Aenon

Aenon stood atop the parapet of the fortified city as he watched the siege preparations, with Ignar and Henry standing behind him. With more than half the population gone, the work had become simpler in some respects but more difficult in others. The food shortage issue was more manageable now, but the labor force reduction meant more manual work for those left behind. Even Aenon had had to pitch in several defensive constructions; something the citizens were surprised by. They had divided the work into shifts spread across various sectors of the wall.

Aenon and Ignar were responsible for this section, while Henry was only here to oversee the work and give updates.

"The preparations will take another four days, Lord Fenrast," Henry reported in a worried tone. "But the scouts report that the horde will be upon us in two."

"It is what it is," Aenon responded simply. He didn't have any illusions that the upcoming war would go according to plan. They'd just have to improvise on the go.

But Aenon's focus was elsewhere as he sat down and gulped a Mana Drought. Jenny hadn't returned yet, and it had already been longer than expected. He hadn't really given her any instructions on how to proceed since he wanted her to put her demons to rest the way she saw fit. He didn't want to meddle any more than he needed.

Jenny had come a long way from the confused and lost woman he first met. But the reaction to facing your tormentor was a coin toss at the best of times. He wasn't worried about her safety. But her decisions on the other hand…

Aenon sensed similar worries from her mentors—Ignar and Venge. He had updated them about his actions, and where he had sent Jenny. Neither complained of course, but he could tell they disapproved of his decision.

It was surprising to see how much Ignar cared for the girl. The giant of a man gazed the portal building every ten minutes or so, as though expecting her to return at any moment. Even the mother wolf, cold though she may behave at most times, had pretty much adopted Jenny as one of her pups. Aenon could sense her prowling the walls facing the forest towards Reality's Edge.

The anxiety from the two had infected every single person from their group, as everyone was restlessly waiting for her safe return.

"Break's over," Aenon announced, flexing his arms to loosen up his sore muscles.

He activated Feather Foot, and jumped off the wall, slowing his descent significantly. Ignar too joined him, as the pair continued digging the trench around the city. Aenon used Earth Manipulation, while Ignar relied on his strength to tear through the ground. They placed several strategic traps crafted by Borin and the others.

After two more hours, and three more breaks to recover their resource pools, their shift was finally done. The next group took over as the tired masses returned to their homes for some rest. Aenon, on the other hand, headed towards the mansion. His duties as the city leader were far from over.

He was greeted with several familiar faces along the way, some with appreciative smiles, while others just went with the motions robotically. A lull had spread all over the town, with everyone just putting one foot ahead of the other to keep their mind from collapsing. Many were close to breaking down, but no one wanted to be the one to start the chain reaction.

For the first time, Aenon understood what Mrs. Ashvein meant by war being different. The all-encompassing dread was more suffocating than a sealed tomb.

"Over here," a voice called out from his right.

It was Miranda, the maid from his mansion. The woman waved energetically towards Aenon and Ignar. Although it was clear from a glance that the woman was beyond exhausted, she refused to drop her smile. She was pushing a cart along, distributing what looked like hastily wrapped meals.

Several people who were getting in line started to make way for him and Ignar. But Aenon shook his head and joined the queue instead. The fear and confusion from the crowd was palpable, but no one could refuse a direct order either. It took almost ten minutes for their turn, but by the time they reached the end, there was just one meal left.

Miranda's smile dropped for the first time, unsure about what to do. Aenon made the bottom half of his mask disappear and took the offered sandwich. He broke it in two and gave one half to Ignar and started munching on the other.

"Thank you for your hard work," Aenon said with a quite smile. "Make sure you are eating too. We cannot work if these hot meals aren't delivered to us with your smile."

The fragile smile on the woman's face returned, genuine this time. She gave a deep bow and ran along with her cart to get more.

With that Aenon left with Ignar, leaving a stunned crowd in his wake. Ignar tried offering him his half after the crowd was out of view, but Aenon turned it down and swallowed his share.

"You'll need to keep up your strength too," Aenon said as he drank some water. Continuing to push through on half stomach was something he was quite good at.

As Aenon approached his mansion, he saw several tents propped up alongside it. The elderly and the young were busy doing mundane chores such as repairing common equipment or preparing wooden spikes. The largest tent housed an army of kids chopping vegetables and packing the sandwiches that they had just eaten. Miranda was in a line of people with push carts, ready to dispense the meagre but hot meals.

Aenon gave the scene a long look before hardening his eyes and entering the mansion. There was no way he would let any hard befall these people. He felt the same desperation he once felt while trying to protect Harley. Only this time, he would not fail.

Seeing his arrival, several servants tried to approach him. But he dismissed them to continue whatever they were doing. He walked past the busy crowd and headed towards his office. He found the usual mountain of paperwork on his desk, but he ignored it for now. Henry would let him know if anything urgent was needed of him.

Just as he sat at his desk, Thalindra walked in along with Borin. They too looked tired, but the determination in their eyes was clear to see. In Borin's case, Aenon also sensed excitement for some reason.

"Bahahaha," he roared merrily. "Been a long time since I heard the drums of war. Nothing tickles my creative bone like this."

