The Ogre Strength Fairy and the Eldest 'Son'-Chapter 419 - When Loyalty Burns Brightest, Shadows Are Boldest
Being denied, Salghis made a face and upped his ante.
"...Two cycles?" ππΏπ²ππ°πππ§πππ²π₯.πππ
It was not the longest a cultivator had ever pledged themselves to the service of another, but it was still a significant investment. The Nalbet family was no longer a very prosperous name... but that didnβt mean he had no responsibilities to them. Especially as a cultivator successful enough to rise to his current position.
Staying away for thirty six years meant all of that would fall on his remaining relatives. What holdings were left would probably be in ruin or sold by the time he could return.
"The solution isnβt to get rid of you. Your ignorance of what your people were doing isnβt an excuse that absolves you - and you seem to know that. But the fact that youβre not trying to make excuses about it... that you want to fix things instead of covering them up? That tells me youβre exactly the kind of leader more organizations need."
The Guild Leader studied the other cultivatorβs face, looking for signs that the Yecine heir was mocking him. Qat of course had no such thoughts. While she was confident that it would not have been possible to do what she wanted by remaining tethered to her family name, it didnβt mean it stung any less.
βI am not running from responsibilities after that once and I wonβt let anyone else do so if I can help it.β
"...Then what do you propose?"
"You find better people in your organization to rally to your side. Before whatever schism is coming tears the Alliance apart completely."
The heavy blade wielder gestured toward the workers they had passed, many of them still looking at her with some βdistrustβ and βwarinessβ. But it wasnβt hatred - and it didnβt feel like some deeper plot like it had from the one member of the five she met with.
"Youβve got some loyal people - I can see it in how they react to you. Two of them in that meeting room - the woman with the scarred hands, the man in the layered clothing - they follow you because they either believe in what youβre supposed to be doing or in you."
He nodded then frowned. That was exactly why he was sending one of them to help with the evacuation - and one of them to remain and oversee the last delves. But the strikeforce commander did not mention the other two specifically... and he knew what that meant.
So quickly, he had begun to trust the word of a hero. The word of a fellow soldier. But most importantly, he wouldnβt have asked for advice and help if he wasnβt willing to follow it. The youth of the other cultivator aside, they were clearly a very effective leader with a loyal group of their own.
βThat curved blade wielder would have tried to cut me down if Iβd approached any quicker than I had.β
"And the... others?"
"If they wonβt accept your legitimate authority backed by the Continental Council, then we identify them. We contain them..."
Her calloused hand moved to clutch her sword hilt as the bird, still with her, began to transfer itself to her far shoulder. She knew her own family was βcontainedβ only insofar as they did not want even more penalties in the short term. But she knew nothing about how these people would react to being confronted.
"Carefully, but with those willing to use force against rogue elements. Quickly. Those sorts have a way of quietly removing themselves from the board when facing the looming threat of justice. Taking important things with them as a last laugh."
Thinking of her father, thinking of her old hope - her desire to be a leading part of her family that was all ripped right out of the cold hole he had stabbed so long ago and never let heal... she was glad Salghis was quiet. Standing there only to process what she was suggesting, he eventually leaned down and picked up the essence bearing stone powering the ritual.
"Iβll do what I can. Thank you for this talk, Qatrand. For not writing all of us off. It gave me the nerve I was lacking."
His βgratitudeβ as he walked away reminded her of why sheβd looked forward to becoming a serious cultivator in the first place. Why she continued to work hard, outside of the expectations from her family. A need to protect good people who were trying to do the right thing.
Leysah tried to read something in her commanderβs expressions when she showed back up. However, when the former Yecine - *already* in her eyes - wanted to clam up... she could be quite good at it. As taciturn as any of the family she hailed from.
"How did it go?"
"Better than expected. Weβre still proceeding with the original mission - escort the civilians to the nearest fort. But we need to stay alert for internal politics among our... clients."
"So you did land into even more factional problems? Not to be rude, but are you a magnet?"
Nysoi whispered nervously, glancing toward the coordination tent where the two younger important Saltfire members were visible through the open flaps. Sheβd run close in her Clairvoyance tests a few times... but someone or other intercepted her and she never learned anything important at the length she could run the predictive scenarios.
"Yes. But this time I fear they are all the kind that might get desperate if they think their plans are falling apart, not just my father."
Her low voice had an edge to it that it had been taking lately. She knew it was due to the unresolved nature of the parent-daughter conflict between them. While the leader of their little group was not sure if the man felt things were completely over, she certainly felt there was probably something more to say.
βBut whether I can come up with it on my own or not is the question. I wish I could get my wifeβs opinion.β
"Zonnel, help keep tabs on others while you are walking and talking to the civilians."
"Understood."
"Weβll treat the entire trip like weβre moving through potentially hostile territory. Just because they requested our help doesnβt mean all of them want us to succeed. And just because the invasion will be labeled finished soon doesnβt mean that no hidden forces remain."
The curved-blade wielder nodded grimly as Qatrand looked back toward the command tent. Salghis was walking and talking with the well covered man, clapping him on the shoulder before turning around again and heading to have a chat with the others. She prayed it would go better than she was fearing, but pigeon blues shut as she resolved herself.
βI warned as much as I could. My duty is to get the vulnerable people out of harms way. No matter who or what is going to harm them.β
β β β
Four days had left Qatrand feeling more optimistic about the Saltfire situation. The refugee families had settled into the fortβs temporary housing with minimal complications. At the very least, it seemed like the people of theirs on this mission were not openly blackhearted.
A fairly small contingent of Continental Army mortals had already been waiting by the time they arrived. Sent out to man the fortifications so that the cultivators of their group could obtain some rest... and because the powers-that-be wanted the strikeforce out for some other final clean-up maneuvers as soon as possible.
While on patrol, the raven-haired cultivator was approached by Nysoi - with an expression and exhaustion carried only when following her extended Clairvoyance sessions. But also in the set of lilac eyes was an unmistakable urgency. She hadnβt stumbled into the former Yecineβs path for no reason.
"Commander, you need to get to the main gate. Now."
The merchantβs daughterβs voice cut through any banal questions as Qatrand clutched her weapon handle and turned on her heels. While it would be wrong to say she trusted the woman implicitly, she had at least earned enough trust that Qat would run headfirst into the betrayal rather than risk doubting her when it was important not to.
An alarm rang out a half dozen seconds later, the scouts on the wall had located something incoming... and other personnel in the corridors made sure to step out of the meant-to-be-empty emergency path as the swordswoman altered Gravity actively to increase her speed.
"Theyβre our people! They need medical attention immediately."
Once at the gate, she immediately heard the well-covered man from the Saltfire leadership arguing loudly with the appointed captain on watch about raising the fortβs main gate. Not waiting to climb the stairs, she squatted and jumped as high as possible twice in a row with the assistance of her Element.
To some of the onlookers it was a repeat of the last spurt of her tower climb competition win all over again. Except it seemed even smoother and the situation was potentially a lot more serious.
"Raise the gate."
Her voice called quickly after looking out over the battlements. A group of just under a hundred cultivators could be seen making their way up the road. Even at the distance, she could tell something was very badly wrong with them.
Several were being supported by others as they walked and many more were holding the poles of litters that were filled with bodies. Most of all their pace spoke of an unusual, morale broken exhaustion. The captain looked between the people out there who could be enemies in disguise and the cultivator he was told to obey, then nodded.
Thinking that if anyone could handle a group that size, it was the Cynosure wielding hero.
