The Forgotten Fortress
The next day with the mages. The Romaani tribe decided to stick with us until we crossed the border as planned. The Tucker and Malcolm families still hadn't finalized their schedule. They didn't have to come with us—maybe they had other reasons? Or perhaps they lacked the confidence to start fresh in a foreign land?
I get that feeling. Like when I was sent on an overseas business trip, stuck alone in a foreign country, buried in work, tangled up with total strangers just to survive. It was only a three-month assignment, but the loneliness hit hard—from the climate to the daily routines and patterns in a place I barely knew...
This world supposedly used a continental common tongue, so there was no language barrier, but some regions had their own unique languages or scripts. Each kingdom had distinct cultures and customs, and in a world with other races, even humans clashed over differing values—starting over among total strangers of different species? They'd face all sorts of hurdles. It might even be worse than their time under the Colorado count's rule.
For Tucker and Malcolm's families, heading to another lord's territory might be smarter than crossing the border. Before we set off that morning, I'd gathered them and suggested relocating to land under a different lord. They didn't need to wander like the Romaani; their goal was settling down for a normal life. Living in an unfamiliar foreign country wasn't something I'd recommend.
They'd been mulling it over anyway, so they agreed. We regrouped and pressed on, climbing the mountain.
"Tucker, Malcolm. If possible, decide on that thing I mentioned this morning soon. No need to struggle crossing into foreign lands."
"Understood, Actor."
"Thank you for your consideration."
Flutter!
"Boss! There's a castle up on that mountain!"
"Oh? A castle? In these mountains?"
"Yeah... and it's a crumbling old ruin."
"A castle?"
"Yeah! Roof caved in, walls collapsed—super creepy."
"Abandoned fortress? How far roughly?"
"Yeah... the path isn't far, but it's pretty high up."
"Any signs of people?"
"Nah, none. But it's so rundown, it looked like ghosts would pop out any second."
Allen's spotted fortress seemed like a strategic point in these rocky mountains. But with the roof collapsed, it had probably been abandoned for ages. Since we had to cross this treacherous range anyway, resting safely for another night made sense. We'd camp there tonight.
"Everyone, let's push! We'll overnight at that fortress. Just having walls gives us defense against monsters or bandits."
"""Yes!"""
And so we headed for the dilapidated fortress near the summit. There was a maintained path midway, but time had overgrown it with weeds, cracks, tree trunks, and vines—not to mention the high altitude made it brutal.
The route to the fortress cut through dense forest like a jungle.
"Following this path down, where's it lead?"
"Judging by the direction, back toward the Colorado barony we left."
"Hm... old outpost from the count? Anyone heard of it?"
"No."
"We wander the continent, but fortress tales per kingdom aren't common knowledge..."
Yeah, makes sense—military secrets aren't for common folk.
Having found what seemed a downhill path toward Colorado, we veered opposite toward our night's shelter, the abandoned fortress. Allen flew ahead to gather firewood, so we could set up quickly. Firewood was easy anyway—just scraps from the rubble-strewn ruins.
"The fortress is bigger than I thought."
"Could house about 500."
On Earth terms, battalion-sized garrison.
It was huge. Big enough for 500 in these jagged peaks. Back in my army days, we'd rotate two platoons from a company for two months at a mountainside AA emplacement—that was it. This was near battalion scale.
I'd only lived six years here with zero intel, so details escaped me, but I hadn't expected something this massive in such harsh terrain. Stables for horses, vast barracks for troops. Mold ruined the bunks, but solid walls blocked wind, and sturdy fortifications shielded from monsters or beasts. Perfect for us.
Plus, we found a weathered but serviceable new wagon. When we split cargo later, we could hand it off.
Snore... snore
"Hmnya~"
"*%$#&§ª... came... *%$#&§ª... came... came... aaah—came..."
"*%$#&§ª... came..."
⟨ Unknown Tongue ⟩
The moon and stars, once brilliantly lighting the sky, now swallowed by clouds in the deep night. While everyone slumbered deeply, Derek muttered endlessly in some unknowable tongue. His eyes, ringed with heavy dark circles, snapped open. He rose slowly, gaze fixed somewhere beyond the fortress.
