>>5757634>>5758445Checking your surroundings, you try to find where the house you built in the swamp was, and though it would take you a few days on foot to check the place yourself, a fast travel along the astral saplings shows you a vision that nearly makes you want to go there and shoot your myriad of astral spears onto your enemies.
"Come on! Those dice were loaded!"
"Best out of five, right?!"
"No, I said best out of three!"
On that small, humble hut you two bonded over day after day of cleansing the undead fauna of Midland and ending the corruption of the undead, were several soldiers, drinking and playing around in betting games during their downtime, apparently making a camping base around the place after seeing a suitable spot and appropriating it to their resting necessities. Despite being defeated plenty of times, their morale still seemed to be high thanks to the ungodly amount of numbers on their side.
Locus, the moonlight night appears to be alone with his thoughts next to the camp, observing the familiar gravestone after one of his soldiers approaches to take a piss.
"I would advise you to not drop your undergarments here." Locus calmly makes himself present.
"Ah, sorry mister Locus! Didn't know you were here!"
"That's not what I was referring to, Mule." The knight points to the gravestone of Merlina, prompting the young man to pay his respects and bow his head.
"Oh, that would be embarrassing on my part... Is that someone you know? Didn't think anyone would make a gravestone amidst the swamp..."
"This is the poor soul who guarded the swamp: Silver Eyed Merlina herself. Seeing how anyone who was not chosen by the forest had it's flesh decayed and it's organs turned inside out, it was the one curse I could never lift from Midland. And despite never knowing her personally, I am aware her true story is one of suffering and isolation."
"Really... Is this the reason why you decided to establish a base here?"
"There is more to it than that. I was able to briefly speak with Vlad before he declared war against us. He had asked for the old king of Midland to be trained by me, and though his feats are far from ordinary, I did not take him for such a powerful combatant back then. To sever Igor in half with a single strike when he was a limping man before me? What could have changed?"
"The way you're speaking about him, it's almost as if you regret not taking him under your wing,"
"I'm afraid that is not the case. I am not enough of a simpleton to believe Vlad would willingly join Falconia. But knowing that he once had the dream of being a knight for the king, and that the silver eyed managed to see his potential and bring this much out of his spirit... It is a sting of envy I believe I am not used to. There is not a bigger failure for a knight than to willingly let one of his own become rogue."
