Leslie Westellis gathered all his knights in a private room to discuss the mission they had been assigned. They were scheduled to depart the following morning.
"Right, Sirs. I believe it is no secret that we will be leaving the next day, according to Magnusson's schedule."
"It was with this in mind that I decided to bring you all together here so that you can share your thoughts about our trip."
Edgar, Magnusson Bonnofal's nephew, was the first to speak up, asking about the early departure:
"Captain, wasn't our departure scheduled for 4 days from now? Why are we leaving so early?"
"Excellent question! I have no idea."
"What the–!" – Edmund was outraged by the unusual answer given by his captain.
"Calm down boys, are you going to start throwing a tantrum already? Of course I know the reason, otherwise I wouldn't have gathered you in this room."
"To summarize, our informants scattered throughout southern Aleonia have picked up on the imminence of a possible advance from the Galèsian front towards Lisithea."
Leslie explained that an informant had spotted Galèsian soldiers planning a strategic retreat, leaving the Balterlutt area accessible for FIDELIUS to bypass the entire border of the Meclithic Valley, on the border between the feudal region of Livero and Lisithea.
"But that's–!" Edgar was stunned by Leslie's response.
"Yeah… that was shocking even for Magnusson," Leslie replied.
"So we're going to have to make a huge detour around the route," Leslie added, emphasizing how drastic the changes to the plan were.
"The Meclithic Valley."
"!-" Rudra showed surprise at his leader's statement.
"Oops…! Have you ever been there, knight?" Leslie asked, based on the knight's reaction.
"Yes, there were always Galèsian invasions and we were sent every week to shoot down possible feints and surprise attacks."
"Cool. Then we'll use the Meclithic Valley as a route, bypassing it and avoiding any possible attacks." Leslie continued.
Augustus saw the strategic advantage, and Leslie confirmed the plan:
"I agree with this strategy, but aren't we forgetting something?"
"The Valley is basically a minefield, where anyone who steps in it either dies from an arrow to the head or has their throat slit."
"Ahhhh–! Are we going to die!?" – Bart, followed by Augustus's thought, began to hyperventilate in fear and anxiety.
Gael, concerned about the provisions, spoke out on the matter:
"And what about our supplies? How long do you think everything will last? Is the entrance to the Valley very far?"
"This time, I have no idea. It will all depend on our conditions in the open field."
"We'll be exposed to all sorts of bizarre, neck-chilling situations, so I hope there aren't any thieves among us."
"We have sets prepared for the journey, and there will be assistance from our allies along the way."
Magnusson made sure to prepare three sets of supplies that would be replenished in Lisithea before their return to the bunker. This would avoid shortages along the way. The knights of the FIDELIUS group could sleep without worrying about their supplies.
"Right."
"I must let you know that a journey between Casper and Lisithea on horseback takes on average 2 weeks or even more, depending on the weather and territorial conditions."
"Does anyone have any other questions?"
Alyfir gently raised his hand, and then began to ask:
"Go ahead, you little pillow."
"Hey–! ahem… Do you happen to know what's so special about this letter, why we risked our lives in such a way?"
Leslie closed her map, under the wooden table, and answered Alyfir's question:
"I don't know…"
"What do you mean you don't know!?" – Lloyd stands up abruptly, knocking over the chair he was sitting on.
"..." – Leslie remains silent.
"Sir Leslie, say something. How do you know what's in the letter?" asked Caspian, who was ahead of Bart in the circle.
"I don't know Magnusson's true ideals behind this, so much so that I can barely sleep because of it, believe me."
"Magnusson has always been a closed and enigmatic man, but… one thing is certain."
"He never put a foot wrong, you can believe that."
Leslie's words to his companions expressed such boldness and confidence in Magnusson's actions. The knights were astonished by such a declaration, that the weaker ones trembled with fear.
"Wow, what confidence, huh." – commented Humbert.
"I am not trying to buy your trust with my empty words, so I ask you to reflect on this."
"That doesn't make any sense!" Edmund exclaimed.
"Edmund! Please calm down.", Edgar spoke up in favor of agreement in the room.
"I agree, this is still very vague. How do we know if this is really worth risking our lives for?" asked Connor, the redhead.
"..."
"You guys are a pain to deal with."
"What!?" Bart asked.
"You are free to cool your shitty heads, I'll be back later."
Leslie, who was frustrated by the numerous questions from his companions, had his head turned towards Magnusson Bonnofal's office.
"What's their problem…"
Leslie walked with long, quick strides until he reached Magnusson's office.
"Magnusson, it's me! Open up."
