As Julian and Sandra descended the stairs, their attention was drawn to Arlo's conversation with Roy and the others.
Hearing what was said, Julian's expression shifted from a neutral one to one of deep concern, his pale complexion making him look all the more pitiful.
Constantine County was not just a place where he resided; it was his home, his birthplace. It was a place he was willing to die for. Although his memories of that place were not all fond, his father and brothers, who didn't treat him well but still meant the world to him, still lived there. The mere thought of something happening to them was enough to make his gut knot and his heart ache.
Julian had long known that the world was not as simple or peaceful as it seemed on the surface to a commoner.
There were forces at play, forces that wanted to control and dominate, forces that were willing to destroy everything in their path.
Back in the icy, cold land, Julian had seen the signs and heard rumors of an impending storm.
He knew that a conflict was brewing, and now, as he overheard Arlo's conversation, he realized that his worst fears might very well be coming true.
"What's going on in Constantine County? Is everything alright there?" Julian asked in a voice filled with concern and anxiety.
Arlo, sensing his presence, turned to address him.
"I'll explain on the way. We don't have much time before the worst happens," he replied urgently before leading the group out of the mansion.
Upon their exit, they were greeted with the magical horse carriage, one of Arlo's many items.
Maya blinked her eyes and asked, "Will it be able to fit all of us?"
The last time they had all piled in, there were only seven of them, and the carriage had looked full, but now, with three more people, it seemed unlikely that it would be able to bear the burden.
"It's a runic item that automatically changes size based on the number and size of the people it will be accommodating. So yes, it can accommodate all of us," Arlo reassured them confidently before he took his place in the carriage.
The rest of the group followed suit, settling into the carriage, and the carriage took off for Constantine County.
As they traveled, Arlo infused the carriage with his colorless aura, causing it to speed up and propel them towards their destination at a much quicker pace than before.
Then, with a grave expression, he turned to the group and began to divulge the urgent matter at hand.
"Constantine County has a large underground sewer system. It is vast and sprawling," he said. "For years, it has been used as a dumping ground for waste and garbage, but it also connects directly to the Swamps."
Arlo's voice was grave as he spoke, his words rich with detail. "A treaty was forged ages ago between the Constantines and the Swamps. Each side vowed never to set foot on the other's land. The treaty was overseen by the Sun and the King of the Great Forest, ensuring that it would be honored by both sides for eternity, which led the Constantines to believe that they would forever be untouchable and that no invasion would take place. Thus, they did not take any action to defend their weakest points even though they had the funding of the imperial family."
"But they were wrong."
"The Swamps' mutt has gone mad, and it's preparing for war. Although it hasn't explicitly declared its intentions, recent events suggest that an invasion is imminent."
"Not to mention, tensions between the two sides, which have been simmering for a while, had recently come to a boil." Arlo paused to take a breath.
Julian leaned forward. "What happened?" he asked urgently.
Arlo continued, "Recently, they found out that the rats of the swamps have infected the sewer system. The Constantines responded by sending a team to dispose of them. Rat men are stronger than an average dude, but they are nothing compared to trainees and awakened. The Constantines were sure that the team of aura masters would be able to get rid of them, but tragedy struck. The team was completely defeated, and the survivors who managed to escape did so with missing limbs."
"But that's not the worst of it. The survivors reported that there were far more rat men in the sewers than they had estimated, and each one showed signs of being influenced by Chaos. What's more, their strength, abilities, and self-regeneration were several times greater than that of the average rat man. It's clear that something much bigger is at play here than just Chaos."
The news hung heavily in the air, suffocating the group with its weight.
The gravity of the situation was not lost on anyone as they sat in silence, contemplating the information that had just been shared with them.
Roy knew that Arlo had come to the correct decision.
After all, Chaos lacked the intellect and resources to devise such a devious plan or boost the power of rat men to an entirely different level.
It was evident that Death had played a significant role in this event!
But why was this being done?
Roy's eyes were narrowed with a deepening sense of foreboding as he mulled over the gravity of the situation.
It seemed like what he thought at that time was correct. In the novel, Baldwin County was the first County to be destroyed, but in actuality, it would be Constantine County that would be destroyed first with the combined effort of Death and Chaos if nothing was done.
He had to share his findings with others!
"It seems like they're planning something big," Roy finally uttered, breaking the quiet tension in the carriage.
"I'm left out of the loop. I can understand one being Chaos, but who is the other one?" Julian asked, his voice laced with concern.
Roy and Arlo exchanged a grave glance before speaking in unison, "It's Death."
