It took us around 40 minutes to pack everything and bury the soldier's bodies. What made me confused was the bodies laying on the ground were only our own. I never saw what the enemy looks like.
I wanted to question Basil about it but he was busy as the general already made it clear that we'll be moving to our main base.
After packing my things and the camp I was staying in, I went outside and just sat near the other soldiers. I was healed up but I still needed to rest for a full recovery.
General Solomon was still smoking his cigar although I don't know how it was still burning. The other soldiers that came with him also seemed to be resting on the ground. From what I gathered they were supposed to go directly to Astrea as they were coming from the main battlefield. All of them were third-circle and above mages.
Our small troop of one hundred and fifty soldiers were only ordered to supply weapons and rations to The Castle Black which was the closest to the battlefield. Although they could also send a single person with multiple space rings, That was not the most efficient way as the chances of a single person to reach alive to the castle would be a miracle itself.
Also, this particular mission was supposed to be a relatively safe one which was the reason Commander Robert allowed over 50 first mages to enter too. It was to give them the experience and show them what truly is a battlefield so that they won't go into shock after seeing the blood, and give them a chance to wake up to reality. Most of the first circle were commoners and also pretty young. Only about 12-15 years old.
I was pretty shocked to know that they'd allow such small kids to go to a battlefield, but it also gave me an idea of how dire things truly were.
After the other people were done with the work and reported to the General about the report of the battlefield in detail, we mounted our warhorses and headed towards the south where the base was.
It was my first time riding a warhorse but fortunately, it was not so difficult.
Their speed was truly astonishing but what was more astonishing than that was their stamina.
'Now I understand why they use such beasts for travelling' Augustus thought as even after hours of running, they didn't even show any weariness.
From what I heard from the soldiers talking with each other, it'd take us at least two days to reach Astrea even with the ridiculous speed.
The journey was mostly uneventful, there were no ambushes, and nothing particular happened which was a piece of good news to us.
I only talked to Basil and Leah during the journey a little, I was mostly listening to the conversations around me as information was crucial to me to know what was happening. I didn't even know who were we fighting.
All I knew was their name: Abyssals.
It was when a soldier was cursing them. I didn't know more than that. I never even read about this species in all of the history books I've read.
'Maybe they used to live in the second continent' I thought.
After two days of journey, we finally arrived at the base which looked more like a city due to how huge it was.
There were huge walls encompassing the whole city. The walls were deep black with white runic language inscribed on them. There were huge orbs embedded on top of the wall which gave me a dangerous feeling the second I looked at it.
All in All, It looked very fierce, Contrasting with the beautiful city of Dreake.
The huge doors opened as they confirmed the identity of General Solomon. General Solomon's squad was not huge. They were mostly an elite squad so there were not many soldiers in it. There were only 80 soldiers with him when he came to the camp with us. Maybe the other soldiers of his squad were stationed in the place he came from.
The elaborate city gates, colourful half-timber homes, cobblestone streets, and narrow passageways were quite different from the cities I've seen yet. Although I've not travelled much.
The Gothic towers peer down at colourful buildings with playful names like the Storch House and House of Gold Ring, There are nearly two dozen Gothic watchtowers.
The cobblestone streets glow with a yellow hue from decorative lamps, shadows play on the facades of the colourful homes, and you feel the silent power of the watchtowers that still guard almost every block. Even during times of war, people still tried to stay cheerful and maintained a peaceful environment which honestly made me calm a little coming from the war.
After reaching a magnificent castle, we mounted our horses and put them in the stable before entering the castle first to give them a report of what happened.
Entering the Castle, Its ground floor was vaulted while the upper floor was made of timbers. The roof was flat and led and was surrounded by a low parapet. It looked beautiful but not extraordinarily so. I think it was mostly built in haste with the rest of the city to convert it into a base. It also had more practicality rather than having shiny jewels in every corner of the castle.
Entering a big room which was filled with about a dozen people, General Solomon bowed a little to the person sitting in the main seat. All the soldiers including me bowed towards him.
I look up at the person to who we bowed too. I already asked Basil where we were going and he told me that Archduke Asriel was the one overlooking the city. He was also one of the most powerful people in the empire. It was said that he was even stronger than the Emperor himself but never wanted to meddle in ruling an empire and wanted to freely roam so he gave up the throne when he was young.
Looking at the man in front of me, I could feel myself drenched in sweat. I thought only the General would go and give a report but the Archduke said he wanted to see all the soldiers that were alive and returned.
He stood up and started walking slowly, Lord Asriel was a tall man with powerful shoulders, a fierce face, and eyes that seemed to flash and glitter with savage laughter. It was a face to be dominated by, or to fight: never a face to patronize or pity. All his movements were large and perfectly balanced, like those of a wild animal, and when he appeared in a room like this, he seemed like a wild animal held in a cage too small for it.
I could feel the glare of his eyes and the pressure he was emitting even if he was not targetting us. It was like being in the presence of a lion as a baby, Even if it were to not harm you, you'd still feel the pressure.