NOVEL WEB B1 | Chapter 23
Aria
The next couple days pass by peacefully with the soldiers and officers of the fortress constantly coming and going on missions of their own. All while my team relaxes. But on the third day, as I’m sitting on top of the wall looking out over the snow-covered wasteland that is the Southern Pass, my radio buzzes, making me unhook it and bring it to my face while turning it on.
“First Lieutenant Crimson here,” I speak clearly into it.
Seconds later, the major’s voice echoes into the night around me, “First Lieutenant, we have been given our mission. Arrive at the meeting room within one hour.”
“Understood,” I tell him before turning the radio off, hooking it back onto my belt, and jumping down from the wall back into the fortress proper, ignoring that my legs fracture in the process. Then I proceed to walk through the base, ignoring the startled people around me who had just seen me doing that.
I walk through the fortress until I eventually arrive at the large meeting room that’s meant just for our team, where I find the major standing at the front looking at a map with a frown on his face. But he quickly looks up after I enter the room, showing surprise on his face. Then resignation.
“So it’s true then?” he asks, making me frown in return. “You’re not sleeping?”
Hmm. Probably heard that from Captain Harvey.
She was rather worried about me yesterday, but I just told her it was fine and that I didn’t need to sleep before walking away.
“I don’t need to sleep,” I tell him while saluting. “Sir!”
He stares at me before looking me over, seemingly searching for any signs of exhaustion. And when he doesn’t find any, he just sighs and turns back to the map as he says, “Very well.”
Something I very much like about the First Army so far over the Ninth Army is that they’re less strict. Less into enforcing things that don’t really matter.
That’s probably because the First General is very single minded in her goals. As long as you can get your work done, she doesn’t care about what you do.
Unlike the Ninth General who is a little power happy.
And their armies all represent them in some rather large ways.
“Feel free to sit down while we wait for the others,” he says without looking up from the map. “I gave you all an hour to let you wake up.” He pauses for a second before muttering, “Or to let them wake up…”
I act like I didn’t hear that last part as I take my seat. Then we both wait in silence with the others slowly trickling in.
A minute after everyone has arrived, the major raises his head from the map and says, “Let’s begin.” And we all stiffen up right away, sitting straight in our seats. “We have been assigned to assault the fortress stationed at the edge of the Al Mountain Pass tomorrow from the back or sides while the First General leads a direct assault at the front. Our mission is to sabotage their supplies, have First Lieutenant Vargas mind-read a high ranking leader of the enemies, and kill as many officers as we can while we’re at it.”
I hide a grimace at the mission that is very similar to my previous mission. But more importantly, is not exactly the safest mission we could’ve had.
Here’s hoping I don’t lose yet another team.
“We are to call into our allies the moment we begin our attack as it has been proven thus far that the invaders do not have the technology to intercept radio waves,” the major continues. Then he crosses his arms and asks, “Any questions?”
Right away, Captain Vargas raises his hand and asks, “Will it just be the six of us? Or will we have reinforcements?”
“Just the six of us,” the major answers, seemingly making a resigned look cross the captain’s face.
Oh, right. I almost forgot about his ability’s… use to the military.
He’s the only mental ability user who can delve into other people’s minds. So I’m sure he hasn’t had a good time.
The next one to ask a question is First Lieutenant Snow, “Do we know the number of invaders within the fortress, and are we restricted to attacking at a certain time or place?”
A slight smile forms on the major’s face when he answers, “Yes, as a matter of fact, we do know their numbers. The invaders number about fifteen thousand in this fortress, and we do not have to attack at any particular time or place, so long as we attack from a different direction as the First General.”
Which means we can theoretically attack from the cliffs, assuming the others can climb the cliffs.
A few other questions are asked and answered before the major stands up straight and says, “We move out in an hour. Be prepared and make sure you bring climbing equipment.”
Definitely climbing the cliff.
“Lieutenant Crimson, do you… by any chance have experience mountain climbing?” First Lieutenant Snow asks between hampered breaths as we climb up the side of the mountains. And when I glance back down at him, finding the man struggling several meters beneath me, I find myself thinking back on my ‘experience’ climbing.
“In a way,” I tell him while turning my attention forwards to where I’m putting my hand.
It’s not just him who’s struggling though. Pretty much all of the others are struggling as well, even with the physical boost that Captain Rogers is giving us.
Meanwhile I find this rather easy thanks to my own soul energy combined with the captain’s support ability and my previous experience climbing.
Very easy.
“If you don’t mind, would you tell me how you learned?” the lieutenant continues between breaths. “There aren’t any mountains to climb in Albaria…”
I glance back at him again before continuing to climb while calling back down to him, “Let’s just say the rocks at the bottom of the Northern Pass cliffs are a good teacher.”
“Teacher? Huh?” the lieutenant mutters, not sure what I mean. Then he seems to decide that he doesn’t care as he asks, “Would you help me learn in the same way?”
“Second lieutenant, I wouldn’t recommend… doing things her way,” the major says, interrupting us from his place a few meters below me.
“Why? You think I can’t handle it?” the lieutenant asks, but I just continue climbing without paying them any mind.
Although I do almost snort in amusement when the major says, “Yes. You’d probably die.”
Rather blunt, but true.
The lieutenant tries to argue that point, but I tune them out at this point as we keep climbing.
Such a peaceful climb compared to the climb I did a couple weeks ago.
I feel a smile hinting at my lips with that thought.
“It sure took you long enough,” Captain Harvey says with her hands on her hips the moment I reach the top of the cliff – far higher than I climbed on the Northern Pass. “I almost took a lunch break while you were-!”
“Oh shut up!” I hear First Lieutenant Snow shout from a few meters beneath the top, bringing my and the captain’s gazes downwards right as the major crests the last of the cliff and joins us. “And why couldn’t you just use your barriers to bring us up here too?!”
Captain Harvey shrugs her shoulders and says, “I already told you. I can’t use my ability to that level yet!”
The two begin arguing a bit until the major clears his throat and says, “I know I said you could relax a bit since we aren’t near them, but this is a bit much.”
Both of the officers shut up, meanwhile Captain Rogers and Second Lieutenant Vargas both make it over the cliff’s edge, joining us.
“Let’s take a short rest before marching around towards the fortress. But be wary of any traps or guards posted to watch the cliffs,” the major says, after which we all take a short ten minute break with Captain Harvey keeping watch. Then we begin moving across the clifftop towards the point overseeing the enemy fortress.
It doesn’t take long for the fortress to come into sight, proving to be of higher quality than the fortress on the Northern Pass. Probably because they’ve had more time since, so it’s built better.
The walls span about five meters in height and are made of a mixture of metal and stone instead of the wood that the other fortress was made of. There are about the same number of soldiers in the base though, and they’re all still wearing that same style of armor that has me questioning their sanity. And modesty.
“Sir,” Captain Harvey suddenly says, breaking the silence and bringing all of our attention to her. “There’s an alarm enchantment on the cliff a dozen meters ahead of us.”
An alarm enchantment? Those are expensive.
Basically an enchantment made by an enchanter – a rather rare ability – that will set off a blaring alarm whenever a living being that isn’t carrying a specific item attached to the enchantment crosses it. So we can’t sneak up on them.
“An alarm…” the major mutters before a grin stretches across his face. “Well, we weren’t planning to be silent about this anyways, so...” He pulls his radio out and turns it on before raising it to his face and saying, “Major Striker here. We’re attacking from the West in five.”
A second passes following which a response comes, “Roger that.”
The radio goes silent as he hooks it to his belt again and turns around to us while putting his hands on his waist. “Now then. Let’s see how we work together for our first real mission, shall we?”