"Let us pray to our god for the salvation of our brothers and sisters, for a piece of bread on the table, and for the walls that protect us from demonic evil, Amen."
In a small theater within a small temple in the middle of the fort, a penitential service was taking place. The people of the fort gathered every morning solely to raise a plea to their god to protect them from the calamity known as System. Geographer calmly observed everything with a cold gaze, assessing the situation. In the first part of his plan, he needed to understand exactly what interested the people in this camp for future recruitment.
"Do not expect to see you here… Geographer, right?" said the soldier from Fort Geography to him. His name was Kirill; according to information received from the strike team, he was Nelson's deputy—the leader of the fort.
Pulling on himself the fake smile with which he adorned almost everyone in the fort, he chose the perfect tone for his next words.
"Hello. Your name seems to be… Kirill, right? I was curious to know where your people go in the morning, and finding this place, I can't help but say that the speech given by your pastor is inspiring. I understand each of the ordinary people… Life has changed too abruptly for them, turned away from them with a smile that became only a snarl, which they are forced to fear daily" said Geographer, looking Kirill straight in the eye, analyzing every muscle movement of his face, his gaze, how his stance had changed.
Kirill sighed and looked at the crowd of people who had folded their hands into clasps and were raising prayers to the gods with a pitiful look.
"All of them are ordinary people who have never been ready to take up arms for their own defense, and that's perfectly normal."
Their main weapon against those creatures beyond the walls is prayer. Looking at them, I can't help but admire this, but at the same time, I feel sorry for such people. If more of those creatures were to break through here, which we couldn't hold back… I fear that most would perish" Kirill said quietly not only to avoid interrupting their prayers but also to prevent panic with his words.
Geographer analyzed his words but could not come to a single conclusion. Why was he talking about their weaknesses? Based on his gaze, intonation, and sweating, the man opposite him was not lying. Did he possess a skill capable of hiding his emotions or faking them? All factors needed to be considered, so he decided to change the subject.
"Speaking of attacks, I haven't seen any while we've been here. How often do they happen?"
Kirill once again turned his gaze to the geographer and looked into his cold, gray eyes.
"Well... Not that often, but when they happen, it's pure nightmare. The last time they attacked us was a week ago, it was a horde of those creatures. About fifty of them attacked the walls back then, we barely managed to fend them off, though we lost two good men, bitch..."— He said with pain in his voice.
This was good information for the Geographer. First of all, it could be said that their camp was quite strong, and if he had chosen to storm it, his assault group would likely have failed. But at the same time, the camp was weak. If people appeal to gods for salvation, it means they don't fully trust the fort's wall defenses.
"Tell me, Kirill. Since when have you taken over the fort?"— Geographer asked casually, as if by chance.
Kirill waved the Geographer off with his hand, indicating that he should follow him outside.
Perhaps this was a sensitive topic for everyone sitting in the church, and so that no one would hear exactly, he began whispering as they walked.
"In the first day when the attack descended, our platoon of 50 people was sent to this city for reconnaissance. Upon arrival, it turned out that our weapons had become useless except for cold steel, and we lost most of our soldiers. Nelson—our captain—gave the order to evacuate the city's residents to a safe place, which became the fort. In the first few hours, it was chaos everywhere, with creatures tearing many people apart right before my eyes. We managed to dig in at the fort and got stuck here due to huge crowds of creatures. The first couple of days were a test for all of us. Everyone was afraid to move or make any sound."
"But thanks to the medieval weapons that remained in this fort, since it had previously been something like a museum, we were able to defend the fort against the first attack" Kirill said in a monotone voice, but in his gaze Geographer could see that he was currently experiencing painful memories.
The Geographer himself didn't care about their suffering or anything like that, but for good effect, he put on a mask of compassion and lowered his gaze. When they stepped out onto the street and the bloody rays of the sky fell upon the earth, Kirill continued his story.
"For the first two weeks, we organized ourselves and tried to hold back the crowd of people who wanted to leave the fort to search for their families, despite the fact that they most likely had perished. This was really difficult, not only for them but for all of us. It was then that we saved the pastor, who proposed the idea of religion to Nelson."
