Ashes Ch 18

"Commander! There is fire in the west!"

"What, someone forgot to cover the ashes?"

"No Sir, apparently around 50 buildings are on fire!"

"What? Why am I only getting informed now?"

Patrik Kusneu put on his coat and signaled to Luca that they will be leaving in an instant. The poor soldier stuttered under the pressure.

"T-there was n-no patrol in t-that zone t-tonight."

"What is the meaning 'there was no patrol'. I told those idiots that the forest is a potential danger zone. Are they deaf? Should I hire an interpreter?"

Luca intervened seeing that the poor soldier could barely breathe in front of the Commander.

"Sir, I think they might have gotten injured while training and no one was infirmed to reschedule the patrol area."

"Haa... my head hurts...Don't just stand there greenhorn! Lead the way!

"Y-yes Sir!"

When they arrived only ashes remained of the fire. Luckly there was no scent of burning flesh.

"Where have the people gone?"

"Apparently a young shaman boy helped them escape, but he was said to be just passing by, and left after helping the people."

The Commander looked around suspiciously. The starting point of the fire was unknown. He looked down and saw a lighter with a Northern order crest.

"It was arson. The buildings were lit independently and from the roof. The walls barely have any black marks, only the inwardly collapsed parts. The fact that there was a passerby who just happened to save everybody is also hardly believable. This is a warning."

Luca's face stiffened. Who would challenge the famous veteran of the South. He couldn't help but think about the masked woman.

"Sir, is it-"

"I know what you are thinking Luca, but those crests on the lighter aren’t easy to replicate. See..."

He dropped a little bit of blood on it, and the crest soaked it in and let out a faint glow.

"This is authentic. So, unless the kid has some relations to those rats, which I highly doubt, it wasn't her doing."

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The two stood there looking around and terrified people started to return to the ruins. Their eyes were full of hopelessness and grief. Some have spent their entire lives in these houses and now it has been reduced to nothing. The only ones somewhat functional ones were the ones Darius' firm built. The people started to praise him greatly.

"You scum you couldn't even patrol a district! Look what happened without you even showing up! If it weren't for that boy we would have all burned alive!"

A man shouted angrily at the soldiers. It was clearly not an accident, but how could they explain that to those people who had lost their homes. That's when a black man wearing black gat and hanbok stepped out of the crowd.

"My good fellows let's be civil about it. I, Darius will make sure that every one of you will get their house rebuilt within a month, with reasonable prices."

"He is Darius! The one who could make houses that don't burn down!"

The crowd cheered.

"But should we sleep on the streets until then? I don't have a family to take me in."

A lot of them mumbled similar complaints.

"Don't worry too much fellows. My lovely Lady Dime offers everyone free housing until then in Thaleds. I know it is a little further away, but these handsome gentlemen will take you there."

A pack of wolves appeared with dark elves riding them smiling friendly.

"Oh, thank you, thank you so much!"

A lot of people cried with their gratitude towards them. The dark elves gathered them and started to lead the way to the village. There were about 200 people. The Commander only watched from afar as he could neither console nor help these poor folks. He got iffy from Darius who just bowed to him and disappeared in the darkness.

"The kid's name was Dime, Sir. Can she really provide shelter to so many people in that ghost village?"

"Luca you must have not heard the news. The village is apparently growing steadily thanks for a man who everyone just calls Doctor, who brought cheap medicine and a new religion with a masked god."

"A god with a.....mask. Do you think that-"

"Don't jump to conclusions. We will find it out sooner or later, but right now we have more burning issues."

***

"And that's how it happened. How stupid right? Thinking that Dime is only capable of that much."

Ray was mocking the veteran while eating a piece of jerky from Dime's hand. She was stroking the head of the little snake.

"They are following our plans without knowing about it. The Lady is really scarry. When will you depart with...?"

"Kaga." The ram headed man helped out Nalaka. He had already heard about her from Tealla, but never introduced himself in person.

"Right Kaga."

"I decided to only go tomorrow when the news about the fire had already spread. People will be more tense, so they are most likely to drink themselves to a stupor."

Kaga was still uncomfortable with the operation, but when he heard what the aftermath was, he thought that his master is genius. He clenched his fists multiple times. He soon needed to make up his own mind.

"Mathilda you can turn back now."

"Yes of course Lady."

She was still wearing a young boy's appearance.

"Have you been to Thaleds?"

"Yes, but the Doctor insisted on helping me choose so he asked for two days of grace period."

"How nice of him. That man is a fanatic out of a grimoire."

"Tealla, he has been with me for a very long time I trust him with my life."

Dime lightly scolded the mage. He rolled his eyes so hard he could have taken a look into his skull. Only Kaga smiled at his extreme reaction, the others had no time for the drama king.

"Now everyone, get a good night of sleep. We have work to do tomorrow."

Dime disbanded the team, but she herself didn't move, but took a book down the stack that Ramir brought her. The title was Blacksmithing from the basics, the song of steel. Pretty flashy, but it was just what she needed to get ready for the upcoming days.