Steel and Mana

Chapter 77 – The Walk

I wasn't lying when I stated they would be armed and equipped. Only a day later, I was standing on the old castle's walls, looking down at the now green valley, watching as the nine was forced out from the main gate by my Father's soldiers. They were wearing leather armor, a mix of wooden and metal shields with a multitude of weapons. We gave them not just swords and bows but daggers, pikes, axes, spears, and a huge backpack filled with supplies, be it food, water, or just tools that would help them make a camp.

Of course, that wouldn't last them for long, so they would need to forage and hunt for themselves. Oleg was arguing with me about it because, in his eyes, this was nothing but a waste of good resources... and he was probably right. But, without trying and investing a little, you will never know if you could have succeeded or not. It would always be in the back of my mind, nagging at me.

"One has stopped." My general said, interrupting my thoughts. After looking down, I saw the man standing there, not walking anymore. The others were already 100 or 200 meters away before noticing his absence, finally stopping, turning around, and looking at him. At first, they didn't know what to do, but soon they began to shout, trying to tell him to hurry up.

"It's Sorbo." I hummed, leaning against the wall and looking down, watching him stand there, unable to take another step forward but not having enough courage to turn around.

"The mastermind?" Sasha asked, furrowing her brows and following my gaze. "Coward."

"You really hate him, huh?" I patted her head, playing with her hair.

"His selfish, idiotic actions killed innocent people! Of course, I do! You taught me a lot of things, Leon... and I agree. Punishment must be severe to ensure others never try to mimic them! I don't know what living in other parts of the world looks like, but I like it here. I don't want it to be gone, and I think most of the people would agree with me if I asked them."

"The soldiers are ready any time." Oleg added sternly, keeping his eye on them, and when the other eight showed signs of turning around, it was time to act.

"Shoot a warning shot!" I ordered and watched as multiple arrows cut through the air, landing between Sorbo and the rest of the group, finally stopping them from turning around. Yet... the man himself was still rooted in place.

"He won't move..." Oleg murmured, his voice filled with disappointment. "He gave up. The wimp..."

"Let me!" Sasha exclaimed, raising her voice and making us look at her as she stood up on the wall, letting the wind blow her hair behind her like a majestic cape.

"Are you sure?" I smiled, watching her determined expression.

"I am your Queen; you said it yourself! Trust me, Leon. I will be strong... I am not a kid nor a weak girl anymore!"

"I do trust you... and I always will. Go ahead."

Putting her hand into her pocket, she pulled out a raw CC crystal around the size of a larger pebble. I watched with interest what she was doing and saw as a miniature, red formation appeared around her wrist, like an exquisite bracelet, rotating counterclockwise. She held the CC between her fingers as if she was ready to flick it away, aiming at the unmoving body, her eyes locked on like a hawk. While she focused on the spell, I saw the appearing runes change and slot into place, and when it stopped rotating, it increased its intensity at once. I could feel the heat coming off it, as if it was a miniature furnace before I had to avert my eyes as the light from it became dangerously bright.

Of course, I wasn't going to miss her spell and watch it unfold, so I turned towards Sorbo, hearing a whistle-like sound from my left, reminding me of how fireworks sounded in my old life. What Sasha summoned, in under a minute, was a miniature version of the tablets we had developed. It was quick, its power dialed down, and if I have to describe it, she turned it from being a high-explosive shell into something that was armor-penetrating. More precise and focused.

There was no explosion or loud noise; it was like a bright, orange arrow flying through the air, hitting Sorbo in the head. Okay... I lied. There was an explosion, but not what one would expect. It was his head that was blown up, seen only as a red mist from where we stood, before the body swayed, falling to the side. It was enough to usher the now eight saboteurs to continue their walking, backing off in a hurry. Even though they may walk into the jaw of death, the hope was still there. It was better than turning around and facing certain death. They were not alone, but a group, armed to the teeth. They had a chance to survive the year, and if they succeeded, they could return. That tiny sliver of hope was all they needed.

"Go out and collect the equipment he had." I told Oleg while I helped my wife off the walls, smiling at her, caressing her face. "Leave the body there."

"Yes, My Lord!"

"That was... impressive. How did you do it?"

"I don't really know how to explain it..." She answered, blushing, turning towards the valley, watching the now increasingly smaller-looking group of people as they began disappearing from view. "The spell is the same as what we developed, I just... when using CC, it makes it much easier to focus. I could shrink it down and modify it with a thought to make it accommodate my intent. It was as if I saw my target when using the spell. Like... if he stood only a few meters from me."

"I wish I could cast magic to understand it... I saw that the formation was mostly the same, but why does its size change its power and effect... How can you modify it on the fly? Ugh... we will have to study that, you know!"

"I know!" She giggled, giving me a kiss, "We need to develop weapons to defend ourselves! Against the winter, when monsters come, against people like them, and against anybody who would try to destroy what we built!"

