The sun was just beginning to rise over the mountains when the first voices filled the streets of Graymont.
The soldiers had begun gathering in front of the main gate long before the scheduled time, some still adjusting their straps while others checked the weapons at their belts one last time. The horses snorted in the cold morning air, and the carts loaded with supplies slowly made their way toward the gathering point.
More than thirty people made up the expedition, including soldiers and guides, and they were accompanied by Jhon and his two trusted knights. Aldren and Mathis would ride alongside them. They also had several carts carrying food, barrels of water, blankets, tools, medicine, ammunition, and everything that might be necessary during several days away from Graymont.
Everyone had received new weapons for the expedition, although most still wore the traditional armor of the guard. Edmund had made sure the men had time to familiarize themselves with them before taking them into battle, but there were still some who lagged behind in their handling.
Beside one of the carts, a young soldier adjusted the buckle of his armor for the third time while his mother stood in front of him.
"You don't have to go" she said with a worried expression. "You can stay home. Your father will find a better job for you".
His father was a scribe for the territory; they had left him in the guard because they had the impression that it was a job where the boy wouldn't have to do anything and would receive good pay, or at least that was how it had been before Edmund took power.
The boy, Brian, let out a small laugh."I'm a soldier of Graymont, mother. I made a vow a few months ago when I agreed to become part of it".
"That doesn't mean you have to be stupid". His mother had heard stories all her life about how The Vaults was a place filled with death."I'm sure your father will find a way to fix it".
"It's not about being stupid". Brian replied, somewhat annoyed by his mother's suggestion that he break his word. "It's about being a man of my word, mother. I'm fighting for the future of my siblings".
"That's exactly what a stupid person would say".
The young man shook his head and moved away from his mother to stand beside his companions. There had been days of training, and since his hand had trembled with fear during his first battle, but that night Edmund had not only compensated them with better pay, but had also told them why they were doing what they were doing.
He told them about the dangers that would soon reach their lands and how men like them would have to fight for the future of everyone else.
A few meters away, another man was saying goodbye to his wife. She held a small child in her arms while the soldier crouched down to kiss his forehead.
He had agreed to take part in the training because he needed money for his son, who was about to be born, but now that he knew his newborn child was threatened by filthy creatures, he was determined to fight with his teeth.
"I will be back before he forgets what I look like" the man said.
"I hope so, or you might miss his first attempts at crawling" .his wife replied, somewhat tearfully. This chapter was copied from g.com without permission.
"It won't take that long".
The woman did not respond. She simply hugged him for a few seconds before stepping away.
They were not the only farewells.
Some men received pats on the back from their brothers, others listened to their parents' final advice, and a few simply remained silent beside their families. For many, this was the first time they would leave Graymont as soldiers, and no one could assure them how long the expedition would last or whether they would return successfully.
Edmund had ordered the reason for their journey into the mountains to be kept secret. He had explained that it could cause panic throughout the territory and that things could get out of control, so the official reason given to most of them was that it was an exploration expedition.
Jhon watched everything from his horse.
He had expected to find nervousness, and he was not wrong. Many of his men were still too inexperienced to hide it.
They were no longer the same men who had begun training a few months ago. He could see the determination in their eyes as they checked their equipment and said goodbye to their families without fear.
This time they were not going to chase peasants armed with knives. They were going into territory where they could encounter hundreds, if not thousands, of greenskins.
"Everything ready?" Edmund asked as he approached to check the situation.
Jhon nodded.
"The carts are loaded. We have enough food for several weeks, water, tools, bandages, and medicine. We also have fodder for the horses".
Edmund looked at the column.
The carts would travel behind the soldiers, each one protected by armed men. They had loaded sacks of grain, dried meat, salt, flour, barrels of water, and some supplies that could be preserved for weeks. Something that had almost drained all of his coffers, but this was not the time to be stingy.
They did not want to discover halfway there that they had forgotten something as simple as a hammer to repair a wheel.
"Ammunition?"
"Enough for the expedition with luck," John replied. "And I've ordered the men not to waste a single shot".
"That last part will be difficult". Edmund had made sure every soldier had around thirty cartridges in his personal equipment. They also had another nine hundred cartridges in the carts, but that did not mean they could face large armies. Read this novel at NovelPing for the best experience.
The soldiers had barely become accustomed to the recoil of the weapons, and at long distances they only hit three out of every ten shots, and not all of them were even able to fire.
"I know," John replied with a bitter smile; his aim could be the worst of the entire group, and in his mind he had sworn that he would give his ammunition to the best marksman.
Edmund smiled slightly.
Further ahead, Ellaria checked her crossbow while accompanying the group of adventurers in the cart they had arrived in.
"Are you sure you don't want to take a horse?" Tristan asked Ellaria. After they eradicated the bandits, they found a group that kept the horses taken from the convoys alive, and they secured a few.
"I will be more comfortable walking".
"Think about getting tired at the right moment and riding alongside Edmund" .Victoria intervened with a suggestive look.
"Shut up".
Edmund passed by them without interfering in the jokes. For a moment, he was glad he wasn't the victim.
Finally, he raised his gaze toward the mountains.
This expedition had several objectives: first, to save his friend's relatives and thus secure favors from the dwarves. Second, the greenskin raids could not keep growing without a response, and if he wanted Graymont to survive, he had to start learning about the surrounding territory. And third, to test in combat whether Graymont would have what it took to survive the dangers of the end of the world.
John raised one hand, giving the signal that they were about to depart, and everyone assumed their positions at his signal.
The carts began to move.
The sound of the wheels over the dirt road was followed by the noise of boots and horses' hooves as the column slowly left Graymont. Dozens of people left their homes, knowing the danger they faced, with courage in their hearts.
Hello guys,
I haven't published anything for the past few days because I had to accompany my mother to several medical appointments. My city doesn't have the medical services she needs, so I had to travel with her to another city.
I'm back now, and I'll be making it up to you starting tonight with new chapters. I'll also be increasing the number of chapters available.
Thank you for your patience and understanding, and I hope you all have a great day