2026-10-09 17:31:17Kain and the others walked north the next two days.
While Kain had the Basic Stealth skill to watch the tree line, it was the Basic Leadership that kept him acutely aware of his people and their struggles. Every time they stumbled, he slowed to let them rest.
A scant twenty people comprised his following, some of whom suffered wounds from the battle while others, like the blacksmith, were simply villagers. There were three children among the survivors, which made Kain all the more determined to keep them alive. They all had their purpose, even if it wasn’t as fighters.
Kain halted on the second night as the land dipped into a valley ringed by hills on either side. A thin, winding stream snaked along the valley floor and a relatively flat stretch of earth allowed enough space for Kain to pitch tents.
“This will suffice,” Kain said
Ryna’s brow was furrowed as she scanned the landscape. “It’s good that it’s defensible, but it hardly has walls.”
“We will make it a wall,” Kain said.
“We don’t have the tools do that,” Linden muttered. “We don’t have food. We have nothing.”
Kain ignored him and strode toward the middle of the valley, drawing stares from those who watched his every move. The sky was clear and he stood alone save for a strange blue panel hovering before him like a satellite dish
[QUEST COMPLETE: FIND A SAFE BASE OF OPERATIONS.]
[REWARD: 200 Gold, Skill Unlock — Basic Fortification.]
As soon as the message appeared, his pupils constricted as if adjusting to something he couldn’t describe. He glanced down at his body, at his hands, and realized he could see the terrain as if he possessed the skill to utilize it right then and there. At the end of his vision lay a wide leather pouch filled with golden coins lying on the floor
Kain felt his heart swell as a wave of satisfaction washed over him and realization sent him into a fever. Not only did he understand the mechanics of the newly acquired skill, but its application. He already saw what the land could be in increments of weeks if he could just get the supplies. He could see the people, the camp, and the fire pit.
He turned on his heel and faced them, “We have food and water,” Kain announced as he displayed the pouch of gold that had appeared in his midst. “We have walls of stone to protect us; tomorrow, we begin constructing our new fortress home!”
The people gazed upon him as if he had grown two heads
Linden, Ryna, the blacksmith, and the children all moved simultaneously when Kain gave the signal.
Kain returned to the System panel and scanned over the new prompt.
[NEW QUEST: BUILD A FORTIFIED CAMP.]
[OBJECTIVE 1: Conduct a palisade wall.]
[OBJECTIVE 2: Construct a watchtower.]
[OBJECTIVE 3: Procure food supplies.]
[REWARD: Unknown]
Kain nodded approvingly, considering the objectives easy enough.
The second Ryna came up alongside him, her expression darkened. “Scouts,” she muttered, “two of them. On the ridge to the south; they’ve been watching us for the past hour.”
Kain’s stomach dropped.
“Veyr’s men?
Ryna shrugged. “Could be; they may only be opportunists, but either way, we are exposed if they decide to come down here.”
Kain’s gazes swept over his people.
Linden, the blacksmith, and the children. Only twenty of them at the most survived the horrors of the battlefield and now he was trying to lead them to victory. They stumbled along through the night and he had no doubt they would all be dead by morning if they came upon anymore scouts or worse, Veyr himself.
Kain had to decide quickly but he already knew what his decision was as he turned back toward the valley floor.
“We cannot fight the patrols,” Kain reasoned, “but we can move before they come to us.”
Ryna nodded in understanding. “And where will we go? It’s the most defensible ground we saw fits.”
Kain stared longingly at the ridgeline, at the figures watching him, the land
This was the most advantageous location they had found thus far and it really wasn’t far from the base of the nearby hills.
“We will convince them we are already gone,” Kain replied.
Ryna understood the implication of his words, as did Kain when he opened his System panel and spotted the pending quest. Either way, the man needed to vanish from his sight and Kain couldn’t wait until morning to deal with the scout
“Then we will,” she said, “but what if they do the same to us?”
Kain didn’t answer her question because he was already focused on the System panel once more.
[TACTICAL OBJECTIVE STATUS: ESCORT PARTY AWAITS ORDERS]
[KAIN RYAN SWORDSMAN — READY TO EXECUTE SECONDARY MISSION ACROSS THE RIDGELINE]
The knight smiled faintly at the prompt.
We will make them, he thought.