Derek's once-blue eyes turned now: whites blackened like spilled ink, pupils gleaming gold in reverse—glowing with otherworldly sight.
He crept out quietly, careful not to wake the others, slipping past the gates into the night.
As Derek exited, Allen on watch atop the fortress tower spotted him and nearly shouted—then saw robed figures materialize before Derek.
Derek, you idiot! Why'd you go out there?! And who the hell are those creeps?!
Startled, Allen forgot Actor's orders to wake everyone if trouble brewed. Wings unfurled, he dove toward Derek.
... ... ...
"Lord Ostis, what is that child?"
"Everyone, fall back! Suspicious mana surge! No human emits that!"
"*%$#&§ªº$&@..."
What is this?! We tracked thieves who stole Pladeus's legacy, and now a kid harboring bizarre mana...
Ostis, elder mage of the Magus Civitas, had studied magic for ages, yet Derek baffled him. Mana normally flowed from the heart like blood through veins—colorless base, tinted by schools or knightly lineages.
Derek's mana was heavy. Utterly still like stagnant water, pitch-black. Yet potent waves emanated from that stillness—beyond Ostis's comprehension.
Impossible! That kid's no ordinary child—no, not even human!
"Deriiik!!~~"
!!!
"That... a demonkin?!"
"Lord Ostis! Why's a devil here?!"
Ostis saw Allen land with massive wings, berating Derek amid the flustered mages. He barked orders to kill them both.
"All hands! To live, kill those children! Do it now!—"
"Pardon? The demonkin, fine—but that weird mana kid's just a child..."
"Obey or die!"
!!!
"Hey, old men! What the hell?! What'd we do to—"
"[Fire Ball]"
⟨ Fire Ball ⟩
Roarrrrr!
Boom!
"[Lightning Spear]"
⟨ Lightning Spear ⟩
Zzzzzap!
His subordinates, never seeing elder Ostis so rattled, drew wands and unleashed signature spells at Derek and Allen.
Before Allen could argue, blasts rocked the clearing, dust clouds billowing.
"[Chain Lightning]"
⟨ Chain Lightning ⟩
Zzzzzing—
"[Wind Cutter]"
⟨ Wind Cutter ⟩
Whoooosh—
Kaboom!—
... ... "Did we get 'em?" ... Flutter! Flutter! Whoosh!
"Cough! Cough! Kek!~ Damn, old men, that's too much!—"
!!!
From the blast zone, Allen flapped massive bat wings to scatter the dust, coughing as he yelled at Ostis and the mages.
Up close, a hazy black barrier shimmered from his hand, shielding him and Derek—like a protective ward.
"That's... no doubt. Black magic! Demons after all!"
"Demons? What's that mean? And why're you old geezers trying to kill us?!"
Hummmm!
!!!
Allen's rage at the unprovoked assault resonated. Crimson-black aura surged from him. Some mages collapsed, legs buckling under the pure mana density.
Shiver—
"L-Lord Ostis! The demon's mana's even stronger now..."
"Tch! Fall back! I'll handle it. Rest, prep warp spells! We evacuate now!"
"""Yes!"""
!!!
"Huh? Derek? You can talk?"
Shudder—
"Hm? Why're those old guys acting weird?"
... ...
Derek advanced step by step toward the mages. They froze like paralyzed—couldn't move.
As clouds parted, revealing the full moon, the reason emerged.
Shadows at their feet: dark hunting hounds gripped the mages' shadows. On barren ground, Doberman-shaped black silhouettes bit limbs.
"Derek? Hey. What's wrong?"
"Hey! Hey! Cut it out! What're you—"
Squelch! Squelch!
"Huh?"
"Hey! Derek! Stop the nonsense—"
Crunch! Screeeeeam!!!—
"Gasp! What?!"
With Derek's permission, the leash-like shadows linking to the hounds vanished from his feet. Mages' horrific screams echoed across the peak.
Allen whipped around: in empty air, limbs tore free as something devoured them.
Cursed hellhounds of the demon realm, gluttons for endless mana. Formless black hunters.
The [Hell Hounds] bound in Derek's shadow were unleashed.