Chapter 91 - 89 — Map
"Well... whatever’s going on between my brother and me isn’t really your concern. Let’s just say we’ve gotten closer lately. Anyways..."
Garrick rose from his seat and made his way toward the door.
"...I’ve got the token, which means my word is law. You know what to do."
As he left, Ingrid’s gaze lingered on the door, darkening as her jaw tightened.
...
The next day came quickly, and just as planned, each trainee gathered on the training grounds by dawn.
"Alright, here are your missions."
Garrick handed each group a paper containing their assignments. When he reached their team, Kaiden stepped forward and extended his arm with a composed expression.
However, Garrick only spared him an amused glance before walking past him and handing it to Zephyrion instead.
Kaiden’s fists tightened.
"Damn it...."
"I’m giving you a few minutes. Go through your missions. Your instructors will be here soon."
It took Zephyrion only a moment to go through the contents of their mission, and a faint frown settled on his face.
Their mission was to join forces with a village in the east and protect them from mutated beasts that had suddenly begun attacking.
It was the words join forces
that made him pause. It meant the village already had protection, and that it likely wasn’t enough. It meant the threat required reinforcements... dangerous. ’There’s also no clear condition to complete.’
They were to protect them, but for how long? Until the threat was neutralized? Then the mission should’ve been to eliminate the beasts ravaging the village, not something as broad as protect.
In any case, the mission felt... off. There was a deliberate edge to it he couldn’t ignore. As he caught the repeated, expectant glances Garrick kept throwing his way while he read, he gave a small inward nod.
’It’s him.’
Another test.
Sensing the quiet attention on him, he lifted his head and found the rest of the group watching him intently.
"Here."
Kaiden moved quickly, snatching the paper before the others could and scanning through the mission. His eyes lit up almost immediately.
"Protecting a village from beasts..." He clenched his fists, excitement flashing across his face. With a mission like this, he would finally be able to show his might.
Fiona reacted just as eagerly, clenching her fists as she looked toward Zephyrion with an expectant gaze.
The other two trainees showed similar excitement as they went through the details. A mission like this would give them a change to show their improvements!
Soon, the training grounds were filled with chatter, with trainees either praising or criticizing their assignments. Then, the large doors swung open, and several figures clad in silver armor stepped inside.
"Wow... it’s the Silversteel..."
"What are they doing here?"
"Don’t tell me... they’re our instructors?"
Whispers spread as the Silversteel knights advanced, coming to a halt before Garrick.
Zephyrion frowned.
’Silversteel.’
They were a high level fighting force of Calderalth, just below the Whitesteel in power and authority.
’So they’ll be the ones evaluating us.’
Members of the Silversteel knights had undergone rigorous training and conditioning under the house and were regarded as an elite force across the empire.
It was clear the house was taking the safety of their trainees seriously.
Eventually, Garrick gestured toward them, assigning each to a different team.
Moments later, a man with a slender build and a stern expression approached their group. Kaiden straightened at once and stepped forward.
"I—"
But the man passed him without hesitation and stopped before Zephyrion, bowing.
"I am Kona, of the Silversteel. It is my honor to see you through this mission, young lord."
Kaiden froze mid-sentence. He released a sharp exhale before he huffed.
Zephyrion nodded. "The honor is mine."
As Kona straightened, he gave the other trainees a brief nod before turning back to Zephyrion.
"I will be overseeing your team for this mission, but I won’t interfere unless your lives are in danger. If at any point I judge that you can’t continue, I have the authority to pull you out. You’ll be graded based on what you accomplish. Now... begin."
Kona drew himself up and fell completely silent. It was as though he faded into the background.
To the trainees, that was their cue to start.
"Alright, we’ll follow the map to—"
"Let’s go."
Kaiden’s brows furrowed as Zephyrion turned and began walking out of the training grounds.
"Wait, the map’s with me. Do you even know where you’re going—"
"I’ve memorized it."
Kaiden’s eyes widened. Even Kona, who had been trying to remain unnoticed, showed a faint crease in his brow.
Zephyrion had only held the paper for a few seconds, how could he have memorized it?
"I-I’m coming, young lord."
Fiona hurried after him, quickly closing the distance.
"..."
"..."
The other two trainees looked between Zephyrion and Kaiden, clearly conflicted. In the end, they offered Kaiden apologetic looks before hurrying after Zephyrion as well.
Grit!
Kaiden clenched his fists. His plan to take the lead was slipping apart right before his eyes.
"Damn it..."
Zephyrion was clearly trying to show off by claiming he had memorized the map. No one could memorize something like that, especially given the distance, that quickly.
Kaiden tightened his grip on the paper in his hand.
’It’s not over yet.’
Once the group realized that Zephyrion didn’t actually know where he was going, they would turn to him, and then he would take the lead.
With a slow exhale, Kaiden let a grin form and moved to catch up with the group.
...
The journey took them a day and a half at a full gallop.
Zephyrion led the entire way, slowing only when necessary to camp and rest. Eventually, they reached the edge of a high cliff.
Below, a vast drop stretched into a dense canopy of trees, all enclosed within a ring of towering mountains.
As Zephyrion stood in silence, scanning the terrain before them, Kaiden clenched his jaw while staring intently at the map in his hand.
"What the hell..."