."
Those words took Aurora by surprise. There was nothing she could argue with to stop him. Who was she to stop him from saving his best friend, who was more like a brother by now? Who was she to stop him when she was the recipient of the sa love and loyalty as Felix?
"If you go, then I shall go with you." She announced.
"No." Sylvester rejected her instantly. "You are not used to the art of spying or covert assignnt. You have enjoyed great power for so long that you are now not used to being subtle. So I will be taking Lord Strongarm as my guide and return with Felix."
"You can't possibly expect to let you take such a risk."
"You must." Sylvester resolutely spoke and stood up. "I rember the lessons from the Pope. The more I push myself, no matter the odds, the faster my rise will be. Since I took my first assignnt, I have fought for my life. Many tis I felt like giving up and accepting death, but I always ca out stronger. My death has already been written by fate, Aurora. It's useless to fear it anymore."
Sylvester hated it, but he knew that the only way to rise faster and beco the Pope was to keep pushing himself to the point of insanity. After all, there were already so many people trying to kill him. There was no point in fearing death anymore.
"Sir Dolorem, please co along too. Your heightened senses can help us greatly. I'd have taken Elyon, but who knows where he is in the mountains." He ordered.
"As you wish, Lord Bard." Sir Dolorem was a man who'd follow him to death, so asking him wasn't even necessary.
"G-Good luck..." Gabriel groaned.
Sylvester nodded and walked away. He headed to the Duchess' office once again. The woman was having a eting with the Prima, and it appeared the Prima was shouting at her for so reason, disrespecting her.
"Shh..." Sylvester stopped Sir Dolorem and the Baron from knocking on the door and started listening to the chatter from inside. It was muffled, and only a few words were audible, but they were enough to get an idea.
"...How can you! -- This isn't right -- You will ruin us -- Church -- enslave us -- selling us? -- False aid --"
Sylvester glanced at Sir Dolorem, who likely heard it all clearly. "Is the Prima trying to persuade her not to take the church's help?"
"You in particular, Lord Bard. From his voice, it appears he's scared of you."
Sylvester rubbed his chin and hypothesised. "That ans he's up to no good. Perhaps he's eying the Duchy since the Duke is dead, and a 'woman' now rules the place. Let's think about this later."
Knock! Knock!
Sylvester waited, and soon, the door opened. It was a tall man, six-foot-seven, strong, with black hair and a clean face. But the man didn't appear much elated after seeing Sylvester.
"Good day, Lord Bard." The man greeted them and rushed away.
'Of course, these dumb nobles. They always fall victim to their own Prima if they're not careful.' Sylvester was astounded at how nobles didn't see the pattern.
"How can I help, Lord Bard?" The Duchess' tired voice called him.
He carefully observed her emotions. 'Sadness, fear, anger, jealousy and hope? It seems the Prima is a headache.'
"Your grace, my friend Archpriest Felix Sandwall was taken by the Barbarians. I am heading into the mountains to retrieve him as we believe he's alive," Sylvester announced, allowing her to digest his crazy plan. "I would have waited until the armies arrived, but I'm sure the heavy snow will greatly slow them down. My friend will be dead from the cold by the ti they arrive."
She was speechless. Her own army lacked morale at the mont and didn't wish to return to the mountains. Now here were three n, knowingly going into valleys of death.
"I have no right to stop you, Lord Bard. But you must have a reason for coming here?" She questioned, as in the end, she was a seasoned noble.
Sylvester took a seat by the table. "Your grace, I will be entering the Grand Fort Borzol. If I co across your husband's body, I shall bring it back. He was a man who died in battle, so he must receive a warrior's farewell."
The Duchess' eyes teared up at his proposal, but she held them back. "You need not take such a risk, Lord Bard. If you die, I won't be able to explain it to the Holy Land."
Sylvester silently chuckled. 'Hah, you can act strong with , woman, but nothing stays hidden.'
The nose-tingling sweet aroma of boiling caral clearly showed the Duchess' excitent. Of course, there was sadness too, but he knew that at least giving a proper funeral to the Duke would calm her heart.
So he stood up and bid farewell. "I serve the light, and the children of Solis, your grace. I shall do my duty as I took an oath. But until I return, I hope you can keep my disappearance to yourself only."
Sylvester, after all, suspected there being Barbarian spies in the Duchy too.
"May the holy light enlighten you on your journey, Lord Bard. May your light triumph." The Duchess stood up and saluted Sylvester with her arms crossed over her chest.
It was an official salute and a subtle declaration of her faith in him and the church. A gesture telling Sylvester that his words ant a lot to the Duchy now.
________________________
[A/N: Adding the map again just in case you missed it.]
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