Even after a week passed, nothing changed – so it was decided that a further investigation would begin.
This kept Karen, Igal, and Zoldi's brigades to stay and watch for any signs of a return. In Maroon city they had left a Banneret, Vice, and her lieutenant, Bachelor Sizuil, even non-activity needs caution. There was no at-risk settlement anywhere near the battle, as such leaving three brigades/lances was seen as a bit excessive for just a stake out. But as Paladin Solace put it:
"The return of the darkness is always unexpected, but what we have come to expect is its fury. Being forced back, their retaliation might be even worse than regular predictions prey tell. Afterall predictions are just that – predictions."
She actually wanted to leave another battalion, but Adriel reminded her that thinning out the main force is just as reckless as leaving a small army.
"Why did you not stay boss?"
'I would have loved to stay, but there is unfinished business elsewhere. And by the way Mugaw, I haven't been created for long, just two short centuries, and even I know that those of the void operate on a grander scale of time. Only a week has passed, but they probably view it as a second.'
"Would you say they are afraid or simply being cautious?"
'I know them not as you think. But if they are as conniving as a Yiril, then I am sure, it has nothing to do with caution, neither is it fear. I have only met two void lords, and both of them give me the same impression – they wish to capitalise of power.'
"How do you mean?"
'Blood Fiend, as his name suggests, he stole power from a group of void beings that most void creatures stay clear of, the Blood maidens. As for Kiyun, she seems to think she can learn something from living in this world – I even understand her stance, I did not expect the living to have so much power either.
One thing is clear, if these two are any reference as to the nature of void lords, then this one is probably just trying to figure out just what I did and how I did it. For realising this would make it stronger without increasing its power. If I had to guess, they are investigating me for the time being.
Even if this takes decade, it will try and probably not come back. And I am not so loose with my time as to waste it out here. Instead, I'd rather use my time effectively.'
"So, what if they figure it out and come back early, or even give up on it entirely?"
The Knight looked at the massive trees as it entered the massive woods once more. Its void armament was still active; this is what gave the Knight a splendid idea. It grew to a whole kilometre and walked through the woods like a normal person in a lush forest would. It carried the Knight Banneret, and the bachelor's on its shoulders.
On its cradled arms, were the multitudes of commanders, and a few knights – there was enough space. The Knight would have teleported, but the destination is not clear, and it might cause problems, so it marched on ahead. This is why a week's journey was about to be tracked within a day.
The knights had begun racing to keep up to keep up with the giant. There was no rush, they all just agreed to look at it as training, it was better than facing the darkness by a long shot. The knight had heard Mugaw's prompt about the prospect of the darkness comes back quicker than expected.
'Even if they do come back, facing them has never been my real goal. Even with [Willruption] they are still mock souls. Not just any, the top ones that made it into the army. Even I had been recruited to join a void lords army due to my unusual stats as a spawn, but my greed skill refused. I would have been sent to training first though.
But I doubt they'll come back hastily. Knowledge stats are just as hard to come upon, if not harder to raise than power at certain times. In the void this is even more true. They know knowledge is power, as such they do not co-operate as often. And unless they have a Yiril working for them, they will take time to figure enough to come back. What kind of void lord does not seek power?
This knowledge depression in the world is the only reason I have come to enjoy the benefits of my will. Otherwise, it's just a bother, after all it is the only reason, I am still stuck at level 250 for decades.'
Mugaw was about to speak when it was interrupted by the knight Banneret.
"You can slow down, we're already here."
Solace said as she stood from her cross-legged position atop the Knights head. She then leaped from the helmet to the nearest branch. Everyone did as well. The Knight was a great help. It escalated everyone up, including the knights on the roots, and cut the time of climbing the trees off.
The Knight then shrank to five metres by putting the void back into its internal form, still just leaving some to avoid triggering slumber.
'It's stronger now.'
Mugaw answered, "what?"
'That feeling the something familiar is nearby.'
After crossing another branch, the army made it to the palace. The branches connected perfectly, and were mostly flat on the top side, which made travel easier. The army made it to the welcoming area in front of the palace.
The place looked well enough. The knights have sharp and focused eyes, this is why they are able to fight within the cloud of darkness. So, most noticed it. The small dents and cracks that were still slowly recovering.
This would have been normal anywhere else. But not here. The pattern smithing on buildings in the human cities, towns and villages makes buildings nearly indestructible but once damage they do not automatically recover – they need to be repaired.
Here though, all infrastructure is part of the forest, and is just as tough, the neat thing is that it repairs itself. The fact there were cracks meant that there was a battle here. And for knights, it is often most that they assume the culprit to be the destroyers, this kind of damage is not beyond them – they almost jumped to the conclusion that the darkness just changed location somehow. But for a place that is always perfect, a destroyer would have not left it as 'well enough', this place would have been in ruins.
