Side Plan I
The awaited day finally arrived...
We wake up at dawn to get ready... The main task is to wear our armors properly and get our horses ready.
I grab a steamed bun I stole yesterday and cut it in half, giving a part to Qin Luo
-It's time-
-It is- I nod as we walk out of the tend with our weapons.
We reach the stalls and take the horses, before proceeding to follow the other men...
-Are you really sure? You can still give that up and come with us-
I shake my head -I cannot bear to fail without even trying... I'll go-
-Mmh.. sure...-
We regroup right outside the camp and there the Generals proceed to yell a "motivational" speech.
-Today is a glorious day for out Armada!
We already lost so much to the point of retreating and recruiting new soldiers at the capital... This time we must not let our Emperor down!-
The men yell along them, rising their weapons
-This is a war for the future! For the people we love and for the revenge of those we lost!-
-Ah!-
-Today We KILL!
ALL THE ENEMIES!
BLOOD MUST FLOW AS A RIVER!-
-AH!-
-TO WAR!!!-
-TO WAR!!!- yell back the men, starting to ride their horses toward the battlefield
-Lai'Er... Let's go!-
-Yes!- I start my horse and join them
...
As we reach the battlefield we regain our positions and wait for the Generals orders.
On the other side of the plain... I see them... Those black armors...
Our enemies, waiting for their own orders.
This I war... It really is.
There's no turning back here.
No options... Just kill and survive!
After a quick exchange of words, Qin Luo gets back to our squadron and lead us to our position.
I close my eyes and take a deep breath...
I can feel it...
I can feel everything...
The men's fear, the electricity in the air, the wind talking about death, the presence of the mountain... Staring at us from above...
The suspence... Like that moment when your midair after a risky jump.
It's all there into my soul...
And then I hear it... The horn...
It begins now!
I open my eyes and start riding yelling along the other men
As I am about to join the fight an horse blocks my way
-Liutenant...?-
-Go now, while nobody is watching! I'll cover you up!- he takes out his sword, turning to face the few enemies breaking through our lines
-Be careful...!-
-That doesn't matter here, we both know that! Just go or they will notice you and try to stop you!-
I turn my horse toward the mountain -Thanks... Qin Luo!-
-It's fine!- he replies as I ride away
-Don't get killed... Lai'Er- he murmurs to himself, as my figure gets smaller and smaller in the distance.
...
I reach the mountain and slow down on the unsteady, almost vertical, path.
As I am proceeding I look all around beginning to think about something similar to a plan.
I find where the entrance of the base is...
There's a big gate between two tall rock walls, while the rest of the base is securely placed in the valley, at the center of the mountain...
According to what XianLen told me a couple of men agreed on the existing of an old mine inside, so it is not to be excluded the presence of an underground base too.
"If I leave my horse tied behind a some trees a bit further away, I should be able to climb the rocks on the back side and from there I can find a good place to examine the base!"
As I was thinking, my horse rears neighing scared
-Whoa... What's wrong?- I pull on the strings but he refuse to move -Come on... We don't have too much time-
Still nothing -Fine... I'll go walking-
I hop down and while doing so I hear a crack -Uh?-
Looking down I find 2 skeletons under my feet "What the heck??"
I bend down examining the "corpses"... They are still wearing clothes, and clothes I am familiar with, as if they just died... One has a sword and the other doesn't
-So it's them... But... It should take years to reduce a dead body to only bones... They died just a couple of days ago?-
Behind me I hear some noise so I turn around, only to find my horse running away back to the feet of the mountain
-Amazing...-
The nearby gates begin moving
"Ohoh...!" I run to hide behind some bushes, waiting for whoever is coming to pass over.
A man dressed in nice clothes with a soldier... A carriage approaches and they stop for a quick exchange of words in front of it.
-Remember to give him at least one meal a day, those things don't need to eat as much as humans but we want him to hold on as long as possible.
We need his power-
-But what if he refuses to?- asks the soldier as the other man climbs on the carriage
-Force him, I don't care how, just keep him alive... Oh by the way, any news from that puppet?- he stops before closing the door
-No, nothing changed-
-Ah I wonder what's on the Lord's mind honestly... I'll be back to my residences, send someone to report for this battle in the evening but not later... I'll be departing tomorrow to meet the King and the Lord-
-Sure sir!-
The carriage finally start moving and the soldier gets back inside
"Feed him...? A prisoner?" I shake my head "No they need his power... Maybe it's some kind of beast? Or worse... In that case it must be eliminated"
I sneak silently till the wall of the mountain and begin climbing, hopefully I pass unnoticed...
The pendency is quite risky but the rocks are friable so there's plenty of points to grab on.
My hand slips off at some time, as the rock disappear in my hand -Maybe a bit too friable... Ah...-
I reach a small naturally crested platform and lay down on my back, catching my breath.
Here should be high enough to have a decent view... I turn on my knees and look down.
The gates at the front and pure rock all around the camp's perimeter.
A few tends and some wooden buildings in the center where the light qlmos6 seems to disappear... And as predicted, there's a opening leading inside the mountain where a few men are patrolling while others are moving different boxes and weapons... It is more lively than I thought.
Many people are spread all over the base and probably there are more underground...
But there's enough fog, that should be a vantage for me.
Now it's time to plan how to enter the underground and burn it all...