B4 Chapter 27: The Edge of the Empire
B4 Chapter 27: The Edge of the Empire
Sylendor cleared his throat and settled in. "As you know, my people have maintained their distance from the rest of the world for quite some time. After the fall of the first empire, we retreated into the forest and staunchly maintained its borders, becoming a bastion of the ancient world and ensuring our survival---and the survival of Rome.
"As a result, our people fared far better than those of the surrounding nations. I understand now that the land once called Novara split, rejoined, and changed hands at least two dozen times during our seclusion. Changes that we remained unaware of, save for the occasional adventurer who sought to try his luck discovering the mystical land of the elves."
Quintus nodded. This was information he knew, for the most part.
"However," Sylendor continued, "that seclusion was not without cost. Though we managed to avoid becoming embroiled in the world's petty conflicts, it rendered us blind in many ways as well. The area far to the east was once been a part of the empire alongside the rest of the world. But even then it was a chaotic land barely held together by the rule of law. The harsh terrain rendered much of it uninhabitable, and when civilization did take root, their internal squabbles and power struggles meant they had little time or attention to spare for neighbors. It required far more intervention to remain cohesive than any other place.
"Of course, this was how things progressed before the fall of the empire. We have no idea how the landscape looks now. The prevailing assumption was that any sentient life there had long since withered away or successfully pursued a path of mutually assured destruction. But considering the newfound incursions we face, it seems as though that may not be the case."
As the elf finished, Quintus hummed in thought. "You mentioned the source of these incursions are beasts?"
The elf nodded. "Yes. Beasts that are not native to our lands, but that seem like they would be at home amongst the sands and dunes beyond. Which makes their incursion into our territory perplexing. Even more strangely, they act in concert to isolate us, luring smaller groups into traps that can only be explained by several species working together in tandem. We nearly lost one of the contubernia we sent as advance scouts to investigate their source. Since then, I have refrained from sending men outside the forest."
"Have you attempted to communicate with them?"
"Of course." Sylendor shook his head. "They did not respond to our attempts. We even requisitioned some [Beastsingers] in hopes of speaking with captured specimens or at least gleaning information from them. But the creatures end their own lives rather than being taken prisoner. It is yet another concerning development amidst everything else."
That was concerning. Even in this world, Quintus had never heard of creatures doing such a thing. Only the most zealous of men wouldn’t hesitate to enact such drastic measures. It just made the question of who controlled these things even more pressing. Who, or what.
Quintus asked a few more questions about the natures and levels of the interlopers before thinking over the situation in silence. "From what you've said, it seems that your Legion is more than capable of keeping these invaders at bay. So why have you called for reinforcements?"
Sylendor shook his head. "I cannot be so shortsighted as to assume this situation will continue. Even over the past month, the attacks have grown in both number and cunning. Who is to say that a full force will not follow soon? No, it would be foolish not to try and nip the issue in the bud before the empire is caught entirely unawares. Especially considering that any foes who lay beyond our borders will need to be conquered eventually."
It was a reasonable position. Yet Quintus knew what remained unsaid. The elf clearly put the protection of his people in high esteem. Though he framed it as an attack on the empire itself and the conquering of the lands beyond as an inevitability, Quintus couldn't help but see how much the elven territories would benefit specifically from all of this.
"Additionally..." Sylendor shifted. "Though my Legion have made great strides in adjusting our tactics, our specialties still lie in the forest or as supportive fighters."
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Quintus gave a nod of approval. "A wise man understands his shortcomings. I see no shame in admitting them. Though I would ask about the skills you have experimented with..."
They briefly compared notes regarding their own Legions and their abilities. Since Gwendolyn's research into more ancient Legionnaire fighting techniques was still new, Quintus had even more information to share than initially expected. He resolved to try and have a copy of her findings prepared for both Sylendor and Gaius.
"What about those firearms?" Quintus asked. "Do they function as intended with your ranged weapon skills?"
