The four of them sat in a rough circle, barely visible beneath the cover of old pines and the shadow of a broken cliff wall. The fire was low — just enough to warm hands and boil water — but Sarah had made sure they were well away from any trail, shielded from casual eyes.
Theo leaned back on his elbows, sharpening one of his short blades with practiced movements. Jace nursed a cup of bitter tea, watching Sarah closely. Mira had already cleaned and repacked her bow twice and was halfway through checking her quiver again.
Sarah unrolled a small cloth and placed a ciphered slate at the center of the circle.
"Harold stopped trying to get us to turn around and instead…we've got orders," she said quietly.
Three pairs of eyes shifted to her instantly.
"Direct from Harold," she added. "He posted it in the open, addressed to me using an old nickname only my parents used."
Jace raised an eyebrow smiling, his eyes glazed over as he shot to the forum to try to find the thread.
Mira looked sideways at him and groaned, "It's too early for you to be ragebaiting us so early."
Sarah prodded the fire with her boots and nodded. "It's about the Thresher King."
Theo froze mid-stroke with his whetstone. "What about the refugees?" he asked. "Aren't we helping with that?"
"They're fine," Sarah said. "Hale's advance force found them yesterday. Parkers' crew. Hale is just over a day out, and they're already moving to secure them. Our job is something else."
Mira frowned. "Wait, they ran down there in time?"
Sarah nodded again. "Ran, yeah. Three and a half days. Barely slept. They musta been using mana in short bursts the whole way."
Theo let out a low whistle. "That's… yeah, okay, I can't do that."
Jace leaned forward, interested now. "But it makes sense. Soldiers with the right perks and tight mana control? They can force their bodies into constant motion without burning out immediately. Still, that had to be a hard run."
Mira nodded thoughtfully. "Adventurers can't keep that up. Not without perks built specifically for movement efficiency and recovery."
"So what is our job?" Theo asked again, sheathing his blade.
Sarah paused for a moment, then tapped the slate.
"We're going to poke the bear."
Jace raised both brows. "What does that mean"
"Something Harold explained to me a couple weeks after we got here when he was teaching me about perks to go for. It's a massive river delta monster. Think giant crocodile, something that isn't known yet is that every region has a Named boss monster. The one in the basin is the Thresher King."
"In order to kill it last time" Sarah said, sitting straighter. "It took multiple Lords working together and they set up siege equipment to launch harpoons."
Theo's hand hovered near his pack. "And Harold wants us to… kill that?"
Sarah gave him a look. "No. He wants us to wake it up."
Silence fell.
"You're kidding," Jace said eventually.
"I'm not. Sarah replied. He wants to wake it up early. I think… I think he wants to split the lower basin. The only reason to rouse it would be to scare people right? He doesn't want us to lure anywhere so I can't think of another reason."
Mira crossed her arms and began to think along that line of reasoning... "You think someone's trying to interfere? Come from the other side?"
Sarah nodded. "Forum's been a mess lately. Rumors flying, Lords posturing. Margaret must've seen something. Maybe someone is talking to Henri and talking about supporting him."
"So we're bait," Theo said flatly.
"We're saboteurs," Sarah corrected. "We just have to wake him up. How hard can that be?"
Jace and Theo groaned at the same time. Mira just turned around. "I'm going back to bed," she said flatly.
"What?" Sarah asked, confused
Mira just waved over her shoulder without turning around. "You said it, Sarah. You actually said it."
Theo flopped back onto his bedroll with a groan. "Can't believe I survived running away from dinosaur calvary just to die to a swamp god because my team leader jinxed the whole op."
Jace rolled his eyes and stood up, brushing off his hands. "Great. Now we're all gonna get eaten by a six-ton murder lizard because someone doesn't know the rules."
Sarah blinked. "Wait—what rules?"
Jace pointed at her like she was a rogue ingredient in a potion about to explode. "You never say 'how hard can it be.' That's like… Rule One of adventuring. Might as well summon a meteor while you're at it."
Theo groaned again. "We're gonna step into the delta and the Thresher King's gonna be waiting with a bib and silverware."
Mira pulled her bedroll tighter around her. "Wake me when we get assigned a mission that doesn't involve suicidal wildlife."