After a brief period of silence, Magnusson slowly opens the door. His pale, worried appearance takes Leslie's full attention.
"What the heck happened to you?"
"The Galesians..! They are…"
...
With preparations in place, the group was ready for the mission, scheduled to depart the following morning. As they left the meeting room, Rudra joined his companions in a shared dormitory, fostering better interaction between them.
Night fell upon the rooms, and an air of tension enveloped the atmosphere. The members of FIDELIUS, each immersed in their own thoughts and concerns, were now gathered together, preparing for the next expedition.
Humbert Ellgarten, showing optimism, tried to start a conversation with Alyfir Erugenrrand, but Alyfir, absorbed in his own dark thoughts, paid no attention, regarding Humbert's actions with disdain. Undaunted, Humbert approached Bart'Olimios, who begged:
"Please... don't talk to me," highlighting the rising tension in the area. Humbert persisted, reaching out to several soldiers until he reached Rudra.
"So, you're Rudra, huh?" Humbert asked.
"That is the name by which I am known." Rudra replied simply, confirming that this was the name by which he was known.
Edmund Cassin, a soldier with a serious demeanor, warned Rudra not to pay attention to Humbert, as he had been like this since he joined the group.
"Ignore him, Rudra. Humbert has been like this since day one."
Augustus del Belinor intervened, advocating unity among the comrades now that they were a united front.
"Let's stick together, comrades. We are a united front now."
Connor, the somber-looking soldier in the corner of the room, commented sarcastically on the noise,
"I wonder if you will chatter like this, instead of brandishing your swords on the battlefield?"
Caspian, the disciplined one, reminded them to save their words for the battlefield.
"Brothers, words are best saved for the battlefield."
In the midst of the commotion, Edgar Bonnofall tried to calm everyone down. However, the situation got out of hand when Gael accused Lloyd of eating his dinner. A small uproar ensued, reflecting the tension within the group.
"Let's all calm down, please–"
"Lloyd, did you eat my dinner or not?"
"Eh– I didn't… know."
Meanwhile, in Magnusson's office, Leslie meticulously explained the plan. A sudden interruption occurred when an informant rushed in, notifying them of Galesian soldiers heading towards Casper's lands, where Magnusson's bunker was located. The unexpected news required an immediate change of plans.
"The Galèsian soldiers may apparently be heading for Lisithea's lands!" the informant declared.
Despite the initial division among the group, Leslie Westellis, the commander, conveyed an unexpected decision – they would leave that very night.
"Here's the deal, get ready, everyone!" Leslie announced.
"What's wrong, Leslie?" Edgar asked.
"There has been a slight change of plans, so we will be leaving early this morning."
"What–! But–! I was just getting ready to go to sleep–" Alyfir was abruptly interrupted by Leslie.
"Okay! Okay! Nobody cares, come on! We have to go!" Leslie exclaimed.
Thus, all the knights of the FIDELIUS group organized themselves for the sudden departure to the region of Lisithea. The reasoning was simple: the message had to be delivered quickly, and time was of the essence. The news left the civilians surprised and in disbelief. Hasty preparations followed as they quickly prepared to depart for the night.
Before setting out, they had to quell the unrest among the populace with revised plans to avoid confusion. The journey promised challenges, but the FIDELIUS party was resolute in fulfilling their duty to deliver the message to the lord of Lisithea. Under the starry night sky, they marched into the open countryside, ready to face unpredictable events.
The scene returned to Bonnofal's office, with Arnold and the informant present, wrapped in tension, as the realization sank in.
"Magni, could it be…" Arnold asked, in a worried tone.
"Many Galèsian troops have been moving around the borders of Lisithea," said Magnusson's informant.
"There is no doubt… your next target will be Lisithea."
Magnusson paced back and forth, worried about the possibility of an obstacle in his path.
" ...I hope it's not what I think it is… "
GLOSSARY:
Meclithic Valley: The border between Livero and the great road that leads to the capital of Lisithea. Several wars were fought in that desert valley, where dust and ash dwell.
Lisithea: Region in the northeast of the country of Aleonia and the main destination of the FIDELIUS group, it is known for being a region full of brilliant minds such as scholars, astrologers and the lowest birth rate in all regions of Aleonia.
Caspper: A region in the vicinity of Rista and Hault. For a long time, Caspper had a high demand for seafood because of its connection to the coast, just like Rista.
FIDELIUS: A clandestine group founded by Magnusson Bonnofal and Leslie Westellis, containing 12 fearless knights (including Leslie himself as leader) ready to fulfill their duties, discovering the reasons for war for the sake of world peace.