The World Dragon's Heir - Chapter 517

Chapter 517: Fill The Racks
The soldiers were led directly to an empty warehouse, and began making plans to set up densely racked cots so that they could maximize space for their unit, and still have room to move around, instead of setting group tents as most did, for privacy.

They had long since given up on privacy, living on the battlefield.

Without that expectation of privacy, they could happily share a much smaller space than any of the other groups of Noblemen would. But only a portion of this group were actual Nobles.

That both helped and hindered the balance.

They still needed more Noblemen. But they also needed men who were not Noble, but who had a future to catch the eyes of the servants and unranked Ladies.

It might not be their family’s first option, but with Honours coming, there was still hope that many of them could either end up wealthy or titled by the time that everything with Dagos was sorted out.

“I will leave you all to get ready for tomorrow’s festivities. Or perhaps the late evening events tonight. We have extended meetings well beyond the afternoon tradition.

It seemed to me that our guests needed more time to get to really know each other in public.”

Prince Alex clapped his Commander on the shoulder. “Get the boys fresh and clean. I will be expecting to see them tomorrow. Let them rest or flirt with the ladies in the city this evening, if they’re brave enough to head out in the rain.”

The Commander laughed. “It’s better that they don’t. We don’t have spare formal uniforms, and none of them have enough finery to be getting soaked the first day.”

“Dominic, I will accompany you back to the house. The mana exhaustion is getting to me, and I’m not feeling up to a portal right now.” Prince Alex insisted.

“Of course. Dave comes equipped with a properly sized umbrella.”

The troll nodded eagerly. The trolls had obtained large table umbrellas, large enough for two trolls to stand shoulder to shoulder under them. Not as cool as using their shields as umbrellas, but practical for covering important people.

Leaving the soldiers to their own devices, Dominic headed straight across the field toward the Manor. It was faster than following the streets through town, and the ground was flat and relatively solid, as it was not a worked field.

“You’ve done wonderful things with the place since you arrived. I hadn’t expected that you would thrive so easily here, but look at how the city is coming.

There is industry, the farms are producing well, and even the shops in the city all look like they are busy more often than just during this event.” Alex noted as they walked.

“It’s been a string of good luck. We had the Guilds request a few specific people for us, but mostly we’ve just gotten lucky with the people who heard rumours of Wistover and decided to give us a try.

For example, the Duskblade Sect.

They’re an amazing addition to the city, and they’re running an Academy for us, where they will be teaching basic magical classes so that we will have workers for the Magitech device factories.”

“Spoken like a true businessman. You really were born to lead a Duchy.” Alex began, then paused and dropped his voice to a whisper.

“There is magic in the area. I think that someone is tracking us. Someone hostile.”

“Dave, call the others. I want at least thirty Daves on the way here.”

They were close enough that the trolls could see each other with hand gestured, no shouting needed. That was all that it took to scramble the guards, and have the first group headed their way as more trolls came to take their places.

All around Dominic, portals opened. Then a barrier went up, locking him inside with Prince Alex and two trolls.

Dave smiled as the rain stopped, and they put away their umbrellas to heft their shields and prepare their clubs. Whatever was coming through was not going to be friendly, but Mountain Trolls didn’t have a word for fear in their language.

The closest they had was a word that meant “Hungry and out of soup.”

A group of undead Dagos soldiers rushed through the portals, surrounding the group, while the Trolls ran toward them from the Manor.

{I’m not going to be much help.} Alex whispered.

{When it starts, teleport out. Get clear of the battle. Dave and I will be fine, but defending an exhausted mage won’t be easy.}

Prince Alex didn’t look convinced, but he nodded. He had an emergency energy elixir that would give him enough mana to get away without activating any of the Royal Relics.

Then they would find a way through the barrier.

All he had to do was get back to his unit. Mortar launchers would take down that barrier in a matter of minutes. Dominic had to be able to hold out that long.

The Undead encircled their position, and a small group of Dagos Nobles in tattered clothes, looking half starved and soaking wet, followed them.

“Wouldn’t you know it. The Kingslayer and the Butcher alone without any guards, mages or backup. Today, you die, for Dagos.”

Dominic opened his arms in a grand gesture. “Gentlemen, welcome to Wistover. Lovely weather for a bit of bloodshed, isn’t it?”

Without a word, the undead charged, and Dominic nodded to Prince Alex.

The mage downed a potion and vanished, while Dave swung clubs through the horde.

Dominic activated [Arcane Blast], targeting the Nobles.

But something was wrong.

They looked almost relieved when the spells hit them. They didn’t have magical barriers up, they just charged at him, aiming to overwhelm Dominic before he could kill too many of them.

It was strange, and cultish, or mind controlled behaviour. Like they had a goal that was more important than their lives. It was not how a Nobleman should behave, even if their lands had just been hit with a major typhoon.

Unless…

There was nothing left. No resistance, no survivors. Just a few stragglers desperate to take the chance they had found to kill Dominic and Prince Alex.