Surviving As A Cannon Fodder

Chapter 154

The sound of the waves crashing against the mountain and the unique salty scent in the air made it feel as if I was dreaming again.

But unlike the red sky I had been seeing for months, the sky was alone in the absence of the moons leaving behind complete darkness. 

The cliff of Mount Zion which was once a known lovers point for the myth surrounding it was now infamous for a different reason. For it was the site of the massacre that killed the young Duchess Frost merely a month after her marriage.

Standing at the edge of the cliff, I could see the sea expand beyond the horizon as far as my eyes could reach. 

The sharp boulders that occasionally revealed themselves under the raging ocean appeared dull to the naked eye. It was a death trap of nature. And if one were to fall into it the chances of survival did not exist.

Despite all that, the torn piece of dress in my hand proved otherwise. 

After all these months, it was found caught between the hedges of the mountain walls as if to say we can never be separated from the past.

According to Sir Tate, Angelica was thrown over from this exact spot the night of the carriage attack. That was the end of it of the tale as the world knew it.

However, that was not how the story ended.

Under the luminance of the burning tree, I could see the events that unfolded as if I was present in the past.

I could see a figure rise from the bottom of the mountain and walk past me to defend her people from the masked men.

Even in the face of death, Angelica had chosen to protect those surrounding her. Although she could have disappeared then and there, Angelica saved the  Knights even if it meant her escape plan could be thwarted for good.

Coming back to the present, I released my clenched hand which I had been holding on to unconsciously. 

The piece of darkened fabric drifted in the air as if it was dancing to the tune of the wind.

After the fabric disappeared from sight, I turned around and walked towards my steed.

Just as I was about to climb my house, I felt a gaze on my back. From the corner of my eyes, I could see a dark silhouette standing at the edge of the cliff.

However, when I turned around there was no one there aside the sun that had now risen to the sky.

*NEIGH*

I climbed onto my horse and looked back at the spot one last time before beginning on the journey that took years to complete.

For the next couple of weeks, the Dark Wolfs conducted of what became the most rigorous investigations in the history of the Frost Duchy. 

Over a hundred elite Knights spread across the country to collect information in confidence without the knowledge of the world.

As one would predict, searching for a person who no longer existed proved difficult. Despite that, after countless accounts and witnesses, we traced Angelica's steps from Volos all the way to the depts of Vocatus.

Although Vocatus was well within the empire's territories, the jurisdiction was lenient compared to the rest of the land as a necessary evil to maintain peace. For people hiding from the privy eyes of the world, it was the perfect place to disappear.