The days started to pass by very slowly. It had begun to feel like I had been traveling for months, even though it has only been days.
Some interesting news was that I had finally spotted a few towns, or at least that is what I had thought they were based on their size and the small stone walls encapsulating them. Yet, color me surprised when I heard my fellow Knights calling them villages, with some even naming them as where they grew up.
It seems everything in this world is proportionally larger is scale as compared to back home. Really takes some getting used to.
The journey then took an interesting turn when I saw a forest up ahead that we were entering. Like most things, the place was massive, easily spread out over nearly a hundred miles in either direction. However, the mountains made the eastern side seem less expansive.
In the end, it seemed there was nothing to worry about, as no one was on guard as we entered the forest, and instead wore excited expressions. Which, from subtle eavesdropping, I learned is due to the fact that Rumastere is on the other side of this forest.
I do have to say, though, that his forest was absolutely, magically stunning! All the various vibrant colors of plants, trees, and regular animals were insane. There were things you would never see back on Earth. Such as purple trees, bright red creatures that looked like deer, and weird looking rainbow colored flowers.
The outside of the forest had seemed normal, yet the inside was like entering a brand new world. A few of the Knights would even pick some flowers, herbs, fruits, or vegetables that were growing naturally.
The sounds had also become just as vibrate, with the various fantastical birds chirping, the swaying of the trees and plants. Having lived in cities for most of my life back on Earth, I had forgotten how beautiful and serene nature can be, especially one not affected by industrialization.
It took another day’s worth of non-stop traveling before we finally left the forest, which I found out is called Yittenthire Forest. Sadly, I didn’t get the chance to learn why it is called that; however.
When we finally broke through the treeline, the view opened up with vast plains to the south and west. Then, there were the fortress walls to the east, directly bordering the forest and connected to the Nikost Mountains.
So, that is the revered, historically important fortress Rumastere. I can definitely tell that it has seen some battles in its long history. Physical attacks or the marks of magical means covered the black walls in various marks, whether chipped and damaged like burning and frost damage. Yet, it stood tall and imposing, showing that it has never been breached.
The sturdy front gate was already wide open, as the groups ahead of us were steadily entering. Atop the walls, I noticed a handful of Knights and Sentinels that were watching us with smiles and the occasional welcoming wave.
I did notice that the numbers seemed pretty small, which I can reasonably assume are just an operational garrison meant to watch over the fort while the main army was away.
When our group passed under the gatehouse, I saw a second inner wall not too far inside, making this a double-walled fortress. I observed that the walls bend slightly toward the mountain, and each one finishes at the mountainside. Between the two walls, seemed to be various defensive stations, traps, and other such set-ups, meaning this entire area is for defense.
It was when we entered past the second gatehouse that I saw the place that I will be living for the foreseeable future.
The first thing that stood out was the extremely tall keep, as it look like it blended directly with the mountainside itself at the back of the fort. It held multiple spires and towers, numbering in the dozens.
After that, were approximately two dozen buildings, with all of them being the size of gargantuan warehouses. They even looked like they were about three or four stories tall, with hanging walkways between them in the air. I could even see a few Knights walking upon them, glancing toward us before continuing on their way.
I spotted an interesting training yard that had multiple sections split apart, and various apparatus, like training dummies, and many things I did not recognize. Then, I noticed the cart was turning, and I looked forward to where Ynar was currently driving.
That was where I saw the tens of thousands of carts parking in an expansive open field to the left of one of those massive warehouse-sized buildings. The Knights and non-cultivator personnel were already starting to carry and load the items, gear, and carts themselves into that building.
When we also joined the rest, parking our cart, Dalia un-latched the horses, leading them somewhere else. That was when I heard Captain Ogman speak out.
"Alright folks, you know what to do. Start grabbing gear and take into the Logistics Hub. If you don’t remember where everything goes, Logistics personnel will guide you. Now, five of you help me with the tent," the captain ordered.
Since I didn’t want to get lost or separate from the others while in an unfamiliar environment, I joined the captain in moving the cubed tent. The six of us lifted it up, taking it from the cart and steadily carrying the heavy cube through the large, opened double doors of the building.
Then, I was truly astounded when I entered the building. I had thought it was massive on the outside, yet inside felt like a city within a building. Not only were there hundreds of thousands of rows of shelves of various sizes, but there were also hanging bridges in the air that connected to the various shelves. Above those bridges, were another floor that had the same setup as down here.
I followed the group as we carried our cubed tent, where we took it to the far west side of the building, where I noticed a nearby staircase to the next floor. We found an empty spot amongst the shelves in this area, that already held tens of thousands of cubed tents of many sizes.
"Good work, Knights. Let’s finish up everything else out there, and then we can get settled in," Captain Ogman says as he dusts off his gauntleted hands, making a slightly metallic clanking sound.