The Beginning After The End novel Chapter 209

Chapter 209

Chapter 209: Deployed

ARTHUR LEYWIN

“I’m going with you!” Ellie’s voice sounded from behind.

I stopped in my tracks and the guard beside me halted as well. Turning back to lock eyes with my sister, I struggled to hold down the words, ‘it’s too dangerous.’

Sylvie had already read what I wanted to say but she stayed quiet beside me.

“You promised, remember?” Ellie’s gaze remained resolute as she walked to me.

“A massive horde of corrupted beasts,” I muttered softly.

“You’ll be with me,” she answered immediately. “And I’ll have the protection of the Wall.”

‘I understand your dilemma but this is a good opportunity,’ Sylvie chimed in. ‘I’ll be with her as well and casting arrows from the top of the Wall is little more than target practice for her.’

But what if the beasts break through?

‘I know you won’t let that happen,’ she answered with a soothing wave of confidence.

The guard beside me scratched his head and kept shifting his gaze toward the exit impatiently. “General Arthur...”

“We’re going,” I stated as I began walking toward the training ground exit once again.

Looking back over my shoulder, I called out to my sister. “What are you doing? Let’s go.”

Ellie visibly brightened as a contagious smile blossomed on her face. She followed after me in a full run. “Come on, Boo!”

Immediately outside of the training grounds there was an unfamiliar mage with a large sparrow-like bird perched on his shoulder, stood, waiting. After making eye contact, he respectfully inclined his head. “Greetings, General Arthur. I am Officer Julor Strejin. A member of my squad surveying the Beast Glades was the one to spot the horde. I will be briefing you of the situation at the Wall.”

“Officer Julor,” I acknowledged with a nod.

Without wasting any time, the officer began informing me of everything that I was expected to know. Two other mages—both highly-accomplished adventurers before joining the army—would be accompanying us as additional support to the Wall. The best estimate on the size of the beast horde was somewhere close to twenty thousand. Although a majority seemed to be from D-class to B-class, there were several A-class and even quite a bit of S-class mana beasts spotted.

“Unfortunately, we weren’t able to get too close because of the Alacryan mages, but we spotted at least a dozen S-class mana beasts,” Julor stated solemnly.

I looked back at Ellie. “A dozen S-class mana beasts. And the fact that they’re corrupted means they’ll be even stronger and more fierce.”

Ellie’s face paled but her expression remained firm. “I’ll be okay.”

My determined, talented, yet sheltered, sister has definitely never seen a mana beast besides the tamed bonds in Xyrus when she was younger. I doubted she could even fathom how scary an S-class beast was but here I was, leading her straight into not only one, but a dozen... along with several thousands of other beasts.

‘They’re only mana beasts, Arthur,’ Sylvie comforted.

Right, I responded back mentally.

I turned to Julor. “Any signs of retainers or scythes, Officer?”

“None,” he replied confidently. “Which was why Commander Virion deemed that just sending a single lance was necessary.”

“Okay. How many days do we have until the horde reaches the Wall?” I asked.

“By the pace that they’re marching, we expect them to arrive in no more than two days time,” he answered before shooting a glance at where Sylvie and my sister were. I could tell he was about to say something but he held his tongue.

We walked in silence for the remainder of our small walk until we reached the docking room. It was relatively quiet inside the usually-bustling space. Besides the several workers strapping saddles on giant hawk-like mana beasts, I could only see Virion with a small entourage when we had arrived.

“Arthur!” Virion called out, his once-cheerful disposition had faded, instead replaced by war-weary eyes. Beside him were two mage soldiers and a few maids behind them.

“Commander.” I saluted before walking up to the old elf.

“I’m sure Officer Julor informed you of the situation so let me quickly introduce you to the two mages I’ve chosen to support you at the Wall. “This is Callum Hembril. He’s young, barely past thirty, but already an accomplished fire conjurer in the solid-yellow core stage.”

The chestnut-haired mage stepped forward, his long coiled bangs covering his forehead. He had an inquisitive look on him that he quickly covered with an amiable smile. “Callum, as introduced by the commander. Pleasure.”

Virion stuck a thumb back at the figure a few feet behind Callum. “This big lug here is a dark-yellow core augmenter, but he’s been out on the fields of the Beast Glades for over forty years.”

The barrel-chested man that stood almost a foot over me and twice my girth was covered from the neck down in heavy plate armor that glowed dully. He had short hair and his lower face was dark with stubbles. With a piercing gaze that seemed to be assessing every inch of my body, he stretched out a hand toward me. “Gavik Lund.”

I shook his hand that seemed almost as wide as Boo’s paws, before turning back to Virion. “So, what’s the plan?” By those mounts getting ready, I’m assuming we’re traveling by air?”

“Mhmm. Those are Callum’s and Gavin’s mounts,” Virion informed. “The closest teleportation gate is in Blackbend City and the train hasn’t yet been fully finished. It’s fortunate that the Castle’s location is relatively close to the Wall.”

I turned to my bond. “I can fly myself. Do you think you’ll be able to carry Ellie while holding Boo?”

Finally grasping the situation, Boo let out a moan of protest.

“If the trip isn’t too long, I’ll be able to manage,” Sylvie answered, ignoring my sister’s giant bond.

“Wait, the little kid and her pet cub is coming along?” Gavik asked with a scowl. “Commander, is that wise? There will be a massive army of mana beasts.”

“She’s an adept conjurer that’ll be valuable to have stationed on the wall,” I cut in. “And since when was it okay to refer to a general’s sister as a ‘little kid’?”

Gavik, despite being about three times my age, blanched.

“My... apologies,” he muttered. “Didn’t know she was your sister, General Arthur.”

Virion’s expression was laced in worry, but he didn’t comment on Ellie going with me. Instead, he waved over the attendants that were standing behind him. They walked up carrying a large wooden chest with runes etched into its entire surface. “Anyways, before you leave, I prepared a little something. It’s not much, but I think wearing something a bit more eye-catching might help with the level of morale at the Wall.”