Most of the knights just wrote it off as nothing. But amongst those who were bothered. They were sure something bad happened. And even though destroyers are more deadly, it did not offer any consolation that the place was in good condition.
They would have not been this observant if not for the fact the darkness vanished for multiple nights, who's not to say it sent a covert force inside the woods of Elleria.
'I know firsthand how strong this place is, the fact it's recovering could mean they were even worse. Even so, it matters not.'
They soon entered the palace grounds. The Guards were just happy to be home, probably why they had not noticed the faults with the place until now. They soon found out. Their faces grew numb after hearing about it from the guard that had remained.
The knights were told to rest. Their squires helped around as this was their duty. There was no such rest for the knight Commanders, Bachelors, and the Paladin herself, as they headed for the throne room. The same one modelled like a conference room.
"Why are you in such a hurry boss, the plan should be going smoothly?"
'You seem to forget something Mugaw. I am on a timer, one more dangerous now. I still have the void armament active, once I stop it the amount of inactive time I will be wasting will be huge. And I need the plan to be complete by then.'
Once they made it to the palace, the Knight got even stranger looks from the queen's council. This time, even the queen flinched, last time she had ignored Mugaw like a fly.
"I am sure he was shorter…"
"What did you say?" asked the prince to her mother.
"Nothing."
Solace and the others came in normally, ignoring royal manners. They were knights, not mercenaries for hire. They were needed, not the other way around. The other nations had accepted this.
"Only one of your children has survived. Only a hand full of the guards. Do not grief too much, for their death was not in vain, for now, the darkness is no more."
Exasperated sighs went around the council room.
"How can this be?" asked the queen.
Solace looked back to the Knight.
'She better not…'
"This was in great part due to my new knight Bachelor, Knight. Even as a junior knight Bachelor, he accomplished similar feats, so this is nothing new to us. We were still just as surprised though, but it was not too great of a feat to swallow, after all who else but the hero."
"A hero you say?"
Mugaw began laughing, because unlike Solace, it knew just what declaring one a hero along with its feats did to the Knight.
A few, and only a few of the council members present became believers. Solace was really strange. The Knight had a hard time understanding people, but even worse when it came to the Bannerets and those of higher rank. Even amongst them, Solace was strange.
One thing the Knight knew for sure now was that she did not like attention. Not only does she make Adriel her voice most of the time, but the way in which she stated the event made it easier to misinterpret its role in all this.
It was true, but her blatant disregard for phrasing made it a breeding ground for misunderstandings. It was worse because the Hero skill was also actively trying to gain new followers. In the time with the humans, the skill had become just as relentless as the greed skill.
'I'm sure she knows about the whole thing with believers, I just really hope she doesn't do this often.'
"She got you, their boss."
After that was settled, the rest of the details were discussed. Then came the time for the queen and her council to talk. This is also when the mood went sour. The knights usually do not interfere with a nations affairs if it does not have anything to do with the darkness. This is the only reason Adriel even asked in the first place.
"As you see, the world seems to be playing a cruel joke on the woods of Elleria. I have lost most of my children to the war with the darkness. But in here they are not much safer, what kind of mother can't protect her children..."
Her supple skin, the shine in her turquoise hair, her smile, even her silken white robes dulled as she began to regale the short version of what happened. Shouldn't it be a military secret? Surely, but all the people here had risked their lives for this place, the very least she could do was oblige their requests, including answering this question.
"A few days ago, some unknown assailants kidnaped princess Forg. Then the panic began. I scrabbled to secure all my children; all are currently in hiding. Then on top of all that was happening, it appeared."
"It?"
"Yes, it was an intelligent monster. In no way was it sane though. The being managed to escape me. It had delt more damage than a monster should be capable of. There is also the thing that it is able to take control of the bodies of the dead.
I myself faced this abomination and it still had the upper hand. It was in no-way stronger than me, but it was as if it was made for the sole purpose of fighting me. This made it harder to deal with.
Its power was certainly terrifying, but I was not worried. I was about to kill it when it decided to leave. Escaping me in here is usually impossible. But this thing used trickery. Of which not even illusions could accomplish what it had.
The news has not spread far, so I would appreciate it if you kept the news within the palace. The thing is still out there. It's nothing to worry about since I had left it for dead. I would be worried of it coming back stronger, but now I know how its power works – Its Dead!"
She had this fierce look on her face as she said the last part. It quickly vanished as she calmed down after she looked at her son, the one who made it from the darkness. Maybe it was her thanking the few good things that are.
'I'm sure she held back. When a disaster fights, only chaos is left. So, I believe her when she says she can handle it next time…'
She explained further. This was followed by more proceedings and thus adjourning the meeting. This left the knights to their own devices.