The failure at Danustica was like a thorn, deeply embedded in my heart. I had originally planned to regroup and make a comeback, to seize that arrogant and overbearing city once more. However, fate is always full of twists and turns—a ceasefire agreement arrived from the highest echelons of the empire, declaring a temporary truce between the Southern Empire and the Aserai Kingdom.
"Ceasefire? This war ended far too abruptly." Standing in the military tent, my gaze fell upon that gilded parchment, the fighting spirit within me forcibly suppressed. The nobles of the empire sat in their lofty halls, deciding the outcome of the battles we had fought with blood and sweat through mere words and strokes of ink.
Yet, the cessation of hostilities also granted me a moment of respite. The Empress of the Southern Empire sent an envoy, formally inviting me to join the empire as one of her vassals.
That day, golden sunlight spilled across the imperial council hall. I stood before the throne of Empress Rhagaea, clad in armor, my eyes blazing. The empress sat upon the high seat, her authoritative gaze seemingly capable of piercing through all pretenses. Her voice was low and commanding: "Your victory at Onera has proven your loyalty and strength. The empire needs men like you. Become my vassal, and fight for the empire."
The nobles around me watched with disdain, admiration, or indifference, but I paid them no mind. I knelt on one knee, the tip of my sword resting on the ground, and swore solemnly: "I pledge to fight for the Southern Empire until my last drop of blood."
From that moment on, I was no longer a wandering mercenary but a vassal of the empire, with lands and status of my own. Yet, glory and responsibility always walk hand in hand, and the foreshadowing of a storm was already brewing.
Just as I was busy consolidating my position as a vassal, an unexpected figure appeared in my camp—my brother, Norgan. He arrived with the dust of the road still clinging to him, his brow furrowed with the excitement and urgency of a long-awaited reunion.
"You're alive, Cattail... Thank the gods!" Norgan pulled me into a rough embrace, his laughter carrying emotions long suppressed. But then his expression darkened, and he lowered his voice: "I've found clues about the abduction of our younger brother and sister."
"Who was behind it?" My fists clenched, the flames of hatred burning in my chest.
Moonlight bathed the camp, and the flickering firelight inside the tent cast wavering shadows. Norgan and I sat before a map, our gazes heavy yet resolute.
"According to the merchants' information, that band of raiders has moved north and is now holed up near the 'Tarkan Gorge.' They use the gorge as a base, plundering merchant caravans and villages, selling their captives to distant markets," Norgan said, his finger tapping the map emphatically.
"Tarkan Gorge?" My eyes narrowed. It was a natural stronghold, with sheer cliffs on either side like the fangs of a beast, a chasm that seemed to swallow everything. "That place is easily defended, and the terrain is too narrow for heavy cavalry to be effective."
Norgan's voice was grim: "But it has a weakness—the gorge's rear connects to a dense forest. We can split our forces and flank them from both sides."
I nodded decisively. "We can't delay any longer. Who knows what our brother and sister have endured? We must act now!"
At dawn the next day, banners fluttered in the wind, and armor gleamed coldly under the rising sun. I personally led the most elite troops under my command—fifty heavily armored cavalry, over a hundred champion archers, and imperial infantry—marching in full force toward Tarkan Gorge. The safety of my family was like a searing brand against my heart, and I would not allow them to remain trapped in the abyss of darkness.
By dusk, we had reached Tarkan Gorge. From a distance, the cliffs on either side loomed like the jagged teeth of a monstrous beast, their shadows swallowing the valley floor. Below, makeshift camps were faintly visible, dotted with campfires, the occasional shouts of guards and the wails of prisoners drifting through the air.
"Our brother and sister are down there!" Norgan pointed toward the valley floor, his voice thick with barely restrained fury and urgency.
"Don't act recklessly. We need a swift and decisive strike," I said quietly, then raised my hand to issue orders. "Archers, take the high ground. Cavalry, prepare for a feigned frontal assault. Norgan, take a squad of elite archers and circle around the rear of the gorge. Wait for the right moment to attack the camp."
With the plan set, I lowered my visor, mounted my horse, and prepared for battle. My steed seemed to sense my killing intent, neighing and pawing the ground restlessly.
Night fell, and the campfires in the gorge remained bright, while our forces melted into the darkness. The archers crept into position on the high ground, arrows nocked, their tips glinting coldly in the firelight.
"Loose arrows!" I growled.
In the next instant, arrows whistled down like whispers of death, raining upon the raiders' camp. Screams and roars tore through the night as torches scattered in panic, throwing the entire camp into chaos.
"Charge!" I yanked the reins, and my horse leaped forward. The armored cavalry surged like a tide of steel, bursting from the darkness. The thunder of hooves shook the earth as blades flashed, cutting down the panicked raiders.
In the heat of the charge, the air itself seemed to tear apart. The raiders' defenses crumpled like paper. My sword swung relentlessly, and enemies fell before they could even raise their weapons.
"It's the mercenaries! Run!" The raiders scattered in terror, but there was nowhere left to flee.
Then, from the rear of the gorge, another wave of battle cries erupted. Norgan's forces smashed through the weak defenses, cutting off the raiders' retreat. Caught between two fronts, the enemy collapsed, their morale shattered.
I pushed into the heart of the camp, where several wooden cages held ragged prisoners. My gaze swept over them, and my heart clenched—there, in the corner of one cage, were two pale faces: my younger brother and sister.
"Brother!" My sister's cry was a mix of joy and anguish, and in that moment, the ice in my chest melted, all exhaustion and rage dissolving into boundless tenderness.
"I'm here to save you," I murmured, wrenching open the cage door and helping them out. My younger brother trembled, his eyes filled with fear and lingering dread, while my sister threw herself into my arms, sobbing uncontrollably.
Norgan arrived moments later, and seeing our siblings safe, his eyes glistened with tears. "We're going home."
Yet, the leader of the raiders had not surrendered without a fight. Just as we prepared to withdraw, a furious roar erupted from the darkness. A giant clad in black armor, wielding twin axes, charged at us with the last of his men.
"Kill them!" The brute howled like a beast, his axes whirling in a storm of steel as he barreled toward me.
I sneered, raising my sword to meet him. Steel clashed, sparks flying with each impact. His strength was monstrous, but my strikes found every gap in his defense. After so many battles, I was no longer the novice who could barely fend off bandits—I had become a true warrior. Moments later, I sidestepped a sweeping blow and drove my sword into his chest. The giant's eyes widened, and he collapsed, his furious glare dimming into nothingness.
With their leader dead, the remaining raiders lost all will to fight, dropping their weapons and fleeing into the night. The battle was finally over.
The morning sun bathed Tarkan Gorge in light, washing away the bloodshed of the night before. I sat on a log, my younger brother and sister leaning against me, their weary faces breaking into long-lost smiles.
"Brother, you must have suffered so much," my sister said softly, her eyes filled with concern.
"It's nothing. As long as you're safe, it was all worth it," I replied, stroking her hair as I gazed at the distant mountains.
Norgan walked over and clapped me on the shoulder. "We've found our family, but the storm of this turbulent era hasn't passed. Are you ready?"
My eyes hardened as I looked toward the horizon, where war banners still fluttered. The struggle for supremacy had only just begun.
"This is only the beginning."