Chapter 177: In the Shadow of the Peaks
After two days at the entrance of the mountain zone, the contingent held its position. They had spent the first day on a march through the rough terrain, and the second day camping and training at the base of the gorges while awaiting the arrival of the troops from the Mountain Fortress and the Red Forest.
Kellar and his main group had traveled in a straight line from the village, but the other battalions had to circle around the territory and cross back to the lizard forest to access this pass, accounting for the extra time needed for their arrival.
Kellar did not waste time during the wait. He took advantage of every hour to personally instruct the new recruits in handling the rifles.
"Don’t just pull the trigger," Kellar told the warriors, walking between the ranks as they held their firing stances. "Align the rear sight and the front post with the target. Feel the weight of the weapon and control your breath before firing. At these altitudes, the mountain wind will throw off your bullets if you don’t compensate for the drift."
The women listened with absolute focus, absorbing every instruction and adjusting their posture. Their prior experience hunting with crossbows and hard labor in the forest gave them steady hands and discipline.
Just as the practice session concluded, Kellar lowered his arm and looked over the recruits.
"Good work. Take advantage of the nearby stream to shower," Kellar ordered them. "Maintain the perimeter and keep your guard high; you never know where an ambush might come from."
"Yes, sir!" the women replied in unison, nodding firmly before retiring toward the camp.
The rustling of underbrush and the trampling of boots announced the arrival of the reinforcements. Brak and Lennis appeared at the forefront, leading the forty soldiers from the outer settlements. Kellar stepped forward to greet them with a smile.
"Rest up for tonight," Kellar said, shaking Brak’s forearm. "I want us fighting in our best condition by morning."
Brak let out a laugh that echoed off the rock walls.
"I never thought my vengeance would come so soon, Shaman! I thank you with my life," Brak exclaimed, his eyes burning with excitement.
Barely a couple of months ago, when Kellar was still new to these lands, Brak had been at death’s door after being mauled by those same eagles. Now, they stood there, leading an equipped army to plan the total extermination of the winged beasts in their peaks.
"It’s thanks to your hard work," Kellar replied, patting Brak on the shoulder. "Let’s go eat; they should be finishing up the rations."
The group made their way to the center of the camp, where the cooks were serving hot bowls to the troops. After grabbing their food, Kellar, Lennis, and Brak headed toward the main tent. Gathered inside were the twelve original hunters who had started this journey with him, with the exception of Krag. Everyone shared the meal, pouring wine from a jug and chatting as they recalled their earliest raids.
In the middle of the conversation, Brak set his bowl on the table and looked at Kellar with a serious expression.
"Shaman, we should explore the terrain right now," Brak suggested. "The eagles have terrible night vision; that was the thing that saved our lives and allowed us to escape last time."
The other hunters nodded, backing the idea. Kellar took a moment to reflect, appreciating the tactical advantage.
"You’re right. Let’s go, I want to see the place for myself," Kellar said, rising to his feet.
Grok scowled and stepped forward.
"It’s far too dangerous for you, my lord," Grok intervened. "Leave that task to us. If something happens in the dark, the tribe cannot risk its leader."
"I am going," Kellar refused in a firm voice, leaving no room for argument. "I want to see the layout with my own eyes before moving the entire contingent."
Without wasting time, Kellar and the small group of hunters set off. Due to their proximity to the beasts’ domain, the bonfires at the main camp had been extinguished; to maintain the perimeter and guide their steps through the gloom, they relied only on small torches concealed in the underbrush.
"Brak, lead the way. Take us through where they ambushed you last time," Kellar ordered in a whisper, gesturing for the group to maintain stealth formation.
They began their ascent up the mountainside. The terrain was rocky, enclosed by dense vegetation that made visibility difficult in the dark. Kellar closed his eyes and activated his [Hunter Scent] skill, expanding his senses into the night air. Instantly, the musky scent of the beasts’ feathers and their scent trails flooded his nostrils.
"Be careful," Kellar warned in a low voice, stopping the group with a hand gesture. "There are too many up there. The scent trail is dense."
They continued climbing with caution, placing every footstep carefully to avoid dislodging a stone. After half an hour of steady climbing, they broke through the tree line and reached a rocky ledge halfway up the mountain.
When they looked up, the sight left everyone frozen.
High upon the rocky peaks, carved into the cliffside faces and resting on ledges, were hundreds of nests. The night sky seemed covered by a sea of winged shadows circling continuously, letting out muted shrieks that echoed off the cliff walls. All the hunters were stunned; the scale of the threat far exceeded any prior estimation.
"Shit..." Kellar muttered, gritting his teeth. "There must be nearly a thousand eagles. It’s impossible for there to be so many... it shouldn’t even be possible."
Brak took a step back, his face pale under the dim moonlight.
"We never climbed this high, Shaman," Brak said, his voice tight with shame. "We always hunted on the outskirts, along the lower slopes. Forgive us, Shaman, this was our oversight."
Kellar watched the dizzying number of shadows dominating the peaks and recalled Frejya’s earlier warning; the white cat had mentioned that the beasts were multiplying at an abnormal rate and that there were simply too many.
"Tch, it’s my mistake," Kellar thought to himself, taking responsibility for not investigating the territory earlier.
He turned to his subordinate and gave him a firm pat on the shoulder.
"Don’t worry about it, Brak," Kellar told him in a calm tone. "The good thing is we found them in time. If we had marched in blind tomorrow with the whole army, we’d be in the shit. Did you bring what I asked for?"
Brak snapped back to attention and nodded.
"Of course, Shaman. It’s all stowed in the supply wagons we brought with the vanguard," Brak replied, regaining his composure. "Do you have something in mind?"