Chapter 97: Don’t do it

Words : 1035 Updated : Sep 12th, 2025

After that, Rhydian gestured behind him. "My men will escort you for a while. Also, you can take charge of any command outposts in the Wilderness. The Dragon Lord said we should all serve you." Vacuse looked at the rows of gleaming armor of silver and red. There must be about forty of them, and their aura was firmly in the second Stage of Advancement. He clasped his hands and bowed. "Thank you, Lord Rhydian." By this time, the entire group was coming out. The Orcs were joining as well with their hyena monsters. Rhydian grunted and ignored them. "We have replaced your carriage, but of course, it’s not like the one Drenvar gave you. Also... the wilderness should be much safer for you." Vacuse’s eyes sharpened. "Why?" "Your father’s orders came in today. We will make your way to the Warbines Clan easy. Just don’t stray from the path," Rhydian warned. Vacuse could see that there was still a lot that Rhydian wanted to say, but in the end, he only shook his head and turned to go. Vacuse watched him leave with a thoughtful look on his face. Rhydian was headstrong and rigid, but he was a good soldier. Vacuse would have need of someone like that. Come to think of it, he always had need for everyone... Everyone has their roles to play. Captain Mera began shouting orders as she was also given command of the soldiers from the High Commander. Vacuse entered his new carriage, but it was small and could only allow Vacuse and his attendants. Vacuse was with Harkon, Kagerou, and Lyra. They seemed to be the only three that he always had with him, and they represented his personal guards and his chain of command for his New Dawn. The Orcs were given another carriage. They requested it, as they seemed to think that Vacuse was a disaster magnet after what happened with the Black Accord. Their new carriage was surrounded by the Bones Riders, who stood in tight guard formation around their heir. Vacuse couldn’t fault them, and he realized that even Captain Mera rode near his carriage and wouldn’t leave no matter what. Soon, the day passed, and the day after that, they entered the wilderness and set on the straight road that cleaved the wilderness into two. They saw what Rhydian meant when he said the Dragon Lord had cleared the way for him. From the beginning of the road, they saw that the trees for about three miles around had been cleared, the ground scorched with fire. The Dragon Lord wasn’t going to take any chances. And although they didn’t show themselves, Captain Mera confirmed that she could sense Soulbearers moving in the Wilderness. It must be the outposts protecting things from the shadows. When they stopped to rest for the night, Ragna told Vacuse that he had never seen the Wilderness so still and silent, as if it was holding its breath for their passage. Even masters didn’t dare to show their faces, as the whole Wilderness seemed to be shaken up. Vacuse seemed pleased that at least, things wouldn’t be too chaotic for him. At least in the beginning stages. But the more they entered deep into the wilderness, the more troublesome things became. It became apparent that the efforts of the outposts’ Soulbearers to clear the way were meeting some level of resistance. For example, the scope of the land free of trees and burnt had reduced. And they even saw signs of battles. Captain Mera made everyone become vigilant. And so, five days passed like that. On the sixth, at night, where they made camp, Vacuse was nibbling on some meat while Kagerou looked at a map, and Captain Mera growled at him as she loomed over him. "What do you mean you need to clear a Dungeon?" She glared, her warm, lovely expression gone. "Your father said straight to the Orcs’ land and back!" Everyone else was trying not to draw her attention, as her anger was just as plentiful as her warmth. But Vacuse didn’t seem to care. He had already told Kagerou his plans... a lot of it before they even left the capital. But he never told the Captain. Vacuse looked at her briefly, almost absently, as if his mind was on something else. "Just that. It’s not a powerful Dungeon, and it’ll be easily cleared. With you, what could stand in the way?" It was a Dungeon, one of the numerous, that Vacuse was used as bait for. A very interesting treasure was gotten from it that he wanted. Vacuse looked at Ragna and his Captain Valka sitting nearby, and his eyes sharpened as if his running thoughts were finally coming to conclusions. He wasn’t delusional about his trip to the Orcs, and he knew he would have to play a lot of games on how things went. For instance, he knew that Ragna had more powers than he let on; he was practically the one running the Clans, while the Agba, the Elders, acted as smokescreen. In his previous life, Vacuse knew the type of man that Ragna was. He was a schemer, just like Vacuse is now. The game... must have started since the time that Ragna stepped foot on the Vorrakyn’s territory. But the thing was that Vacuse couldn’t figure it out. Was he a participant in what happened that night? Vacuse wasn’t sure, but in his last life, the Orcs attacked after Ragna was injured in the Vorrakyn’s territory. Ragna must be playing his game, and Vacuse had no idea how. What he wanted to do, though... was to flip the board. ".....my Lord!" Captain Mera finished. Vacuse turned to her once more, and this time, he smiled at her and threw a fried meat in his mouth. "Captain Mera, why should I fear when you are here to protect me?" "My way of protecting you is not for you to raid a Dungeon!" Vacuse laughed cheerfully. "What type of red-blooded youth would I be if I don’t try to raid a Dungeon and kill monsters? I want my prestige to spread through the land as the killer of monsters!"

Chapter 97: Don’t do it

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