Sarah opened her mouth. Closed it. Looked around at the three of them.
"…You're all ridiculous," she muttered.
The low crack of shifting logs in a fire pit marked the beginning of another day in the camp. A breeze stirred the smoke, carried the smell of pine and ash out across the treeline. Most of the legionnaires were still asleep or sitting in loose groups, quietly sharing what little food the refugees had offered.
Parker sat with his back against a stone outcropping, his armor loosened, hands wrapped around a steaming tin cup. His body still ached from the forced march, but the stiffness was fading.
A voice called out quietly from the mouth of the cave.
"He's up."
Movement followed. A woman stepped cautiously out from the shadows of the cave wall. A few others came with her — not aggressive, not desperate. Just wary. Survivors.
Parker stood and brushed dust from his armor, then stepped forward a few paces and raised a hand. "You can come over. It's alright."
That seemed to loosen something. The three made their way closer.
They stopped a few feet away. There was a woman who had short brown hair and a tired but steady expression. Her hair was tied up in a small bun. She would never be called beautiful but she looked honest. She had a child on her hip that was smiling up at Parker. He made sure to shake his hand as well, making the woman smile.
The second was a burly man with hands like rough tools, and the third leaned heavily on a walking stick that looked more practical than medical. He was one of the adventurers that was helping hold off the Centaurs.
Parker took another step and offered a small nod and his hand to shake. "Centurion Parker. Harold's Landing."
The woman exchanged a quick glance with the others, then stepped forward. "Tamra. I've been helping organize food and shelter. What little of it there is."
"Jeron," the man said. "Builder. Carpenter. Fixed a lot more than that, these past few weeks."
The third gave a short nod. "Marshal. Just… Marshal."
Tamra spoke again…"sorry, you are not a summoned soldier are you?"
Parker looked at her with a smile, "You've got a good eye, I'm from North Carolina. When we got here I decided to join the Legion Harold was forming. Dropped my crafting perks and switched at the Stele. Soldiered all my life, this is where I can serve best."
Marshal looked interested and spoke up, "I didn't know you could do that. But can you respawn as a soldier?"
Parker chuckled, then shook his head. "No respawn for soldiers. We don't get that safety net. But that's the trade."
Marshal still looked interested but Parker looked them over. They were thin, exhausted, and still half-waiting for the next disaster. He kept his voice steady.
"You're safe now. We'll hold this camp until Captain Hale arrives. He's fast-marching the rest of the Legion down to reinforce us. Should be here by tomorrow."
That drew another glance between the three, but this one carried a little relief.
Tamara spoke up again hesitantly "We were hoping you could tell us what you planned to do with us, when we asked for asylum on the forum it was a last ditch effort."
Parker looked her in the eyes and replied, "When Harold heard what happened," Parker replied. "He issued orders to recover you immediately. Captain Hale organized us to run down here as fast as possible. We were already clearing out an area from Landing for one of the new villages. I don't know the full plan for what comes after, once we get you back… but I can tell you this."
He straightened, placing one hand over his chest.
"I'd be willing to make an oath to all of you. On Gravensend. Harold will not treat you like Henri did. He is an honorable man doing his best in a messed up new world — he will not mistreat you."
Tamra's expression didn't soften, but her voice was quieter. "You speak for him, then?"
Parker shrugged. "I follow him willingly and would choose to do so again, Harold may have ulterior motives for wanting to recover you and add to his population but I would bet my life savings he would recover you just to save some of humanity."
Silence stretched out between them for a moment before Marshal gave a faint grunt. "Well. Better than being dead in a ditch. We'll take what you're offering."
"Parker looked them over again, nodding. "Stay inside the perimeter for now. I'm sending a few of our more energetic troublemakers to hunt us something decent."
"We'll keep you safe for now, one thing I would ask for you all is to bring any loose rock you have in there out so we can make some makeshift barricades in case they come at us again."
Tamra looked hardened and spoke up, "We'll do it, Centurion. Thank you."
Parker smiled at her, "Thank you, ma'am."
She opened her mouth like she might say something more — maybe about what it meant to have someone show up at all — but she just gave a sharp nod instead, pressing her lips together. Whatever kindness she'd almost offered, it wasn't ready to come out.
