Southern Border — Truvale Checkpost
The Royal Carriage came to a halt before the Truvale Checkpost. The Royal Knights swiftly dismounted, their boots crunching on the snow as they began surveying the area.
The silence was unnatural. Not a soul in sight. It was as if no one ever lived here.
*Swishhh—*
Cold winds howled through the outpost, carrying with it a bite that made visibility even worse.
As heavy snow was falling continuously, it was getting harder for the knights to move on the snow.
The knights lit their lanterns and began checking the tents one by one, searching for anyone who could explain what had happened here.
Inside one of the larger tents, two knights moved cautiously, the flame of their lamp flickering with every gust of wind.
“Umm… why are we here again?” one of them asked, his voice uncertain as he glanced at his partner.
“We were summoned by royal orders. No explanation given,” the other replied, his voice low. “But I heard whispers from the Weaver Household. This checkpost—Truvale—it’s one of the largest outposts in the kingdom. Over twenty thousand soldiers, generals, and knights were stationed here.”
He paused, glancing around the eerily quiet tent.
“What ? What happened ?” His partner asked with a serious expression.
“Three hours ago, all contact was lost. Ravens stopped coming. Letters never arrived. Supply wagons vanished didn’t return. It’s as if the entire outpost just… disappeared.
No reply was given, even to the Royal Palace.” The knight spoke with a serious expression.
“T-Twenty thousand men?” the first knight stammered. “Even if it was a surprise attack, it’s impossible to wipe out that many people in such a short time. And still no signs of blood or battle—”
“Exactly.” The second knight pointed at the ground. “If this were an attack, there’d be signs—fighting, blood, bodies, something has to be there. But there’s nothing like that here. It’s like the ground opened up and swallowed them whole.”
The first knight shivered. “Let’s check another tent. Someone has to be here and man, you should stop telling stories to your children.
You will give them nightmares.”
“I don’t have any.”
“Good… I hope you don’t.”
Both of them went to the other tent and started checking them.
—
Inside the Royal Carriage, a striking man sat by the window. He had sharp features, long white hair, and piercing blue eyes that sparkled like diamonds. His expression was hard, unreadable as he continued to look out.
*Knock-Knock*
Suddenly, A knock was heard on the carriage’s door.
“Your Highness, it’s me—Frecio.”
“Come in,” Prince Charles replied with a serious expression.
*Click*
The door opened, and a man in his forties covered in golden armour, stepped inside. He sat across from Charles, his expression grim as he looked at him.
“What is it, Frecio? Why do you look so pale?” Charles asked, placing a hand gently on his knee. “Is it really that bad?”
“We’ve searched over a hundred tents already… There’s no one here. It’s as if they all vanished in the last three hours. There is something wrong with this place, your highness.
You should really get out of here, Your highness.” Frecio replied with a serious expression.
Charles blinked. “Do you hear what you’re saying ? We’re talking about twenty thousand trained men even knights, Frecio. That doesn’t just happen. Only a god could do something like that—and I doubt the gods are involved here.”
Before he could continue, a shout echoed from outside.
“I found someone! Over here!”
Frecio was already moving. “I’m going.”
“I’m coming with you,” Charles said, stepping out behind him.
“But, Your highness—Your Majesty said—”
“If my father wanted me to sit around like my spoiled siblings, he wouldn’t have allowed me to come here in the first place in this weather, Frecio.” Charles pulled a wand from his pocket. “Let’s go and stop treating me like a child.”
A knight nearby bowed as they approached. “Sir Frecio. Your Highness.”
“What have you found ?” Charles asked with a serious expression.
“A child, Your Highness. He’s alive—but terrified. Won’t speak to anyone. We’ve wrapped him in a blanket, but he just keeps shaking.
Should we take-”
“Take me to him.” Charles spoke as he cut him in the middle of his sentence.
“Yes, Your Highness. This way.” The knight replied as he immediately started walking towards the kid.
“What is a child doing here ?” Frecio asked with a confused expression as he started following Charles.
—
A short walk brought them to a ring of knights gathered around a small figure.
The child clutched a blanket tightly, his eyes wild—darting around like prey sensing a predator nearby.
