Chapter 286: 286: The Settlement

Luthera immediately wanted to leave. 

Why did the master have to send him of all elves?

House Elceran and House Geroch had a blood feud that spanned centuries. Luthera kept wondering if perhaps this was another test by her master.

Did he expect them to put aside their differences and work together?

Or he had lost all faith in her, and Caligar was here to finish the mission she couldn't? 

Luthera was standing stiffly in contemplation when Fennelis approached her.

"What is this rider saying about House Geroch?" He asked. "I thought this was your mission?"

"It is." Luthera frowned, her face dark. "I don't know what my master is thinking – this has to be Caligar's ploy."

Her master was always fair, but oftentimes he was eccentric and easily distracted. Nothing thrilled him more than a puzzle that he wanted to solve, and he often did everything in his power to solve them quickly.

"Caligar must have convinced my master he could do a better job, to upstage me." Luthera continued. "My report must have excited him, and my fellow disciple saw it as a chance to gain an advantage."

Caligar's motive was clear from the rider he sent. The elf was addressing the mortals of her team and had named him – Grandmaster Lothrein's new representative, completely ignoring her existence.

According to him, Caligar's army arrived a few hours ago, and had gone ahead to a designated meeting point. The mounts here were those he set aside for them to catch up, so they weren't completely abandoned.

"Where did he go?" Luthera asked. "Why didn't he meet with us himself?"

The elf rider glanced at her. "House Geroch does not need to show House Elceran any courtesy. Caligar was gracious enough to provide you these mounts as a show of goodwill. Or would you rather walk?"

"Goodwill?" Luthera seethed in anger.

The mortals were watching their exchanges with solemn looks, and she couldn't believe Caligar would stoop so low, to make her look inferior when both of their houses were equal.

And in front of mere mortals at that!

The rider even proceeded to show Luthera how to ride the winged mounts alongside the mortals who were seeing them for the first time, as if these monsters weren't tamed by her house.

"I know how to ride a Martezain!" Luthera snatched the reins before pulling herself up in one swift motion.

"Forgive my mistake." The rider apologised. "Elcerans are known to be frail. I only assumed…"

"Your unfounded assumptions will cost you your rank!" Luthera retorted. "It seems House Geroch doesn't know how to discipline its members."

"My apologies." The elf rider lowered his head, before retreating.

But this only made Luthera seethe.

As Fennelis watched their exchange, he already had his own conclusions, but didn't dare to say them out loud, he simply climbed his own monster.

"What do we do now?" He asked. "Are you really going to him?"

Luthera glared at the elf rider who was showing the others the proper way to climb their Martezain mounts.

"Nothing has changed." She replied. "We just have to complete the mission ahead of Caligar. I'm not afraid of some competition." 

Fennelis nodded. "It will be difficult without them."

Luthera glanced at the mortals who were excitedly introducing themselves to their mounts and scoffed.

Martezains were an exclusive commodity amongst elves and were completely forbidden to mortals. An opportunity to ride them like this would never have arisen in their limited lifespans, so she could understand why they were happy.

Nevertheless, from their behaviour, Luthera was concerned they already thought Caligar was better than her and she grimaced – her rival had descended on a new low.

House Elceran owned all of these mounts while House Geroch was simply leasing them. If she knew their mounts would have come in handy, she would have brought her family's entire arsenal of Martezains.

But she did not regret her decision to assemble a smaller team consisting mostly of expendable mortals. 

A smaller group was much better at moving through the Labyrinth without attracting attention, and if not for a series of unforeseen events, they would have completed their objective by now.

Luthera frowned just thinking about it.

Even before the events in the valley, everything started unravelling as soon as it rained.

The landscape on their maps changed.

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They were attacked by monsters that were supposed to be elsewhere, and then they lost Ulrick.

And now one of them was injured and likely dying.

"We have to go back first." Luthera said as soon as everyone was mounted. "Aetoris is injured. We left him behind to come here quicker. We should return for him now."