That was fine. Parker understood.
He sighed as Elroy's voice drifted over, already complaining about being sent to hunt. Jenkins chimed in half a breath later. Of course.
The office was quiet, lit only by a pair of the new lanterns and the low glow from the hearth along the wall. Margaret stood beside the map table with her arms folded, while Caldwell sorted his stack of slate, occasionally muttering numbers under his breath. Harold had told him to just get a notebook, but Caldwell insisted it was a waste — he could still make do with slate for now.
Harold leaned back in his chair, mug half-full and cooling in his hand. He looked tired, but not worn — the kind of tired that came from too many things moving at once and no good place to stop.
Caldwell glanced up finally. "Update from Raul came through. He's made better time than expected — should be hitting the village site tomorrow afternoon."
Margaret raised an eyebrow. "Already? Thought he had another day at least."
"He pushed harder than we thought," Caldwell said. "Guess a lot of the work was already done when Hale moved down into that area originally. The adventurers down there confirmed the last nearby den was cleared a day ago."
Harold nodded slowly. "They think it's clean within ten klicks?"
"That's what they're reporting. No sightings since the last cleanup. They've already started chopping timber with the tools the Legion left behind. Some of them are prepping the ground and framing basic staging shelters. I told them to start stacking lumber for the construction crews — just that will speed things up a lot."
Margaret spoke next, eyes on the map. "We'll still need full construction-trained crews — but if the ground's flat enough and Raul's boys are on pace, we can start laying foundations the moment they arrive."
Harold set his mug down. "Tell them to prioritize the depot and shelter first. I want that site livable and secure before we even think about civic buildings. When the refugees arrive, I want them to see the difference between us and Henri."
Caldwell nodded. "Already in the plans. Four construction teams from Beth and Josh's sections. They'll pull from the cut wood and start framing quickly, then stack the rest for expansion."
Margaret's fingers traced a path across the basin map. "There's still risk. Something might be nesting farther out. But I think we've pushed the spawn range far enough."
She shifted her hand slightly and tapped a point halfway between the Landing and the river village site.
"We've also started surveying a relay station here," she continued. "Small footprint. Watch post, signal fires, storage for emergency supplies. It'll cut response time in half and give caravans somewhere secure to stage if they have to stop overnight."
Harold's posture eased a fraction. "Good. That should also help with message lag."
Caldwell nodded. "It will. And speaking of caravans — the first supply run is already being assembled. Leaves the day after tomorrow."
He flipped a slate toward Harold. "Tools, preserved food, construction materials, rope, nails, fishing gear. Enough to keep the site independent if things go sideways for a few days."
"And the second run?" Harold asked.
"One week after," Caldwell replied. "Livestock. Breeding stock, not slaughter. Goats, a few pigs, chickens. We want that village producing for itself as soon as possible."
Margaret added, "We're spacing them deliberately. If something goes wrong, we don't lose everything at once."
Harold nodded, eyes still on the map. "Good. Keep the relay station quiet. I don't want it advertised until it's defended."
"Already planned," Margaret said. "Low profile and practical."
Harold looked between them. "Keep me posted. I want a full status report by end of day tomorrow — once Raul confirms they're working."
Caldwell tucked the slate under his arm. "You'll have it."
Margaret nodded. "Village is coming together, Harold. Might actually be on schedule."
Harold snorted. "If only they'd finish those two buildings. I still don't understand what's taking so long with the adventurers guild."
Margaret said, "It's not on the workers. They're out there before sunrise and stay until the last light's gone. Even Josh is pulling double shifts."
Harold glanced over as she scrolled the forum, always multitasking. "We didn't upgrade when the school was built, so it has to be the guild that's holding us back. If that isn't what triggers it, then… I'm out of guesses. I need this to work."
Margaret closed the forum and met his eyes. "Faith, Harold," she said calmly. "If this isn't it, we'll figure it out."
Harold exhaled slowly, rubbing a hand across his jaw. "I don't want to figure it out later, Margaret. We need the upgrade now."
She just looked at him over her glasses. "Then I guess you should have planned better, hm."
Harold choked on the coffee he'd been trying to sip — coughed, then laughed. "I guess you're right."