A few hours later on the southern hill…443Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPteUOMKifo
An axe hacked into the core of a tree, with every shock lifting from it a veil of mist. Its undercut was deep, and from its notch, sap seeped out. Rain pattered on the foliage like a shining film of polish reflecting the subtle glow of the clouds’ underbelly. The storm washed by, and the gust was ghastly cold, strong enough that it could topple the canopy above. The giant beneath charged his strength, sensing that it would be his last blow before the tree finally fell. Digging his feet into the soft earth, he adjusted the axe in his hands when he spun around and swung his blade into the heart of the tree. The strike rang through the roots and rattled its branches. Tearing his axe away, Miklós stepped back and looked up at the swaying but resilient tower, which stubbornly stood. Holding his axe to one side, Miklós took a breath of the clear woodland air before unleashing his demonic power through a kick into the tree. The behemoth snapped, tilted, and fell as he stood to one side and watched it collapse, crashing through saplings and ripping a hole in the canopy that let the torrent cascade through. Its landing quaked the ground, and the work of a blunting blade began to chop away at the log’s branches and twigs. His squad and comrades similarly toiled away, each at their own duties. Like a sawmill, they churned out timber dusted and ready for their engineers. From stakes for trenches to logs for palisades, the forest was slowly being rolled downhill to be ferried away by the cycle of men and waggons. The cogs of industry turned unendingly when even the wounded had put themselves to work.
Over the brow of the hill, a lieutenant emerged, hiking up a path along the ridge. He appeared in the forest, which he had not visited since arriving. Holding onto his belt, he weaved past the stumps that remained and carried himself deeper into the trees. When the young officer arrived at the point where the dense woodland resumed, he could not help but admire how the land had been terraformed.
Stunned by their progress, he approached his former cadets and watched their axes swing. “You could build a city wit’ this.” Adam remarked, his eyes restlessly flitting between the different parts of the harvest.
The final strike of an axe rang out, and Arminius lifted his blade, tearing a slab of bark from its tree. His comrades paused, their backs sore, when they heard their lieutenant’s voice, but they did not lay down their tools, assuming that there was still work to be done after Adam had said his part.
“The general called.” The lieutenant gestured for the squad to follow him when he mentioned what they least expected.
The nine looked at each other, unsure of what was going to happen, but when they realised it was an order, they laid down their axes beside the closest tree stump and swung their soaked and dense jackets onto their arms. They rallied around their former instructor, who pivoted on his heel and led them away, sensing that they were prepared for anything but a wet night in the wilderness.
Axes fell silent, and the heavens parted. There was a break in the clouds, and the rain subsided, its gales turning into breezes. Passing by the graveyard of trees that they and their allies had neatly shaven to the edge of the woods from which they emerged, the squad wound down a narrow path along the side of a ridge, their eyes gradually distracted not by the obstacles and hazards beneath them, but by the picture that they had always wanted to see since they were children.
They saw a sprawling encampment of tens of thousands of men, with another hundred thousand scattered throughout the valley. Engineers instructed their comrades to build shelters near fire pits where squads could huddle before laying out tents for their officers. Palisades and wooden battlements, trenches, and stakes formed leagues of defences, which were guarded by rifles, sentries, and patrols marching around the camp’s perimeter. Hussars rode out as scouts came and went. Twenty thousand veterans were delegated to the general’s subordinates, who were sent out into the wilderness and divided into northern and western detachments. However, while the army’s grandeur was impressive, a flash of unnatural light diverted their attention. Black smoke poured down the valley, and debris was scattered. Shortly after, a loud bang was heard, and those who were aware realised they had just witnessed the explosion of an Eifer. The raging currents carried splintered planks, wood, and stone downstream, removing the shadows from what was once a bridge. With everything going on, they could not keep track with just two eyes. Within a day, the evacuated village had transformed into a battle-ready wooden fortress.443Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJlYIGCX4p2
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