The elf rider didn't look happy as he was pressed for time, but to avoid another heated exchange, he had no choice but to accompany them back to the cave.

There, they unravelled the stones concealing the cave and Luthera was pleased to find Aetoris still breathing, though he was barely coherent, and his temperature was still rising. But she was sure Caligar had brought some healers.

The only way to salvage her situation was if she won against her nemesis, and she needed her full team to do it.

With the help of the others, Aetoris was placed onto the elf rider's mount and together they all headed towards the main army.

However, Luthera and Fennelis were surprised to learn Caligar's destination was the settlement of mutants deep within the Upper Stratum of the Labyrinth. And as they flew, she couldn't resist asking a series of leading questions.

"Why would Caligar consort with abominations? Has he abandoned our master?"

The elf simply grimaced. "It was Caligar's decision. I can't question a direct order from my superior."

"Why is he going there?" Luthera repeated. "What is his purpose?"

"A large army needs supplies." He replied.

"Consorting with lesser mortals is forbidden." Luthera retorted. "Does Caligar not know he is risking all your lives and the Grandmaster's wrath? Caligar won't be punished, but you could get harvested for this."

The elf rider grimaced.

Yet, even with her threat, he remained steely and determined, and didn't give her any straightforward answers, forcing Luthera to fly in silence.

She couldn't believe House Geroch would do something so foolish. 

However, perhaps this was an opportunity.

If Caligar succeeded in offending their master, he would be expelled, and she would be seen in a much better light when she returned.

So, for her own self interest, Luthera fell silent and didn't try to convince the Geroch halfling anymore.

Instead she watched her flying beast hover over the land. It was mostly barren but among the wide stretches of rock and sand, spots of green could be seen here and there, along with larger land monsters that roamed the ground.

Fortunately, their monsters flew quite high, and were perfectly silent, so they didn't come across other flying obstacles. This steady pacing made them spot the mutant settlement rather quickly on the horizon.

However, it was unusually bright, and the closer they flew, the faster the stench of smoke hit her nostrils. And soon, Luthera was stunned to see the mutant settlement on fire.

It consisted of a cluster of houses, no more than fifty, but every one of their thatched roofs was on fire, their inhabitants fleeing for their lives while being engulfed with flames or picking up their weapons to resist the threat.

Not that it helped.

In the chaos, several were cut down by elf weapons, or shredded by their mounts, others were directly set on fire by spells. The elves were on a rampage, hacking away at those who fought and running down all those who fled.

And in their midst, Luthera caught sight of the bloodthirsty elf who had killed the most, his dark armour and bloodstained hair extremely striking on barren desert terrain. She was even more terrified to recognise the figure as her rival.

What was Caligar doing sacking a mutant settlement?!

The mutants in the labyrinth were an existence that brought death to everyone. After being banished from the surface, some had formed a separate colony among monsters where they could be independent, and they were normally left alone, but this…

"What is he doing?!" Luthera yelled at the elf rider. "Who gave him permission?!"

The elf simply pulled out his sword, not bordering to give her a response before heading for the ground himself.

With him gone, Luthera looked at her team and saw they too were pulling out their weapons, eager to join in on the fight – all except Fennelis who looked petrified.

"Put away your weapons!" Luthera ordered. "This is not our fight!"

The mortals complained but she ignored them. Caligar was making a huge mistake by doing this. He was breaking the law and she needed to stop him. But how could she intervene against her own people for a bunch of mutants she detested.

Besides, Caligar's army was too strong and the battle raging below was too intense, with mortals getting slaughtered left and right, and so one-sidedly that she was shocked at just how many reinforcements he brought. 

Luthera wasn't sure where to begin but after instructing her team to stay put, she realised Caligar was the only one who could stop the insanity. 

And so, she dove into the chaos and smoke, directing her fury at the bloodstained elf right before he brutally cut down yet another mutant that chanced upon his path.

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