Chapter 114 - First Mission Done (Patreon)

When the convoy of the Trifarian Mercenary Company reached the Cartharys, they underwent the last security check at the city gates by the Valyrian Freehold Legion, including a check-up by someone who seemed to be Sequence 3 Beyonders on their cargo and also persons.

Right now, due to the security measures, the Valyrian Freehold and the Belaerys Family are also checking for the presence of infiltrators from the various Beyonder Organizations, including the Cult of the Damned and others that could be here to sabotage the efforts of the Freehold to defend against the sabotage.

This was a rather typical problem when the crisis occurred as the Beyonders from the hostile factions popped here and there, often going to carry out some ritual or something. The Valyrian Freehold was making very serious predictions about occasions like that.

When they finally got to enter the city, the entire place was filled with the Legionaries of the Valyrian Legions and private soldiers of the Belaerys Dragonlord Family. It was literarily being swarmed by the military of the Freehold and adventurers from all corners of Valyria.

Valkorion controlled the convoy of the Trifarian Mercenary Company, which was in charge of protecting the merchant caravans of the Ferros Chamber of Commerce, as he headed toward the military camp of the Valyrian Freehold within the Cartharys. 

During the journey, he received instructions from Camille to directly deliver the supplies to the Valyrian Legions right away and contact General Aenar Belaerys, who was in charge of the Valyrian Legion stationed in the Cartharys.

The Trifarian Mercenary Company attracted a good amount of attention due to their gear and discipline that was seen only in the Valyrian Legions, which made it clear that the members of this mercenary company were former Legionaries or soldiers.

This was rahter unusual and usual at the same time. 

Many retired Legionaries from the Valyrian Freehold, if they wished, would join mercenary companies or become sellswords if they needed some coin. Yet, it wasn't actually that common because the pay in the Legions was far above the average, and each soldier in the Legions was rather a rich man.

At least when compared to the ordinary peasants across the known world.

The Trifarian Mercenary Company marched through the Cartharys directly to the encampment of the Valyrian Legion in the Cartharys, which was directly in the center of the city.

The city square of the Cartharys, which houses the military headquarters of the Provincial Army, was now closed and expanded to house more than fifteen thousand people who were part of the Valyrian Legion.

"Halt!"

The entire city square was now surrounded by provisional walls that were made from a combination of wood and metal, which had turned the entire area into an enormous military complex.

The secuity was extremely tight in this place, there were many watchtowers, Valyrian Legionaries were patrolling every square inch of the place and there were many Beyonders and even Extraoridnay Creatures that were tamed by the Beyonders on the guard duty.

And these were just visible defenses that Valkorion could see with his eye, because he was sure that there were far more that were hidden from a plain sigh.

"Identification and purpose of the entry."

One of the soldiers came to them almost in an instant as their caravan of more than twenty wagons arrived in front of the makeshift gate into the complex.

The soldier was clad in full plate armor with intricate engravings and layered plating, giving off the appearance of the commissioned officer, and even though Valkorion wasn't really knowledgeable about the exact hierarchy within the Valyrian Legion, though he knew the insignia for the higher-ranked officers.

The man was most probably a Tribune, which was already a pretty high rank within the Valyrian Legions, judging based on his decorations on the armor. He wore a fully enclosed, helmed, completely covered face, featuring a distinctive T-shaped visor, adding a menacing and disciplined look.

The armor was primarily metallic, with additional decorative elements such as a segmented skirt and pauldrons that enhance both protection and aesthetic appeal. He was armed with a longsword, which was a standart weapon for the Legionaries and had a shield strapped on his back.

"Here. The Trifarian Mercenary Company is protecting the merchant caravan of the Ferros Chamber of Commerce transporting the military supplies for the Legion under the command of General Aenar Belaerys."

Valkorion said as he presented the papers and identifications that he got from the Clan Ferros as the Tribune in charge of the gatekeeping, as the Tribune triple-checked everything before he called another of the soldiers here.

This time, it was clearly a Beyonder and someone who immediately started casting several Spells on the caravans and then on every single person in the Trifarian Mercenary Company.

Even Valkorion was annoyed at how long this was taking, but apparently, they were not taking any chances as he even saw that the Legionaries of the Valyrian Legions were checking every single caravan, every chest, barrel, or everything. 

Several Extraordinary Wolves were sniffing around in case they were transporting something forbidden or attempting to smuggle a person into the encampment. This was a level of security that even the most militaristic nations of his old world would be very proud of.

Nothing would get past them.

"Find Legate Malaelar Berlarys. He will lead you to the warehouse and then to the General Belaerys."

Valkorion nodded as he took the papers and identifications from the Tribune while two hulking Extraordinary Creatures opened the enormous gates for them. It were the Ogres, which was very rare, but the Freehold controlled a few tribes of the Ogres that served as heavy muscle for the Valyrians.

The first thing anyone notices about Ogres is how big they are. An average full-grown Ogre stands 5 meters tall and females are just marginally shorter. It should be noted that culturally, height means very little for an Ogre; weight is what's important.

The gut of the common Ogre is of utmost importance to its owner, socially, spiritually, and physically. An Ogre with a large gut is seen as wealthy and strong, for he has obviously eaten well to ensure such impressive girth.

While Ogres are undeniably fat, underneath all that blubber resides massive slabs of pure muscle. Their thick arms end in great ham-fisted hands that wield large clubs with lethal ease, and their physical strength was uncontested.

An Ogre's legs are stout and tireless, all the better to carry such a lumpen frame. With thick skin as resilient as cured leather and lungs as large as a man's torso, Ogres can survive cold, inhospitable climates and are extremely tough, able to shrug off minor wounds.

For this reason, only the richest and most elite Ogres bother with armor beyond their gut plates and, instead, stride to battle bare-chested. An Ogre's body hair is lank and greasy, and although it is common for one to be as bald as a boulder, it is rare indeed that one can be found without facial hair.

Presumably, this is cultivated to trap morsels of food that escape being shoveled into his mouth by his great grasping hands. It is common amongst many tribes of the Ogres to tattoo themselves or daub themselves with warpaint, although, as Ogres are not hygienic in the least, it is hard to distinguish what is a tribal marking and what is a post-dinner gristle.