The sound of hammering iron and wood being cut filled the village. Soldiers walked around with logs of wood on their shoulders; some were hammering, and some were helping people rebuild the damaged houses or salvage anything that could be saved.
"Twelve trolls attacked Dalawood. I doubt that they were travelling from the Gorgoloth region to the border of Northernland. They must have a village deep in the mountains." Luceran said while speaking with Kellen, who stood beside him.
Kellen nodded and said, "The village is not safe before the troll settlement is destroyed."
Luceran nodded his head with a contemplative look on his face, thinking deeply about something.
"Kellen, help me with something. Please go to the Hall of Heroes and report what happened here. I still have to go to the ruined city since I have accepted Ian and Liz's contract."
Kellen nodded, "I understand; it is also very dangerous for us to track the troll settlement and strike them with our current force. It is safer to report this to the Marshal' forces."
"Thank you, Kellen." Luceran said with a smile.
"What are you talking about? We're friends." He said with a hint of annoyance while rolling his eyes.
"It takes at most a week for me to reach the Hall of Heroes with the Silver Crown Eagle at full speed. Let's hope that there will be no attack by the troll settlement during that time." He said.
He then turned to Luceran and patted him on his shoulder.
"It's good to meet you again. Until we meet again, friend." Kellen said.
"Till we meet again." Luceran nodded.
He whistled, and a few seconds later, a flash of wind blew past as a massive, silvery bird landed on the ground. Kellen jumped on the eagle's back and patted it on its head. The eagle, with a flap of its humongous wings, soared into the air before disappearing on the horizon.
Luceran got back to work together with the soldiers. He promised to stay for three days, he had to finish his business here before he continued his journey again.
At night, a big bonfire was lit at the center of the village. People were sitting around it while looking at the bonfire. The atmosphere was bleak; they had not forgotten what happened to their little village a few days ago. Ferin was holding his little sister in his arms while sitting on a log. His eyes were swollen and red, a stark contrast to the happy face of his little sister, who was too young to understand the world.
Borrin sat beside Luceran, who was staring at the bonfire, "We can't leave them here alone and continue our journey to the ruined city." The prince said.
"But we also can't stay here for too long because it will delay our journey. Not to mention I do not want to be away from Ironmarch for too long." He continued.
"Your Highness, do you want to leave some of our men here to protect the village while waiting for the reinforcement from the Hall of Heroes?" Borrin asked.
"Yes. Leave twenty of our soldiers here, including two of the lieutenants. We leave tomorrow morning at sunrise." Luceran commanded.
"Yes, Your Highness!" Borrin replied. The silent atmosphere continued until the last wood was burnt to ashes in the bonfire.
The moon was still high in the sky, casting a pale light over the sleeping village of Dalawood. Far from the village, nestled deep within the mountains, a massive cave with a ceiling as high as a tower was home to creatures at least twice the size of a man. They were trolls.
The trolls sat around a large fire, chattering with gurgling sounds, eating roasted cow and deer like they were snacks. Their powerful, muscular bodies were a testament to their brute strength. Fangs jutted from their mouths, and their rough, green skin was like armor.
Suddenly, a troll entered from the outside. He lightly tapped his big cudgel on the ground, and the booming sound gathered every troll's attention.
"Chief, Kark's hunting team has not returned for a few days." He said, his voice a low growl.
"Hmmm…" The chief, who was sitting on a throne made of animal bones, hummed in response. Despite his lazy pose, he looked tall, with a muscular yet lean build. A big scar ran down his naked torso, and his red pupils stared out from beneath his brow.
"Prepare every clan member tomorrow morning. At sunrise, we march on the village," the chief said, his voice flat.
A troll, who was standing beside him, couldn't help but ask, "Chief, why are we attacking a human village?" he asked, confused.
"Why? Are you scared, Lomash?" the chief asked with an annoyed look.
"No, chief." He replied, stammering and looking scared.
"The Troll King is making a move, ordering every small tribe scattered across Primordia to act. I do not know what the king is thinking, but I have no problem with this order." He said, with a hint of cruelty and madness on his face. He watched the fire, a dark smile on his lips.
The first rays of morning light touched the village of Dalawood. The soldiers, including Luceran and his subordinates, were preparing to leave. The villagers were up as well, some looking at the soldiers with gratitude, others with sadness.
Luceran stood in front of his men. "Greg and Karl will stay here. Protect the village until reinforcements from the Hall of Heroes arrive."
The two lieutenants stepped forward, their faces serious. "Yes, Your Highness!" They bowed. Luceran nodded. He looked at the soldiers who were staying behind. Their wounds were almost healed with the Beginner Regeneration Potions given by Luceran. They will return to their peak condition by tomorrow.
Luceran and the army then depart from the village, continuing their journey to the ruined city, as it is still a long way to go to reach their destination.
The hard battle, of course, served a purpose to improve the overall fighting prowess of Luceran and his subordinates. Commander Borrin, for example, is making progress with his Bone Tempering realm. The mages were getting more proficient with their spellcasting, and the soldiers were more experienced.
Luceran is happy to know that his army is getting stronger, because he somehow has the feeling that he will need his own personal forces in the future, despite having no intention to fight for the throne.
Unlike in other kingdoms or their rival divine empire, a fight for the throne did not happen in the Divine Kyros Empire. Luceran had a good relationship with his older brother, and his brother also treated him well. Luceran knew his older brother, Magnus, had his eyes set on the throne. It was not that Magnus aimed for it; it was just that he already considered it his. The gap between them was too large. Luceran had long accepted that it was impossible to compete with him, and their relationship remained harmonious despite the disparity.
He remembered a time when his brother was around his age. Magnus had just finished challenging two fighting instructors at once, and it ended in a tie. At that time, people had already determined that the older brother would inherit the throne. After the fight, Magnus approached him. "My lovely little brother, I don't want to disappoint you, but there is just no way you can win the throne." He shook his head, a disappointed yet teasing look on his face.
At that time, Luceran was still small, and his fighting spirit was not yet broken. With an unresigned look, he responded and said, "Just you wait."
Thinking about that moment, the current Luceran shook his head with a wry smile, lamenting the huge difference between him and his brother's achievements when they were the same age.
Luceran was seventeen now, and his achievement was being the 7th-ranked Immortal Seeds graduate from the Immortal Academy. While his brother, just like Kellen, was the top graduate. When Magnus was seventeen, he had already led a few battles to eradicate trolls and ogre settlements at the border of Northernland, while Luceran was just a lord of a small city, working as a 'mercenary' for a small merchant. The difference is night and day.