That evening, the first prayer that actually helped each of us was said. It became a restraining factor for people, and now they pray every evening and morning. During the attacks by the creatures, everyone gathers in the church and prays for our strength and survival, which gives some assurance; perhaps that's why we're still alive."
Geographer nodded after each of Kirill's completed sentences. This way, he could make Kirill think that he was really interested in everything he was saying. But at the same time, Geographer learned about the first opportunity through which he could create panic in the camp and shake people's trust in Nelson. For the Geographer, faith had always been one thing—business. Even though many people found comfort in it, for him it was all just business.
The Geographer's eyes suddenly filled with memories that he never wanted to see again.
"You're either a shepherd or a sheep being led by shepherds. Puppy, don't disappoint me" echoed faintly in the Geographer's head, making him bite his lip and slightly waver in his mask.
"Is something wrong?" Cyril asked, noticing the sudden change in the Geographer's expression.
Feeling a slight panic, the man immediately adjusted his mask and tried to extricate himself from the situation.
"To be honest? Your story is tearing my soul apart. We also suffered on our journey, but thanks to the strike team or luck, we managed to avoid such unbearable difficulties. It's really tough for each of you, so... Has the idea ever occurred to you to leave your camp and go to a safer place?"
Cyril snorted and looked up at the sky.
"Are you saying there's a place that's actually safe right now? Of course, everyone here goes crazy one way or another, but there is some kind of safety in the fort. These old stone walls may be ancient, but they do their job" he said, glancing at the stone wall.
"And where are you going yourself?"
This question was what Geographer had been waiting for the most, as this part was his strongest lure.
"Seven hundred kilometers from here is a place where I believe a new civilization can be created, on the ruins of the old one. Imagine walls rising hundreds of meters high, protecting you from any danger, a horizon that will inspire you every morning to achieve new things, and most importantly, give you hope for the next day even without prayer" Geographer recited his mantra, watching Kirill's reaction. As usual, his story worked.
His gaze became incredibly interested, and he himself became fixated on the Geographer's eyes.
"What is this place?" Kirill asked in surprise.
"The Alps. According to my knowledge, mountainous terrain is the most difficult for any monsters, or even humans, to access. In the Alps, we plan to create our own paradise, where we will live even in such a world" Geographer replied briefly, laying down the bait.
Kirill was silent. He was clearly thinking and trying to figure out what the Alps were like. The Geographer's words were so effective and powerful that he already knew his plan was starting to work. This would become his main weapon in recruiting people from Nelson's camp. However, this could also have the opposite effect. Although Geographer had never seen him face-to-face, he could already tell that Kirill was no fool.
Today's scene in the morning made it clear that Nelson wants to clip the fangs with which Geographer could pierce their fort, for his own safety and to strengthen his power. The same could be said about the supplies that the strike team would hide in the city. Geographer was sure that Nelson would send someone to follow them tomorrow or even attach a couple of his own people to the group under the pretense of "training." But if he did so.
Then everything would go according to the Geographer's plan.
Suddenly, the gates opened. This meant only one thing—his strike team had returned to the camp, and it was time to check the guards' reaction to the amount of goods they decided to bring into the fort. Immediately, he saw Paul leading the strike team. He had appointed him captain due to his look and unquestioning obedience, the perfect sheep from his flock. Following were Crane and Alice.
These two meant little to him, mainly because if they hadn't received their system's first levels thanks to his efforts in the city, they would have been just like the rest of the ordinary people. Then came Bridgite and Laszlo. He was completely neutral towards Laszlo, neither salt nor sugar. According to his behavior, Laszlo was still a child for the Geographer, but there could also be potential danger in him. Although he acted like an ordinary child or a brat, a sharp mind could be read in his gaze, one that he didn't show often.
Bridgite was the second perfect person for the Geographer after Paul, and besides, she was also a healer, a class that is almost the best in such a world. Before, he didn't pay much attention to her, sensing only weakness in her, but the girl grew every day, strengthening and tempering her character.
Finally, the last member of the group appeared, a pale, short boy. He was the main thorn in the side for the Geographer. He had dared to humiliate him back then, during the rain. A flock that turned out to be stronger than its shepherd was unacceptable.
But for now, he was still useful, so his elimination could be left for later.