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nSylvester was horrified to see the deep gashes on Felix’s face. He quickly took out a healing potion and poured it on Felix’s face. “What the hell did they do to you?”

nFelix kept staring at him for a few seconds. Understandably so, since as far as he knew, Sylvester was in the Holy Land, so far away that it would have taken him more than a week to even arrive at the Duchy, let alone to save him. He was taken aback and felt as if he was hallucinating.

n“Is that really you, Sylvester?” Felix asked in his weak voice.

nSylvester kept pouring more and more healing potions on him and shoved some Solarium crystals in his mouth. “Yes, it’s me. Now quickly chew that crystal. They sure did a number on you, my brother. Even gave you nice nail care.”

nFelix chuckled painfully. “Yeah, they pulled them out. Fuckers tried to make me renounce Solis. I killed a bunch of them… No regrets.”

n“What’s the condition under there?” Sylvester asked and avoided using light as that could alert the watchtower.

nThe place Felix was kept was a pit in the open grounds. It had one small entrance at the surface with a small metal gate. But how deep it was or how big it was from the inside was unknown.

n“It’s bad.” Felix started. “I can only sit. There is not even enough space to spread my arms out. It’s ten metres deep, and I’m hanging on this gate right now. They even took all my clothes, so it’s freezing. No food or water, but I’m eating some snow that falls in. Anyway, is everyone else fine? Gab, Elyon and Bishop?”

n“Yes, all but you. Let me remove the gate now.” Sylvester went ahead to pull it.

n“Stop!” Felix exclaimed. “Don’t pull it! Look closely at the gates. They may be barbarians, but they also know magic. They have put runes and some other magic. The whole gate will explode if you try to open or pull it without keys. Trust me. I tried once.”

nSylvester paused and studied the gate closely. However, he could not see any runes. “Are they on the inside?”

n“Yes. You can’t dig it either, since it’s made of metal–The entire inner pit.” Felix added with a voice that showed he had accepted his fate. “Just go, Max. Don’t put your life in danger needlessly.”

nSylvester extended his hand through the gaps in the rods and smacked Felix’s head. “You’re going to tell your father to leave now?”

nSylvester used the same jokes that Felix used in his various letters. That prompted the black-haired wizard-knight to laugh and cry in pain.

n“Fuck you. Don’t make me laugh! It hurts in my chest.”

n“Anyway, tell me what the runes look like,” Sylvester asked, as there was no other way to get Felix out. “Describe its patterns. Is it triangles, squares, and rectangles inside a circle?”

nFelix looked closely and answered. “There are many, some in circles, some outside circles. But most have triangles superimposed on each other to create stars.”

nSylvester frowned as the thing seemed to be too complex. He looked around himself. In the distance, he could also see the watchtower and the fortress. He could see many heads protruding out on the walls.

n“What if we let the explosion happen and sprint? Can you make it?” He inquired.

nFelix creased his face. “They broke my knees, Max. I don’t think I can run before they’re healed.”

n“Then I will pick you up.”

nTing!

nTing!

nTing!

n“Woof!”

n“Grrr…!”

n“Fuck!” Sylvester cursed and looked around. Suddenly, activity increased everywhere as the bells started resounding and the dogs’ barks intensified.

n“Maxy!”

nMiraj came running and climbed Sylvester’s shoulder. “I ate five dogs, but there were too many! They are coming here.”

nSylvester looked towards the fortress boundary. “How did they find out so fast?”

nTing! Ting!

nThe bells kept ringing, and the barks of the dogs intensified.

n“Grrraaa!”

nJust then, one of the big dogs, no less than a wolf, came and pounced on Sylvester. But, of course, he overpowered it easily and swung it by the leg before throwing it away.

n“Felix! Blow up the–”

nSylvester stopped speaking as he saw crowds of men coming from a distance. There was not enough time. “Felix, listen to me. I will get you out of here, no matter what. I promise.

n“Chonky.”

nMiraj quickly vomited out various items from his belly. Sylvester proceeded to throw all that into the prison pit. “Here, take these blankets, clothes, food, water, latex bag for pissing, and these fire and water crystals. Keep yourself warm and well-fed inside. Here, keep these healing potions as well, and this sword. Do not let them take you out of here. I will return very soon with a plan.”

nFelix stared at Sylvester, frantically giving him items that appeared out of nowhere. But he asked no questions and only watched him with his hopeless eyes. “Go, do your things, plot your schemes. I’ve survived this long–I can survive more–this won’t be the first time, nor the last.”

nSylvester, at last, threw some Solarium crystals inside and stood up. “I will see you soon, Felix. Take care–Wait for the day to come. We will make them all pay with blood.”

