Chapter 209 |
The Sun Warriors were thrown into disarray. Traitors continued to emerge from within. The number of Sun Warriors who deserted during the battle surpassed twenty. They rescued their kin and believers of Lou and fled the scene.
"If His Imperial Majesty finds out about this, the Sun Warriors could be disbanded."
Commander Alfnan clutched his throbbing head and sat down in a chair inside the makeshift tent where the officers had gathered.
'Are these damned fools really going to ruin the career that I’ve built?'
Alfnan had climbed to his position as commander with great difficulty. He had done all sorts of dirty work to succeed as a barbarian in the civilized world.
‘That faith in Lou is becoming a problem now?’
The devout Sun Warriors could not abandon their own people who believed in Lou. They betrayed their own Sun Warrior brothers to save the converts and ran off to hide in the frozen lands.
"There might still be more traitors among us."
"I can’t believe no one knew what was going on until the Sun Warriors ended up like this. It’s almost astonishing."
"What are we going to do with Harvald? If we execute him, there will be warriors who protest. Although he let the traitors go, it was a moral choice."
"Starve him, and don’t give him water, either. If there are still traitors among us, they will eventually show up to help Harvald."
The officers nodded at Alfnan's words.
A warrior who received Alfnan’s command dragged Harvald to a post and tied him there.
"This is what the commander ordered, Harvald. It's nothing personal."
"I know. I was prepared for this."
Harvald accepted his punishment quietly. His room to maneuver in was about five steps from the post.
The Sun Warriors and the imperial army stationed in the village they had just occupied and awaited supplies and support. Since winter was approaching, they needed even more gear for the cold weather.
Urich, who was staying as a guest at the barracks, approached the post where Harvald was tied.
"Urich, don’t go near Harvald. He is carrying out his punishment."
One of the warriors who was standing guard frowned.
"Who I talk to is none of your business."
"Then, you’ll be responsible for any misunderstanding or suspicion that comes out of this."
The Sun Warrior did not try to stop Urich anymore.
Urich looked at the shackled Harvald. He was wearing only worn-out clothes despite the cold weather.
"Talking to me might make them suspect you as one of the informants," Harvald spoke as he looked up at Urich while sitting on the ground.
"It doesn’t matter what they say about me. I want to talk to you."
"Keke, you were always a unique person, now as before."
Harvald coughed dryly and laughed.
"Why did you let the other traitors go even though you weren’t one of them? Look at you now."
Urich had heard about what got Harvald into this mess. As soon as he heard what had happened, he was curious about Harvald’s intentions.
"I became a Sun Warrior to guide my mother’s people onto the right path. The only path that I follow is the teachings of Lou. Loyalty to the emperor is nothing but a means to follow Lou’s teachings. If it's just about being loyal to the emperor, we don’t need to be Sun Warriors; that would just make us mercenaries who chase money."
"You're pretty stubborn. I guess you’ve always been like that. Even when we first met, you picked a fight with Sven and insisted we rescue a farm village being attacked by bandits out of nowhere."
Urich recalled the past.
'I didn’t accept Harvald’s request back then. My mercenaries and I ended up helping Harvald only because Pahell offered us extra payment.'
Harvald's eyes gleamed with religious zeal. He was a man willing to sacrifice his life for his beliefs.
'And I don’t dislike people like him.'
Urich twitched his lips.
"Harvald, if you need my help, just say the word. I’ll get you out of that thing."
"You? Haha, how could you help me?"
"That’s for me to figure out."
"If I wanted to escape, I would have done so a long time ago. I'm going to face the consequences of my actions."
"Even if it means death?"
"I’m certain that my soul will go to Lou’s embrace. So, I'm not afraid of death."
Urich looked at Harvald.
'Having a place to go… that, I’m kind of jealous of. I'm still wandering.'
Urich left Harvald as he wished. Without food or water, Harvald withered away. Exposed to the cold, he visibly weakened day by day.
Woooosh.
The wind from the north was like a sword blade. The harsh natural environment weeded out the weak and only left the strong.
'The defeated god of war.'
There were almost no traces of Ulgaro in the occupied village.
Ulgaro was the god of war. The northerners revered strength. However, the victors were the civilized people who worshiped the sun god. People gradually turned away from Ulgaro and prayed for peace to the sun god.
'Stupid god of war... Can you not even protect your own descendants?'
Urich chuckled as he looked at the village shrouded in night.
"Smash the head of Ulgaro!"
The Sun Warriors brought up Ulgaro's statue from the basement. It was a statue that used to be in the village square, but ever since Solarism became the dominant religion, it had been stored in the village's underground storage.
Crack!
A Sun Warrior lifted a mace and smashed the head of Ulgaro.
"Long live the Sun!"
"In the name of Lou!"
The Sun Warriors shouted.
'To be humiliated by your own descendants, how pathetic.'
Urich grinned bitterly. The decline of a defeated god was pitiful. As time passed, no one would believe in Ulgaro anymore.
"It's useless to cling to me. I have no business with a weak god either. Get lost," Urich spoke into the dim darkness.
"Urich, what are you muttering about alone?"
Georg approached him unexpectedly. Urich flinched.
"Just talking nonsense because of the booze. Don't mind it. Have you passed the message to the other warriors?"
"Yes, they are ready to move at any moment with a signal. But do you really think the informants will move to save Harvald?"
