23 Legion of Light (Part 4)

"VICE COMMANDER?!! Of THE 10th Arsenal?!! Are you serious?!" Captain Colton clearly couldn't contain his shock.

"Captain Mark Colton!" Rignar thundered. Every legionnaire around stood up immediately in strict attention. Of course, they would, every soldier will be alert right away if their commander suddenly yells out.

Snapping back to his senses, with fear and guilt apparent in his eyes, Colton bowed down low in front of me immediately. "I am extremely sorry for my disrespectful comments, Vice Commander Everhart!"

I sighed, I really didn't want this to become such a big scene in the middle of so many people. "At ease soldier. It's alright. I guess such a reaction is understandable. Well now you know who I am, so remember it well."

"Thank you for your kindness, vice commander Everhart." His guilt was still greatly apparent. So he was one of those greatly-devoted-to-the-legion types.

I smiled. "Raise your head, jeez. I am here just as an adventurer anyway. Come on let's go. Rignar, lead the way?"

Rignar scoffed and went on ahead. "Of course, follow me."

Elaina leaned in close to me and whispered in my ear. "Is being vice commander superior to this Division Commander here?"

I leaned in to whisper back to her. "No no, a vice commander is like just one rank below the division commander. But since I am an Everhart, I have enough clout to be on his level."

"Don't pull the hero's kid thing on me, Liam. I'll whoop your ass." Rignar said out loud nonchalantly.

I laughed slightly and leaned back to Elaina. "And he's got no chill."

"I can still hear you!"

Rignar's tent was about the same size as ours but more luxurious as a commander's would be. He motioned for me and Colton to sit on chairs while he pulled up another chair and lit a cigar for himself.

I leaned back on my chair as I asked. "I heard about some heightened monster activity in korben, but why is the Legion deploying for it?"

Rignar smiled when I said 'heightened monster activity' as he slowly blew out a puff of smoke to the side and pointed to Colton for explaining.

Colton immediately turned to me. "Sir, it doesn't seem to be like just any other increase in monster activity. Every monster attack seems to be well-planned, synchronized, and executed. For instance, Korben is in great need of basic supplies. Since last night we sent three groups of the Legion, and each had varying levels of success. First was a small forward company to assess the situation in Korben and set up an initial base camp. They didn't even get halfway into the Korben region before the ground gave in under their feet and they were ambushed by ground goblins. It ended with too many casualties on our side. Next was a full supply convoy that had already left for Korben before receiving the intel of what happened with the forward company. They were attacked similarly but suffered no casualties, though all supplies were lost. Third, we sent another full convoy, absolutely prepared to counter any such attack again, but this time they came from the skies. It seems even the enemy changed up tactics. Lightning wolves, hordes of them. Again we had no casualties, but lost about half the supplies."

I was impressed by the Legion's capability to send two convoys and a forward company already in a single day, but was also shocked by the monsters' repeated barrage of attacks on them. "What about the forces already in Korben? What is the seventh regiment doing?"

Colton replied. "The seventh regiment have been fighting them for months. They are busy handling Korben city itself. The monsters have been trying to surround the city continuously, but the seventh regiment and Adventurer's Guild have been pushing them back. The adventurers have also been defending supply routes, establishing them, escorting, investigating, clearing monster spawns and the dungeons that pop up with them, reporting, fighting off monster activity above ground, protecting villages, and other settlements in the region, helping restore them, rescuing hostages taken by the monsters and helping military forces set up key bases around Korben to fight back against the monster assault. Lord Hermann's forces coming in from the border and the Adventurer's Guild are also planning to attack the largest gathering of monsters spotted till now, in a two-sided pincer attack. But it's not going to be so easy. All types of monsters are working together, covering for each other's weaknesses. It's like they are a trained army themselves and we don't know when and where more will come up from. "

"It's a siege. A calculated and meticulous siege on Korben." Rignar said as he put out his cigar in the ashtray.

Colton nodded. "At this moment the human forces and the monsters are at a thinly maintained balance, neither side at a clear advantage. With the Legion of Light now joining in, we seek to disrupt this balance in our favor and end this entire situation quickly."

Now I finally understand. I turn my gaze to Rignar. "So that's why a Division Commander himself is going to Korben. Especially you."

Rignar smirked. "Aye, for among all the commanders of the Legion of Light, I rank the best when it comes to defending against a siege. I have cleaned up several thousands of these pathetic monsters and plan to do the same in Korben. In a few days the entire 14th Arsenal along with support from the artillery divisions of the 5th and 6th Arsenal, will be in Korben under my command. The adventurers are good, but they are adventurers. They are done when their quest is done and move on to get the next. While the Seventh Regiment has its hands tied defending the city against the unending assault on their walls, the Legion will restore control over the rest of the entire Korben. Whatever those filth have planned, I will crush it all."

Commander Rignar. This man could do it, would do it. Without doubt. But if he is getting this serious about it, there is only one question, truly left to ask.

"You think it's a Demon General?" I asked.

Ren's ears perked up at the mention of Demon General, as he finally started visibly showing his attention to our conversation. Yet he said nothing and just stood behind us along with the rest of my teammates.

Rignar sighed as he leaned forward on the desk and rolled his unlit cigar between his fingers. "The adventurers have been investigating. I'll also have my best runists work on it. But till now there has been absolutely no sign of a Demon General."

"So my father won't be joining the Legion's campaign in Korben."

Rignar sighed. "It's hard to get the hero to act in a large-scale suppression anymore unless it's a Demon General. He is intent on not letting a tragedy similar to the one during the last demon invasion happen again. As for me, I do think it's all being orchestrated by a Demon General, I am sure he has a feeling about it too. But at this moment, there is no proof."

Nobody wanted another demon invasion, but that feeling was even more for me. I don't know exactly why, but for some reason something made me feel as if I should be in Korben, like right now. Like something very wrong would happen if I wasn't around...

"Should I come over?"

I could feel the gaze of my teammates staring into my back, but no one said anything. I was asking something very serious. Something that could affect the team greatly, or end it before we even really became a team. But I had to, I had to ask this question, I could just feel it. Something bad will happen in Korben. Something...

"Colton. Take a walk." Rignar said without looking once at me.

Once Colton left, Rignar got up and walked over to one side of the tent and stared into empty space.

After a few moments of silence, he turned to me with cold eyes.

"Liam, I'll give it to you straight. You are weak."