A scout came thundering down the road.

“Highness, Primus Denter is ahead. He and his group just completed a battle against a beast tide. It is similar in scale to the beast tide we faced earlier. No teleportation seals appeared to be used from Primus Denter’s one hundred strong party."

The scout rode away after being dismissed by Aureus. Tarin and Johan rode up to Aureus after hearing the scout’s report.

“No teleportations, eh. Sounds like we have a formidable field commander on hand.” Johan speculated as he watched the scout leave.

“Elite troops then. I wonder if they incorporated beast hunting tactics. No teleportations is a very rare phenomenon unless there is an overwhelming difference in strength.” Tarin added.

“Much less three to one odds. I am getting more and more interested in the officers commanding this frontier garrison.” Aureus said as he rode ahead.

—

Spotting a group of troops at the edge of the battlefield, Aureus steered Charger towards them. As he neared the group , Aureus observed several men re-attaching their severed limbs with the help of healers.

“Primus Denter?” Aureus asked as he neared the group.

“Highness!” A bearded man with a well-muscled frame knelt on one knee as Aureus neared. The group of men who were resting began following their commander’s example. Those who were being healed, bowed instead.

“At ease, an excellent job on the beast tide. I heard there were no teleportations?”

“It was good hunting, highness. We were fortunate."

“Denter, I had reports that a new rotation of officers was to be dispatched to the outer realm. What is the current status?”

“Highness, I too am unaware of the official status. Tribune Calvus and I requested to stay on for one more tour of duty in the outer realm last year and till date, we have not received clear orders from high command. We only received news you will take overall command but nothing on our postings.”

“I see, therefore the current rotation of officers in Everdawn all belong to the previous roster? None of the new roster has made it?”

“That is correct, highness.”

Aureus shook his head and smiled. Just as well , this batch of officers appears far superior to the batch the Empire would have sent. Still, for high command to drop the ball on inter-realm postings. Not a good sign for the Empire.

“I have more or less surmised the situation. I will brief Tribune Calvus and you after I reach Everdawn.”

“Yes, highness” Denter genuflected as Aureus returned to his troops.

—

“That’s a botched up job if ever there was one. No clear orders from high command and no news of posting at the end of one’s tour. I wouldn‘t want to be in their positions, stuck in the hinterlands as it were." Tarin guffawed.

“I suspect my rapid deployment into the outer realm played a part in their plight.” Aureus said “That and the fact they requested for one more tour of duty in the outer realm prior.”

“Not the run of the mill, greasy totem pole climbing officers then if they were willing to stay on for one more tour in the frontier under such conditions.”

“Indeed, their skills does not appear commonplace either.” Agreed Aureus.

“Still, this might make our jobs of holding Everdawn far easier if we had competent subordinates. The homeground advantage is nothing to scoff at.”

Aureus nodded “Well, there is the governor still to be assessed. Let us hope he is cut from the same cloth as these officers. Let us be on our way.”

—

“Is that a group of civilians out in the open? “Johan’s expression had disbelief all over it as Aureus and his company drew nearer to the main gate of Everdawn.

“Appears to be a welcoming committee for his highness, is that flower girls I spy?” Tarin was shaking his head as the group of people in front of the city gates resolved into a clearer view.

Aureus massaged his temples while urging Charger to a quicker pace.

“Welcome! Welcome your highness, to Everdawn!!!” a somewhat rotund man at the head of the group boomed out as Aureus rode up to the group.

“I am Governor Pictor, I must say I am very pleased to receive your august self in the outer realm! We wanted to receive you at the spatial gate but Tribune Calvus forbade that on military grounds hence we had to do it here. Please, take no offence at our late greetings!”

Aureus had to fight to keep his brows from creasing as he assessed the situation.

“Tribune Calvus?” Aureus asked as he looked towards a man with a short goatee bearing the ceremonial sword of a Tribune.

“Highness! Tribune Gaius Calvus, reporting for duty!”

Aureus nodded then turned to Pictor “While I am glad that a committee was formed to welcome me to Everdawn, I cannot in good conscience allow so many civilians out in the open in the event of a beast tide breaking through. Please, return to the city for now. I will be at the castle to address the various matters of my taking over.”

Pictor bowed before harassing his hanger-on to chivvy the civilians back to Everdawn.

Tarin rode up to his highness with a grin plastered on his face “Highness, I am of the opinion that for the governor, rather than hoping that he is cut from the same cloth as the military officers, it is far wiser to hope that there is any cloth to be cut in the first place.”

Aureus’s lips twitched, but he refused to reply to Tarin’s comment as he rode towards Calvus.

“Tribune Calvus, you must have had a hard time.”

“Not at all, your highness. I was confident that unless there was a scale 8 monster tide attack, Denter will be able to repel the beast tide attacks that are this close to Everdawn. In the worse case scenario, I believe all civilians would have been safe due to the advance warnings in place should Denter‘s patrols be broken through."

Aureus nodded in approval as he heard Calvus’s assessments.

“I heard of your situation with high command from Denter. While it is an unenviable position to be in, you have my gratitude in protecting the subjects of the realm under such trying circumstances.”

Calvus genuflected “It is but our duty, highness.”

“Report back to the castle with Denter when he returns. I wish to be briefed on the latest circumstances on the Empire‘s holdings."

“Yes, your highness!”

—

As Aureus neared the Everdawn castle, he assessed the various defenses it had. With a rectangular wall 8 meters in height and 3 meters in width with a formidable-looking gatehouse, he judged the defenses adequate for a frontier capital. He recalled from his reports that the castle itself was 20 meters in height with roughly 40,000 square meters of area.

“Not bad, for a castle built a few centuries earlier.” Tarin was assessing the castle too.

“I wonder how big the granaries are, It shouldn’t be hard to keep them well stocked with the amount of game and manpower available.” Mused Johan.

Soon, Aureus and party reached the gatehouse. As they waited for the gate to be raised, Tarin raised his brows in surprise “Those beams are reinforced with Black Yew.”

“That appears to be the material the archers are using, could there be a grove of Black Yew growing nearby?” Johan said as he scrutinized the beam reinforcements of the gate.

“According to the export reports of Everdawn, Black Yew used to be one of their top commodities exported to the core realm. In recent years they have reduced the export amount. No prizes for where it goes though.” Aureus mentioned as the gate was raised.

“For a command base, I believe Everdawn castle will serve well. However, I am worried with regards to security. An elite team of Sphere users could easily break into the grounds to assassinate you, highness.” Tarin furrowed his brow.

“Our current defenses are the lightest it has been in years , if the other two superpowers coordinated and sent an elite team of sphere users each , I am not sure we can hold them off in our current state.” Johan agreed as he scanned the castle.

“The best that Empire intelligence has to offer was that no overt moves were noticed amongst the other two superpowers in terms of movement for their elite Sphere users. However, the possibility that an assassin or two has been mixed into the deployment of forces sent to the outer superpowers’ holdings cannot be discounted.” Aureus responded as they made their way into the great hall of the castle.