"Are you trying to prove yourself because I didn't let you join Yuri the last time?" I whispered, making her blush even harder. "Silly... I know you are strong!" With a hug, I lifted her up, spinning around once before heading down to have lunch with my parents. "I knew it from the start when I first saw you, surviving, not giving up, not even when life gave you the worst hand possible!"

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The upcoming weeks were still loud of the aftermath of what had happened. What was surprising but pleasing to see was that when the construction restarted, there were more volunteers than ever before, and they attended Mikan's impromptu sermon on the main square, honoring those who died. It seemed that the fact she was there, helping them remove the rubble, was a great indication that she was not like the priests living in their memories. Finally, I could put it behind me and focus on visiting Dorian and his family, telling them it was time to let them move around the city with a little more freedom.

None of them complained about being told to coup up in their new homes until now, and when I took him to the palace, sitting down in my garden for an afternoon coffee and cookies, he finally relaxed enough to start speaking.

"I am amazed at your city, um, Lord Leon!"

"Sovereign." Luna corrected him while pouring coffee into his cup, making Sasha giggle while covering her mouth.

"My apologies... Sovereign Leon."

"It is fine!" I smiled at him, "I am glad you think so; we worked hard to build it! And we still have a lot of things to improve on."

"About that... can I be honest?"

"You can be blunt." I looked at him with one eye, watching him collect his courage before speaking his mind.

"What you are doing here is high treason."

"I am well aware. In the future, the Frontier will be known as Avalon. That's all there is to it."

"..." To my surprise, he wasn't panicking or trying to dissuade me. Instead, he leaned back, thinking, slowly sipping on his coffee before speaking again. "Your people have already decided they are going to follow you. They are different than the people living in Lothlia. Can I be part of their world, Sovereign Leon?"

"You can. That is why I brought you here, Dorian!" While I raised my cup, Sasha took out a thin document and presented it to him, one that we worked on in the past few days.

"Mister Dorian," She began with a kind but authoritative voice, "We are still in the middle of raising enough animals in our territory, but soon we will have ample sheep to start harvesting their wool. Your previous expertise will be perfect to industrialize it!"

"Indu...industrailize?" He asked back, looking at the papers, trying to read them but also listening to us, getting confused in the process.

"You must understand that what we are planning will not be yours." Sasha continued, "But we would pay you well for the work. We already have aspirants who applied for permission to open clothing shops. You and your machines would drive them out of work very easily and very quickly."

"You are planning to introduce the sewing machines to the public..." He mumbled, immersed in Sasha's handwriting. Of course, we would. The plans he bought in the past were perfect for us. I treated it as my reward for busting their little budding crime ring.

"Yes." I confirmed it for him, "They will be built by us, and citizens will be able to lease them or buy them outright. Of course, that won't be cheap, but it is the same as what we planned for the printing press. You will serve as an example to show them their advantage and why they are priced so high. You will be employed by me to run the manufacturing of my army's uniforms. I will let you design and produce it, and I will buy it from you to equip my soldiers. I want something that looks elegant and inspiring. It must have a... cool factor."

"A... what?" He blinked his eyes, not understanding me.

"It has to look like something that other nobles would be jealous of!" Sasha tapped on the table, turning his attention back to the documents.

"That would need more than just wool..." He mumbled, already calculating in his mind, getting excited that he could work again.

"This is where you will going to have free rein." Sasha continued, "Select an area where you will need your workshop; we will build it for you while our blacksmiths create the machinery. It will be your job as the expert to plan it out and tell us what you need to succeed. General Oleg will escort you back soon so you can start planning. Take your time, read through what we need of you, and present it to us after you devise proper strategies for it to happen."

"Dorian..." I added, making him look at me, gulping because my face showed I was deathly serious, "Don't try to embezzle us."

"Never, Sovereign Leon! I would never dare!" He cried, going to his knees and bowing toward me.

"This is your one and only chance. Succeed with it, and you will have a place amongst us, Avalonians. Fail, and you and your family will be made to make The Walk."

"The Walk?" He asked, raising his head, turning white.

"Towards the other side of the mountains."

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"You are evil!" Sasha moaned while she bounced up and down on me on the same night, having Luna hugging her from behind and licking her neck.

"You know he is a tyrant!" My little maid-wife added, playing with Sasha's nipples.

"Heh! You were just as bad!" I answered, holding her waist, "Did I corrupt you?"

"Y-yes! But... it does feel... hauh! N-nice! I like it!"

"Dorian is still a prisoner," I continued while enjoying our nightly activity and discussing what had happened throughout the day. "We can't be lenient with him, or he might think he can get away with everything. For now, he will get more sticks and less carrot!"

"I want a carrot too..." Luna whispered, looking at me over Sasha's shoulder, her mismatched eyes glowing with desire.

"Today is my turn!" My Queen answered her commandingly, shooting her down at once and also slamming her waist down on me even more forcefully, milking me dry. "You... will wait... aahhh... until your Queen got her fill...!" She added with a long moan, licking her lips, making Luna pout, yet continuing massaging her body, clearly even more fired up after being told off.