Georg had just gotten back from meeting up with the warriors from the west. They had been steadily following Urich. They were so devoted to Urich that they would not hesitate to give their lives for him.
"If the insiders are truly devout Sun Warriors, they won't just stand by and watch Harvald die."
"You seem sure."
"That’s what these religious people are like. It's hard for people with little faith like us to understand."
Urich waited for the right time. He was used to being patient.
Soon, winter supplies and correspondence arrived from the empire. The soldiers were excited to receive new supplies and letters from their family and friends.
'And Harvald is at his limit.'
Ten days had passed. Even a warrior with superhuman mental strength would struggle to hold on any longer. Harvald was dying from hunger and thirst.
'If there's a time to act, it's now.'
Urich wasn't the only one thinking this. The Sun Warriors were also on guard for any remaining informants.
"Urich, Commander Alfnan calls for you."
"Me?"
"He invites you to dinner. Along with your companion, as well."
Urich gestured to Georg. They entered the house where Alfnan was staying. It was originally the village chief’s house, so it was quite spacious inside, and the walls were covered with whole animal hides.
"Ah, come in, Urich."
Alfnan was reviewing the documents and correspondence that came from the empire. It seemed like he had been quite busy since the supplies arrived yesterday.
"Did you invite me here because you thought I might try to help Harvald? Alfnan."
Urich bluntly started the conversation.
"Well, I did get the reports that you've been in contact with Harvald without permission, it wouldn’t be entirely unfounded if that was indeed my intention. By the way, no need to call me Alfnan so formally, just call me Alf."
"Haha, we're not friends yet, are we? It feels too early for such friendly nicknames."
Urich laughed and sat at the table.
"We have lamb and pork. Which do you prefer?"
"Both, of course!"
"You're quite greedy."
Roasted lamb and pork were served. Urich tore into the meat while looking at Alfnan.
"Are you just going to let Harvald die like this? Isn’t he a pretty capable subordinate?"
"Harvald knew what he was getting himself into. It's the path a grown man has chosen for himself."
Alfnan brought out some wine. Urich and Alfnan toasted and drank. Even Urich could tell it was quite a fine wine.
"Good wine. It really sticks to the palate, doesn’t it? I could drink this all night."
"This is my favorite wine. I’ve been saving it for a special occasion."
"Is taking a small village and leaving a subordinate to die considered a special occasion?"
"No, that's not it....Thank you, Urich."
Urich suddenly felt a chill. He gripped the handle of his axe.
"Georg, you’re on your own this time," Urich muttered.
Alfnan stepped back, dropping the wine bottle to the ground.
"A letter came. There's a bounty on Urich, the leader of the plunderers from the west. If I capture you alive, the emperor will reward me greatly."
Thud, thud.
Doors opened from all around. Armed Sun Warriors appeared as if they had been waiting. There were five of them.
"Hah, I really did not see this coming.”
Urich sweated as he picked up his axe and sword.
'I didn’t think my identity would get exposed on the battlefield. I should have thought of that. How stupid.'
He thought he had been meticulous, but there was a flaw. But that was why he was still an imperfect human.
Zap, zap.
It was the feeling of his hair standing on end. His senses heightened, and he could hear the warriors' breathing. He could even hear Georg’s heart pounding with fear.
"Hooo."
Urich exhaled. The Sun Warriors hesitated to charge.
‘We outnumber him, but I don’t feel confident in winning.'
Five Sun Warriors, six including their leader Alfnan. Yet, they hesitated to attack Urich even after encircling him.
'How many battlefields has this man survived at such a young age?'
Alfnan, too, was taken aback as he saw Urich prepare for battle. Urich had an intimidating presence, something typically felt only from legendary warriors seasoned through countless battles.
'Just like the Sword Demon Ferzen.'
No one felt confident they could beat the old Sword Master. Ferzen knew how to defeat an enemy before the fight even started. Alfnan sensed an essence of that Ferzen in Urich.
'I need to give the order.'
Alfnan took a deep breath. Life and death were going to be decided in a single moment.
"Capture him!"
Alfnan shouted. Five warriors simultaneously charged at Urich. Georg was hardly a concern because they were intimidated by Urich’s formidable presence. Their focus was solely on Urich.
Woosh!
Urich horizontally swung his axe, which even its hilt was made of steel. The axe that flew like a boomerang broke a warrior’s neck.
"Kaagh!"
One was dead in the blink of an eye, but no warrior hesitated at their comrade's death.
'These are excellent warriors. Even if it means dying, they follow their superior’s commands.'
Urich staked his life on that trait of the warriors.
'Alfnan is trying to capture me alive. He needs to keep me alive until we reach the imperial capital.'
Urich chuckled. His eyes moved eerily, tracking the sharp blades.
'You dare to fight me with capture in your minds? You think you can beat me with such complacency?'
Urich thrust his neck into the center of the frenzy of blades like a man gone mad.
Fwish!
The Sun Warriors quickly adjusted their blades. The blades only scraped Urich’s neck as they passed.
Being excellent warriors, they did not forget their objective to capture Urich alive. Ordinary soldiers would have killed him outright.
Schluck!
Urich had no need to spare the warriors. His blade pierced through a warrior’s chainmail and stirred the insides.
Squeeeelch!
Urich kicked the warrior’s body away as he pulled out his blade. Flesh and entrails clung to the blade as it was withdrawn.
"If you fight me while trying to capture me alive, you won’t beat me. I am Urich. My brothers call me the great warrior."