The elven Legatus hesitated. "They do. Most of them. Even some of the skills that specifically affect our arrows have undergone evolutions or seen unlocked variants that affect all ammunition. However..." His face tightened. "Adoption of those weapons has been slow."
Quintus waited for his fellow Legatus to continue---which he did, after a momentary sigh. "I will be blunt. These firearms are useful. Powerful. The initial design had significant limitations, but I have seen the more recent works of your crafters. They promise to soon overcome the slow firing rate that has hampered them so greatly, even without the use of skills.
"However, a bow is more than simply a weapon to my people. It is a physical manifestation of our history, each one sung from the trees of our ancient ancestors. They are living things, connected to us just as we are connected to the forest. To not only cast them aside, but replace them with lifeless hunks of metal..."
"Does this connection come with any combat benefit?" Quintus asked.
"...Some," Sylendor replied. "As with our armor, the strength of our connection to the forest greatly reinforces us. The priests of Ceres insist that such devotion has allowed us to sustain our seclusion for so long without being troubled. They are even more against these changes."
He looked at the white-plumed helmet in Sylendor's lap. The ornate piece of twisted wood would boggle the mind of any woodworker who laid eyes on it, and that was before considering the layer of still green leaves that decorated its surface. He knew from experience that the thing was far more sturdy than it seemed. Unfortunately, such strength wasn't something that the rest of the Legion could leverage easily. There was a lot of truth to Sylendor's claims about a connection with the forest---something the other Romans didn't share.
Though he didn't mind. The feeling of metal across his chest was a comforting one, and he felt as though replacing it with wood may put him in a constant state of feeling unprotected. Not to mention the advances their smiths had made on that front. To him, there really was no better alternative to good steel.
After a bit more conversation, Quintus finally leaned back in his chair. "We will investigate the source of these threats. Given what you've explained, this will be a good opportunity to get my men some experience and help the empire as well. Though they are a full Legion in name, some of my men remain greener than I would like."
The elven Legatus dipped his head. "Thank you. I will lend you a cohort of men, at least. They will help you navigate through the forest and avoid some of the traps that have caught us unawares previously."
"What of fortifications? Have you established any outposts on that side of the forest? Are there any other settlements between Flos Aeternus and our destination?"
"There are not," Sylendor admitted. "We generally have had little reason to divide our people in such a way. Our tactics also tend to utilize maneuverability and movement over fighting in place. Another area that we have been working on."
"Hmmm." Quintus mused. "That should be changed. My men would benefit from having a fallback position in friendly territory. We should build at least one fort within the forest's confines."
They spent a little longer debating about the logistics of such a fort. Though the elves were Legionnaires and respected as such, the circumstances of their people had led to quite a few more deviations in their abilities than initially expected. In particular, their ability to stand up forts and other such structures was severely lacking. Why wouldn't it be? The elves had been in a state of homeostasis for thousands of years. They didn't need to travel or march, and what buildings they did create were overseen by [Treesingers] and the like.
Because of this, Sylendor attempted to enlist Quintus's aid in preparing such an outpost. But he fought back, seeing it as an opportunity for the Second Legion. They eventually came to an agreement that Sylendor's men would work on fortifying the forest's eastern border, creating roads back to the capital only once those forts were adequately defended. If Quintus was going to deal with their problems abroad, it was the least they could do. Perhaps they would both get valuable experience out of this.
When they finished, the two Legatuses rose and clasped arms. Quintus gave his elven counterpart a clap on the shoulder. "It's good to see you. Although I have one more thing to ask."
"I shall endeavor to fulfill whatever request you have, within reason," Sylendor assured him. Quintus grinned.
"Well. Perhaps you and your men would be interested in a few training exercises before we go? I have to say, I'm interested to see your new tactics in action, and I'm sure my men wouldn't complain."
A flicker of amusement crossed the rugged elf's features, his eyes sparkling. "I don't see why not. I must admit, I'm quite eager to see the results of your training efforts as well. Let's see how this new blood measures up to their elders."