Steel and Sorrow: Rise of the Mercenary king - Chapter 204

Chapter 204: Taste of mud Chapter 204: Taste of mud The fortress known as the Gods’ Fingers stood like a giant among men, rising below the rugged peaks of the God’s Hand mountains.

This ancient stronghold, guarded the only pass between the northern and southern realms, making it a critical choke point for anyone attempting to cross between the two lands.

The castle’s outer defenses comprised two formidable sets of walls.

The outer wall, towering and nearly impenetrable, traced the mountain’s contours, seamlessly blending with the jagged rocks and sheer cliffs.

Behind this first line of defense rose a second, even more imposing wall, built directly against the face of the mountain itself.

Constructed with heavy stone , these walls stood as resilient as the mountains they were built from.

Initially, only the inner area-protected by the first wall-was occupied by the residents of the Gods’ Fingers.

But as the generations passed, the population swelled, and necessity demanded more space.

Between the two sets of walls, layers of modest suburbs emerged, expanding the fortress into a bustling enclave.  Nestled against the cliffs,its position and structure made the Gods’ Fingers nearly unassailable, while its strategic significance meant it remained fiercely guarded by those who wished to make sure nothing passed between the north and the south.

The Gods’ Fingers fortress was the brainchild of Barlak the Lame, a cunning, iron-willed king from one of the fractured petty kingdoms that had once dotted the land before the empire rose to unify them.

Over 200 years ago, Barlak, often called “the Cripple,” had dedicated his life and his dynasty’s entire fortune to the construction of this towering stronghold.   He understood that whoever held the pass could demand gold or favor, ensuring his small kingdom’s prosperity and independence. When a general from one of the invading armies jeered at him, sneering that he required servants to rise from his bed and that he would soon be unable to rule over even his own household, Barlak famously retorted: “Mark my words-I may be lame, but I will stand taller than any of you who dare pass between the toes of my other leg.” And today the grand iron doors of the Gods’ Fingers creaked open once again, their sound resonating like a groan of surrender through the narrow mountain pass.

These were gates that had once been forced open only by the gleam of gold, collecting tolls from every merchant, traveler, and soldier seeking passage.

Today, they opened under a different command: coming not from the jingling of gold and silver but the order of a defeated king.

Mavius’ army, battered and broken, trudged beneath the towering stone archway.

Armor dented and splattered with mud, soldiers shuffled forward in silent resignation, their heads hanging low, eyes hollow from the recent rout.

The banners they bore, once vibrant now hung limp, the wind barely making them flutter Inside the castle walls, the citizens of the Gods’ Fingers looked on from behind the fortress’s stone parapets and crumbling battlements.

There was no cheer, no jeering or pride in this hollow victory; they had been sacked just a month before by the same emperor who now returned defeated.

Mavius pulled his horse to a stop, looking back at his weary, defeated army with a piercing gaze.

His eyes narrowed, and for a moment, a strange hunger flickered across his face.

His lips curled faintly, a sneer as he took in the scattered ranks of his forces; the sight of them battered and filthy seemed to stir something fierce within him.

Yet he quickly concealed it, the sneer fading as he turned back, calm and calculating, toward Lord Landoff.

The lord nodded, and his voice rang out, sharp and commanding over the rumble of his assembled men.

“Set up camp here,” he ordered, his tone firm and steady.

“Make yourselves useful; prepare for the night.” As the men moved about, shuffling to fulfill their lord’s commands, Mavius dug his heels into his horse, nudging it forward.

He rode alongside a small band of his chosen guards, a handful of hardened men to stay close.

Together, they made their way past the bustling soldiers and through the castle’s outer courtyard.

Mavius seethed as he looked over his ranks.

Thirteen thousand… he thought bitterly.

And now barely ten remain.

Cowards.

Deserting cowards.

He cursed under his breath, his hand tightening on his reins as he watched the scattered men stumble toward the camp.

His fists clenched as he turned the events over in his mind, each detail flashing like bitter sparks.

They had been so close-the gates of the capital had been in sight, the promise of victory nearly within his grasp.

And yet, disaster had struck.

An ambush had erupted from behind, a force that seemed to appear from nowhere, trying to catch his forces between the hammer and the anvil.

How had they been concealed?

He had ordered every land, every forest, hill, and hollow within miles to be scouted thoroughly.

The thought of those hidden troops, slipping past his lines unseen made his blood simmer.