The dwarf's infectious energy cut through the solemn mood like butter. After everyone took their seats, the smith started dropping several contraptions on the table before him. The pride in his posture was hard to miss. And as Aenon cast Identify, he could see why.

Unstable Mana Bomb | Projectile | Uncommon | Created by clobbering readily available parts, this contraption stores mana along with a wild mix of chemicals. Once primed, the projectile will explode after 15 seconds, releasing the stored mana. Effects vary based on mana quantity and type.

Gimmicky Arrow | Projectile | Rare | These arrows have been crafted using a long-lost method and can cut through most defenses. The specialty though lies in its ability to carry curses and effects, delivering a devastating payload that is hard to predict.

Just these two inventions, if produced in mass, could be the edge needed to fend off their enemies. But it was the final item that made everyone's eyes widen in shock.

Wrath of the Fallen | Projectile | Ancient | A javelin crafted from the weapons and armor of those who fell in battle. It holds the residual emotions of the dead, with the potential to unleash unspeakable horrors upon those who caused their downfall. Note: This weapon has high affinity for infusing soul-based attacks.

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"This is…," Aenon was lost for words. The rarity of the weapon didn't make sense for something that could potentially be mass produced.

Aenon could feel it, the faint echoes of the dead fighters. They weren't truly emotions per se; more akin to afterthoughts. But the strangest part was that he could feel a resonance with his Void Stalker Class. He could supercharge the projectiles using soul magic. What it would do was yet unknown.

"We have a special memorial room at the Adventurer's Guild," Ignar said solemnly. "All the equipment from our lost comrades goes in there. As per the rules, the equipment belongs to the party members. But we place them in there to honor the dead. Very few decided to stay back, but even those that didn't donated these for our hopeless cause."

"Aye," Borin added, his mood turning somber. "I was able to grant a new purpose to these fallen weapons. But didn't expect such an outcome. The supply is limited—no more than two dozen. But these be by far the strongest items I can craft with what I have."

Aenon sensed Borin hesitate as he withdrew one last item. The craftsman didn't seem to want to let go.

"Except this," Borin said softly as he placed the last of his inventions.

It wasn't a weapon; at least it didn't look like one. It was an orb so black that no light seemed to reflect off it. The room suddenly fell quiet, as everyone's gaze shifted from the item, towards Thalindra.

Whispers of the Dead | Trinket | Legendary | A conduit forged from the armor remains of defeated adventurers. Their will, however, lingers beyond the grave, yearning vengeance for their lost potential. The effects of this conduit are unknown, but beware. The dead do not suffer the living.

Thalindra's eyes were fixed on the harmless looking stone. It reeked of death mana, and the hunger from her soul was visible for all to see. She seemed oblivious to the stares she was getting, as Aenon saw her hand move involuntarily towards it.

Aenon unleashed his Aura at full blast, concentrating it on Thalindra. Only then did she snap out of her reverie. She looked around in confusion, seemingly unaware of where she was.

"You control the weapon," Aenon laced his words with his Aura. "Not the other way around."

Aenon knew what Thalindra was feeling. He had felt it when he faced the soul remnants within his daggers. The conduit before them was no different, although much weaker in power to what Aenon had faced. Therefore, he knew what temptation the death mage was fighting. Thalindra looked away in shame.

"I almost melted this down when I read the description," Borin said, eyeing Thalindra from the side. "I wasn't expecting the death mana to seep into them at such a degree. Even though the rank is Legendary, it has the potential to grow by absorbing more."

Thalindra looked nervously at the cursed object, before steeling her resolve and turning away. But Aenon wasn't having it. He slid the orb towards her, to the shock of everyone present.

"Lord Fenrast…," she said hesitantly. "This is too dangerous."

"Yes, it is," Aenon replied simply.

"Then why?" the confusion in her eyes was clear as day.

"Remember what I said," Aenon replied firmly. "Power is power. As long as you don't let it control you, there is nothing to worry about. Take it from the one who has chosen to not let it get to her head."

For a moment, everyone thought Aenon was talking about himself. But the chill descending in the room, and Aenon's gaze towards the door, snapped everyone's attention behind them.

Jenny walked in slowly, the wolf pups trailing behind her. There was a calmness in her eyes that Aenon was glad to see. Whatever shackles had been weighing her down, she had finally shed them all. But she had not lost herself in the fires of revenge. Something even Thalindra was surely sensing.

"It is done," Jenny said calmly, her gaze locked onto Aenon.

Aenon knew that there was a lot she didn't say. But the raw power radiating off her, coupled with the indifference that was characteristic of Aenon, made it clear what had happened. She had taken her revenge. But not to satisfy herself or gain power. She did it because it had to be done. Because justice demanded it. In other words, just like Aenon, she had to settle a score.

"Good," Aenon said with a nod.

Ignar walked up to the ice mage with a complex look. Even so, his relaxed sigh, and loosening of shoulders was easy to spot. The berserker gave her a once over, before patting her shoulders. And surprisingly, Jenny's knees didn't buckle from the giant's impact.