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Chapter 12 :THE SIEGE
The first wave broke against the palisade.Kain felt the wall tremble beneath his boots where his forces and that of the enemy had engaged against the gate. Two-hundred fighting men surged towards the wooden doors, pressing back the reinforced iron gates with all of their might."Hold!"Kain bellowed, "Hold the line!"His men took up his cry. Gareth the blacksmith drove a soldier back with a hammer strike to the face, Ryna let out a string of arrows from her perch above the fray, and Linden held his spear high against a soldier in black despite his bad leg and the pain in his knee.The enemy pressed the attack, the gate groaning under the pressure.Kain glanced at the System panel that floated in his line of vision.What good was this going to do him in battle? It had provided him with Basic Tactics and Basic Fortification but those were for building and not for fighting.He needed to think of another way. Kain turned to Ryna who stood guardedly by the eastern wall."Ryna!"A shout from
Chapter 11 :THE FIRST WAVE
Kain was atop the knoll, looking at the northern pass.Below the valley, it was peaceful. The water was clear in the stream. The walls of the palisades were high. His people went round the camp, getting ready for battle. They were quiet but Kain could sense their fear. He carried a cold weight in his chest and a hum in the back of his mind.He had three days. Then two. Then one.On the last night, he called his warriors together. Twelve men and women capable of wielding a spear or drawing a bow. The rest were too old, too young, or too wounded. They remained within the palisade, and tended the fires.“It's important we don't have too many people here to hold the walls because we can't,” Kain said, his voice steady. So we won't attempt it, we will go to the pass. Ryna what did you see, Ryna?"Ryna stepped forward. The army is just one column, and they're moving quickly, they're not expecting to meet resistance."Good," Kain said. We'll get them to pay for every step, we will.He presen
Chapter 10 :THE HUNT
Kain chose five men.Linden, notwithstanding his limp. Gareth the blacksmith. Two farmers who used to be hunters. And Ryna, who was more familiar with the forest than anyone else.At midnight, they left the camp, silently moving among the trees. Kain's movements became smooth and silent as he raised the Basic skill. He heard all the noises, all the rumbles, all the inhales.The scouts were encamped in a small ravine 2 hours north of the valley. Kain sat on the ridge and watched them. Four men around a small fire. Their horses were tied up nearby. They were relaxed. Careless."Four," Ryna whispered. "We can take them.""No," Kain said. We don't come to kill them.Ryna frowned. So why do we have to be here?“It's about a message we are sending.”Kain explained the plan in hushed tones. Ryna's pupils dilated then contracted. She didn't like it. But she nodded.The hunters took up their positions on the ridge above the ravine. Kain and Ryna made their way down the hill, moving quietly lik
Chapter 9:THE PLAN
Kain couldn't sleep that night. Sitting by the fire, he looked at the wanted poster one last time before burning it in the leaping flames. Five hundred gold coins. Two hundred soldiers. A week at most.He had twenty people. Half of them were unable to fight and the other half were badly injured.The System panel floated before his eyes, the new quest glowing quietly on the dark material.[QUEST: PREPARE FOR BATTLE.][OBJECTIVE 1: Fortify the camp.][OBJECTIVE 2: Train your fighters.][OBJECTIVE 3: Create a battle plan.][REWARD: Unknown.]Kain skim read the objectives. Nothing complicated and just one task he couldn't complete because of sheer lack of time. At dawn he gathered his people together."I'm not lying to you," Kain said. "Reinforcements are coming for the Veyr. Two hundred soldiers. They will reach this valley in under a week."The survivors stared at him. Some looked anxious, some simply resigned to their fate, while others, such as Linden, just looked tired."We can't fig
Chapter 8 :THE TRADER
For three days, they stayed in the hills.Kain took his tribe to a small gorge on the north side of the valley, surrounded by dense pine forests. Eventually the scouts on the southern ridge lost interest and disappeared. However, Kain was not at ease. He knew that they would return.On the 4th morning, he called his people together.They will not be able to evade us forever, he said. Supplies, tools, food, weapons."Well, we have gold," Ryna said. “But, if we can't use it, then gold is no good.”Kain nodded. Two days to the north is a trading post run by Oren, a man who trades with anyone who will pay him. I will go by myself.I'm told, Linden said, stepping forward, “No.” His leg was mending, but he limped about. The leader of them is Veyr, if he gets hold of you then we're done."Then who?"I'm going to go," said Ryna. Said to be more familiar with the woods than anyone else, “Oren knows me, he'll deal with a woman by herself.”Kain hesitated. He did not want to put anybody in harm'
Chapter 7 :THE VALLEY
Kain and the others walked north the next two days.While Kain had the Basic Stealth skill to watch the tree line, it was the Basic Leadership that kept him acutely aware of his people and their struggles. Every time they stumbled, he slowed to let them rest.A scant twenty people comprised his following, some of whom suffered wounds from the battle while others, like the blacksmith, were simply villagers. There were three children among the survivors, which made Kain all the more determined to keep them alive. They all had their purpose, even if it wasn’t as fighters.Kain halted on the second night as the land dipped into a valley ringed by hills on either side. A thin, winding stream snaked along the valley floor and a relatively flat stretch of earth allowed enough space for Kain to pitch tents.“This will suffice,” Kain saidRyna’s brow was furrowed as she scanned the landscape. “It’s good that it’s defensible, but it hardly has walls.”“We will make it a wall,” Kain said.“We do
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