He clenched his jaw, a grim resolve beginning to settle alongside the anger.

They’d regroup, reforge their forces, and when the time came, he’d strike back with twice the fury.

For now, though, he had to swallow the bitter taste of defeat and ensure that what remained of his army was ready to fight again.

Mavius stepped into the keep, the air cooler within the thick stone walls, smelling faintly of earth and age.

At the end of the room stood a figure bracing himself with a cane-a young man of barely twenty-two, his name however being known by more and more as time passes, as Willios, the Hammer.

As Mavius approached, Willios inclined his head respectfully.

“Your Imperial Majesty,” he greeted, his voice steady, though he leaned on the cane with a firm grip.

Mavius’s eyes swept over Willios, appraising his upright bearing despite his injuries.

“Lord Willios,” he acknowledged, a hint of approval in his voice.

“How fare your wounds?” Willios straightened as much as his injured side would allow, a faint grin tugging at his lips.

“The physicians claim I’ll be back to full strength in a few weeks, Your Majesty,” he replied, a flash of satisfaction in his gaze.

“Though the pain in my side has become a constant pounding in my head,” he added with a wry smirk, tapping his temple.  Mavius gave a low chuckle, nodding knowingly.

“A headache earned through victory-a trophy of conquest, some might call it,” Willios lowered his gaze respectfully, a hint of sympathy flickering in his eyes.

“Your Majesty, my condolences on the losses sustained,” he began, his voice carrying both understanding and resolve.

“But rest assured, this was only a minor setback.

Victory, in the end, will be ours.” He paused, allowing a slight smile to lift the corner of his mouth as he looked back at the Emperor.

“In the meantime, I’ve had the city’s defenses fully restored and established a standing garrison to safeguard it, reinforced by the men Your Majesty left behind.

The gates of the Fingers will hold.

As long as we command this pass, the road south remains within our reach whenever we decide to march.” Mavius met Willios’s eyes with a steady gaze, his expression softening with something akin to pride.

“You’ve proven yourself among my most steadfast allies, Willios,” he replied, the edge of his voice carrying genuine warmth.

“Though the Romelian capital may be out of our reach for the moment, it is a delay, nothing more.

Come spring, we will reclaim the southern lands.” The Emperor’s gaze shifted, his eyes narrowing with purpose as he continued, “But first, promises are to be kept.

You, of all, understand what enabled us to attempt this campaign.” He nodded resolutely.

“Soon, there will be a ceremony of enfeoffment.

You shall stand as the rightful lord of the Fingers.” Willios’s face brightened, though he struggled to keep his composure, inclining his head in a show of humble gratitude.

“Your Majesty, I am honored beyond words.

This responsibility…

I shall uphold it with everything I have.” Mavius allowed himself a rare smile.

“You’ve earned it, Willios.

The Fingers can only belong to those who’ve fought to make them ours.” Mavius’s gaze drifted past Willios, his eyes seeming to linger on a vision only he could see.

He spoke slowly, his tone slipping into something almost poetic.

“You know…when I saw the gates swing open that night,” he began, “before even the order left my lips to seize the city, I had a glimpse… a vision of myself seated upon the throne.

As that was the moment where the crown would be put onto my head ” He paused, the weight of the moment pressing between them, his words carrying a far-off certainty as if the throne itself were drawing him forward.

“Perhaps, that moment belongs to a not-too-distant future,” he continued, voice softer now, the fire in his eyes simmering beneath a tempered resolve.

Turning back to Willios, Mavius’s voice regained its command.

“For now, we’ll stand the army down.

Let them rest, let them rebuild their strength.

And when spring arrives, we shall rise once more and finish what we began.” Willios straightened, his expression brightening with resolve.

“In the meantime, Your Majesty, I will do all that I can to fortify the castle and raise an army that can march with you when the time comes.

The Fingers will be stronger than ever-impenetrable for any who dare test it.” Mavius looked upon him with approval, that warmth touch that made so many people fight and throw their lot with him,as the prince had a natural gift to charm other people which made him be so beloved by the many lords he entered in contact with ”I’ve no doubt, lord Willios,” he said, resting a firm hand on his young follower’s shoulder.

The gesture was brief but sincere ”And when that happens the gods themselves will state how lucky I am to have such a hammer at my side” At that, Willos lowered his face as he hid his reddened visage to the face of the person for whom he would sacrifice his life to.