"What did you do?" Ignar asked with wide eyes, to which Jenny gave a mischievous smile.

"Soloed a level 95 dungeon," she replied with pride. "You wouldn't believe the Titles." Her smirk said it all.

"Foolish pup," a voice spoke from the shadows. But the scolding lacked any anger. Instead, it conveyed extreme pride as Venge emerged from behind Jenny.

The Abyssal Wolf too studied her closely, before licking Jenny on the head. The other wolf pups each snuggled with the red head before dissolving into the shadows with their mother.

As all this happened, Thalindra's entire focus was on Jenny's soul. Aenon could see the ripples of conflict being washed away with firm resolve. Thalindra turned towards Aenon, meeting his eyes with clarity. She reached out and took the stone, not breaking eye contact with him.

"I shall wield this with pride," Thalindra declared boldly.

Aenon smirked in return, not saying anything. For no words were needed. The dice was cast; he would now have to wait for the results.

Borin stopped himself from speaking, deciding to leave the matter. His misgivings could be voiced later if the situation demanded it.

"Alright," Aenon said with a clap, grabbing everyone's attention. "Now that we are all here, lets recap and catch up with each other's progress. The horde is almost upon us, and we have set up as many obstacles and traps as possible. But we all know that won't be enough."

The gathering all nodded in acknowledgment. No one had any illusions that a purely defensive siege could be won.

"I am assuming that Erwin will take a few days to send word back to his mistress?" Aenon asked.

Even though he didn't know for certain, Aenon could guess how Jenny had disposed the guy. Because he would have done the same.

"Yeah," Jenny said simply, like she was reporting the weather. "The spiderlings will take their time, by when I hope we can clear off this horde and go on the offensive."

"That's the plan," Aenon acknowledged the brief report. He turned to Borin next, "How quickly can you churn out the bombs and arrows? We'll need as many as we can get."

Borin stroked his beard thoughtfully, before replying. "If me and my apprentice can get some help, then about 1000 of each type a day. A little lower on the arrows since I be the one only who can make with a success rate. That buffoon still has a ways to go."

Borin, of course, was talking about Mike, whom Aenon was yet to meet after so long.

Aenon ran some numbers in his head. With less than two days left, the maximum they could get was two thousand bombs, and maybe fifteen hundred arrows. This was a far cry when they considered they were up against an army of about twenty thousand. They still had several other trap types, and siege weapons. But they would only come into play if the enemy got within range. Aenon would rather thin the herd before then.

He pulled up the map of the surrounding areas, which now showed nineteen dots—the location of the monster nests. There was no rhyme of reason to the spacing, at least not from his point of view. The dots could very well form some archaic array he wasn't aware of. He was glad that they had taken one down already.

"Alright then," Aenon finally said while dismissing the map. "Here is what I have in mind. Feel free to give in your input and expertise."

With Aenon laid out his plan, with a healthy dose of additions and corrections from the experienced adventurers. The rest of his group had joined in the meeting at some point. The meeting took another hour to conclude, by which time they had solid strategy laid out. It would rely heavily on them spreading out and taking risky missions in smaller groups, but that was what the practice run was for.

Aenon's group were powerhouses who could potentially take on a node each if they paced themselves. But since things could go south quickly, they had laid out several contingencies.

"That should be all," Aenon said in conclusion. "No one is against me taking on five nodes by myself?"

There was a hint of humor to his voice, as several deadpan eyes stared back at him.

After that insane Spell of yours?, their eyes seemed to say. He chuckled, as no one said a word in return.

"Let's head out then," Thalindra took charge. "We know what needs to be done. Its just about speed and precision now."

Everyone started to file out one by one, their eyes wild with excitement. Only Jenny stayed back, as did the pups.

Jenny looked nervous, not meeting Aenon's eyes for some reason. But he didn't push her, waiting patiently for her to open up. The biggest wolf pup nudged her slightly with her snout.

"Yes?" Aenon asked softly.

"I…," she said carefully. But she seemed lost for words.

"You are welcome, Jenny," Aenon decided to help her out. It was obvious what she wanted to say.

"No," Jenny rebutted. "I still need to say this."

Aenon wasn't comfortable with such situation, but looking at her emotional state, he decided to be patient.

"I…," Jenny began weakly, before clenching her jaw. "I can hardly recognize myself from several months ago. From the weak pathetic girl, to what I am today, it has been a journey like no other. I have been nurtured and trained by everyone, including keeping me grounded when I was about to take things too far. When compared to my mother's manipulation and gaslighting, this has been a breath of fresh air that I didn't know I lacked. But it all started with you."

Jenny's eyes had a depth to them, searching for words to express herself. Even though Aenon could read it all from her soul, he knew she needed to get this off her chest.

"For that," she spoke softly. "I will always be in your debt. I know you don't consider it as such, but I do. And if there is one thing I have learned from you, it is to settle my debts. I was the first person from our group you helped. And today I swear that I will be the last person you will have to avenge."

Aenon noticed Jenny's eyes glow, as she declared her conviction.

"If you fall last, I will fall a step before you. Even if you live in the shadows, I will follow you like one."

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