nIn Felix’s ears, that threat seemed more threatening than anything those barbarians had thrown at him. Because he knew that Sylvester never fails when it comes to schemes and vengeance. Whoever messes with him dies miserably.

n“Go now, Max. I have all this and a few cherishing memories to keep myself warm now. Be safe.” Felix finally loosened his grip from the metal rods and fell back deeper into the pit. Thankfully, this time he won’t shiver in the cold.

nSylvester caught Miraj tight in his arms and made a run. He had entered through an underground tunnel he had dug using magic, so he took the same route. Just as he escaped, Sir Dolorem, Baron Strongarm and Elyon threw a lot of mud back in the place so the dogs could not chase them.

nAfter that, they all ran away while randomly throwing pieces of meat around the area. This way, even if the dogs come out, they’d get confused by the smells.

nThey didn’t stop, though. Elyon knew very well how great the hunting abilities of barbarians were. So they kept going for a whole day until they reached the place called Last Turn. It was the endpoint of the North Road. If they took it, they could easily return to the south.

n“Why didn’t you bring Archpriest Felix?” Elyon asked. 𝐞𝗻𝐨𝘃𝗹.𝐜𝐨𝗺

n“They are keeping him well secured. There is no way to get him out without alerting them. They also broke his legs. I gave him clothes, food and some crystals so he won’t die anytime soon. What we need now is a plan to get him out.” Sylvester briefed them.

nBaron Strongarm could only think of one way. “Then… Must we go to war with them? The whole Duchy’s army might not survive.”

nSylvester stayed silent and thought about it. He looked at the shining snow on the many distant mountain peaks. He looked to the east, where Felix was, and then stared to the west, where he could see the tallest peak, Mount Dimos.

n“Lord Strongarm, do you still have contact with the people you lived with? We need to learn more about the Borzol faction. What powerhouses do they have, and what are their numbers? We need to know all we can before we get into a fight.” Sylvester suggested.

nBaron quickly agreed. “I have not met anyone from that tribe for a year now. But I know the leader, who is, in our terms, would be called a Diamond Knight. He should still be alive. Are you sure you wish to meet them? After all, they are also trying to enter the Duchy of Normani.”

n“If what you say is accurate, and they are indeed a friendly version of the barbarians. Then I’m sure we can win them over with something. I will only have to talk to them first. Lord Strongarm, lead the way. But, Priest Elyon, you must return to the Duchy and inform Gabriel and the Duchess about what happened.

n“Moreover, I need you to send a letter to the Holy Land. Let me write it first.” He moved to the side and sat down on the snow to write.

nA few minutes later, he handed Elyon a letter, some food and more layers of clothes. He didn’t want him to go, but the man was also injured.

n“Tell the Duchess not to attack no matter what happens. Say that Lord Bard is trying to earn the Duchy a few higher grounds in the inevitable battle.”

nElyon saluted formally. “Understood, Lord Bard. May the Holy Light enlighten us!”

n“Likewise, Priest Elyon. Be careful on your way out. Stay out of the clear road, and be mindful of the Great Chasms near the start of the mountains.” Sylvester warned and watched him leave silently.

nJust then, they all noticed soft white dots falling from the sky. The snow had graced them, though it was the last thing they wanted.

n“Let’s hurry and reach the fortress. We don’t know if this snowfall will turn into a storm.” Sylvester covered himself neatly and walked with the Baron.

n“It will take us two days at least to reach the base of Mount Dimos. We can only hope nothing comes our way. Those parts of the mountain are filled with creatures you don’t want to meet, including those of darkness.” Baron Strongarm warned, and they started the long journey.

n…

nBack in the pit where Felix was held captive, the soldiers came to check whether he was there.

n“Did they come to save you? Don’t worry. You will die here.” The guards tried to mock him in whatever skill they had for speaking the mainland language.

n“Fall on your wife’s cock and die, heathen!” Felix barked.

n“…”

n“So you still have the strength to move and use that ugly mouth.” The second guard scoffed.

n“Of course, ask your wife.”

n“…”

n“That’s it. I will ** on you, maggot!” The guard started to take off his pants.

n“Ah, you must be experienced in dropping your pants and bending for others.”

nThe guards confusedly looked at each other’s faces, having been outwitted in mocking. Finally, they could only accept defeat and leave since they didn’t know the language well.

n“Enjoy dying of cold.”

nFelix didn’t mock anymore, as that would defeat the purpose of sending them away.

n‘I hope my bloody mouth can keep them from prying too close. But, God damn, where did Max get these sweet honey buns? They are good! Did mother Xavia make these? No wonder it’s heavenly!’

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