“He hasn’t said a word,” one knight muttered. “Just keeps trembling.”
“Step aside, Your Highness is coming.” Frecio commanded.
The knights parted immediately, revealing the frightened child at the center.
Charles knelt before him as he looked at the kid with a smile.
“Hey… kid. Are you alright?” he asked gently.
The boy didn’t respond. His eyes kept flicking to the corners of the tent.
“Oi, kid! You’re in the presence of—”
Charles raised a hand, silencing Frecio immediately.
Frecio understood and didn’t speak anything after that.
“Where is your mother ?” he asked softly.
“S-She… she died. F-For me…” the boy whispered, his voice barely audible as he looked at Charles.
Charles’s expression darkened.
“Who killed her?” he asked with a serious expression “Tell me. We’ll avenge her for you.”
“T-They did…” the boy’s voice cracked as his body started trembling really hard. “T-They killed… everyone.”
“Monsters ?” Frecio asked with a confused expression.
“Were they monsters ?” Charles asked in a calm tone.
“T-They killed mother… m-mother killed them… They killed mother-” His body started trembling even harder as he started repeating the same thing again and again.
Charles placed a steady hand on the child’s trembling shoulder. “Did they take the bodies?”
“N-N-No…” The child looked away first, then looked down at the ground.
Charles followed his gaze—and spotted a corner of black cloth poking out from beneath the snow.
“Frecio…” Charles said quietly. “You asked why we couldn’t find anyone, right ?”
“Yes, Your Highness?”
“It’s because you have been walking over them all along.”
Charles stood up and raised his wand towards the ground.
“May the gods bless this wand with their magic… Wind Wipe.” charles spoke as he activated the skill.
A burst of magic erupted from his wand, sweeping across the entire checkpost. Snow and tents were blown away in an instant.
And then—they saw.
Bodies. Everywhere. Twisted. Broken. Mutilated.
Heads smashed. Limbs torn. Organs dragged from open stomachs. The ground was soaked in frozen blood.
A silence fell over everyone as horror gripped their hearts.
“Dear God…” Frecio whispered with a serious expression as he immediately step down from a frozen woman’s dead body.
“Take the child to my carriage. Two knights will stand guard outside the carriage. Frecio… You come with me.
Rest of you, arrange these bodies in order so that they can be returned to their families.” Charles ordered as he started walking towards the other side.
“YES, SIR.” All the knights shouted together and they started separating the frozen bodies from each other.
“Everything alright, your highness ?” Frecio asked with a confused expression as he walked upto Charles.
“Are you fucking kidding me ? Do you think everything is alright ? I have a fucking graveyard there… We have to tell their families how they died.
I have to tell my father, why I am bringing back twenty thousand soldiers back. Nothing is alright, Frecio. Fuck… Why did I have to take part in this one ?
I thought it would just be a inspection run and now everything has gone to shit. Fucking hell… What should I do ?” Charles spoke with a worried expression as he immediately pulled out a small bottle filled with blue sparkling dust from his pocket and opened it’s cap.
He sprinkled some of it over his palm and sniffed it all in one go.
*SNIFFFFFFFFFF*
“Fuck… Tight.” Charles spoke with a serious expression as he wiped his palm and nose with a handkerchief and looked at Frecio.
“Okay… We have twenty thousand soldiers dead what can attack such a huge outpost ? Monsters, Demons and Elfs. Right ?” Charles asked as he looked at Frecio his eyes glowing brightly blue, it was as if his brain has started to think very fast.
“Y-Yes, Sir.” Frecio replied with a hesitated expression as he kept his eyes down at the ground.
“Good… Now, I didn’t see any demonic blood or a monster’s body there. They were trained men, it’s not like they died without a fight… But how is it possible that they didn’t kill even a single one of what was killing them.
Elfs don’t kill like this… Check for any dungeon breaks near this area. Don’t tell about this to anyone until I give the orders. Do you understand, Frecio ?” Charles asked with a serious expression.
“Sir… Sir…” Suddenly, A knight came running towards them.
“What ?” Charles asked with a serious expression.
“We have something, that you should see.” The knight spoke with a grim expression.
[Author : If you can guess what killed them, I will reward the winner with the next seven Chapters free of cost.]