Chapter 37 (Patreon)

Within the ruins of Silvermoon, a group of 52 rangers were systematically clearing the Undead block by block. 

Instituting gorilla tactics, they silently sniped lone zombies, or picked off small clusters minimizing the sound of combat as much as possible. 

Oftentimes donning cloaks of invisibility, the rangers only appeared once they attacked, catching the mindless Undead completely off guard. 

Placed in charge of House Vandercross’ rangers, Helios was responsible for clearing out any of the remaining Undead within the Western Capitol. 

Helios was dirty, and covered in grime, but he couldn't be more satisfied. 

Stalking the ghouls, zombies, and gargoyles helped serve as relief for his mental anguish. 

He could see it in his compatriots' eyes whenever they would come upon a ghoul feasting on some remains, or mindlessly screaming into the air. 

The disgust and hatred was palpable in their auras. 

What Prince Kael’Thas had said the other night had struck a chord with people. 

The moniker of Sin'Dorei, Blood Elf, seemed so fitting given their dire circumstances. 

Of course some detractors still maintained that they would not sully themselves with such a base title, and continued to call themselves Quel'Dorei, High Elves. But they were in the minority. 

Like Helios, and the Prince, most of them cried out for blood! Someone had to pay! To pay for the tragedy befallen his unit, his wife! 

“Lieutenant, this sector has been cleared, shall we turn in for the day?” One of Helios’ subordinates pulled up beside him and saluted. 

Helios twitched at the address, wishing not to be addressed by the title of the man that ran. The man who left them there to be feasted upon…

Taking several deep breaths, Helios finally came to when a nearby House Guard landed roughly in a nearby puddle, and some water dripped across his face. 

“Very well, we have enough loot, and everyone is tired after spending the entire night hunting.” Helios nodded in affirmation. 

Helios whistled, and motioned his hands towards a subordinate.

Understanding his signal, whistles and specific animal noises echoed through the side streets, summoning the rangers. 

Elves, with their keen sense of hearing could be miles out, and if trained to pick up a certain frequency would follow out the orders transmitted in the message. 

Helios grinned in pride as his rangers began to gather. Most of them were retired or amateurs, but they still understood the secret language of the rangers. 

After everyone had gathered, a dozen hawkstriders plodded out of a half destroyed building. Laden with chests full of loot strapped to their backs, the typically swift bipedal birds could barely keep pace with the Elves during the return trip. 

It was an uneventful journey back to the Vandercross Estate, however, the sound of rubble being cleared, hammers banging on metal, and the sight of noxious fumes rising from the roofs were not what a sleep deprived Helios wanted to experience prior to returning home.  

Outside the estate, tens of thousands of bricks were piled into square pallets, indicating just how busy everyone had been. 

Helios scoffed at the sight. Making bricks? That was for any Elf too craven to pick up a bow! 

Now those practicing their weapons and magic in the square a few dozen feet away, they had Helios’ respect. It was not easy to suddenly switch from 1,000 years of peace, to training for war. 

Shaking his head, Helios waved at the hawkstriders, and moved to deposit the loot. 

Pressing his way into the warehouse adjacent to the manse, Helios was going to deposit his resources like he had done after every outing, however, the constant hammering seemed to be less than usual. 

Had they run out of materials? 

Helios smirked, heh, where would these crafters be without the rangers? 

Seeing a crowd of Highborn forming a semi circle around one forge, Helios wondered what was so impressive that they weren't even speaking to one another. 

“Ahem, I, Helios, have returned. The goods have been delivered. Rejoice! You may resume in your activities my good people!” Helios puffed up his chest, and said to get their attention. 

However, not one of them paid him any mind. 

The corner of his lip twitched, and Helios felt his ego clench in frustration. After her loss, he put his heart and soul into reconstruction, into revenge. The very least he could get for risking his neck was a thank you! 

He was an officer of House Vandercross! Only the original guards, the five Captains, stood above him in rank! He would not be ignored!  

Helios wore a dark look on his face, and pushed aside several of the crafters. If he was being sidelined, it had better be for something important! 

Opening the crowd, Helios easily pushed them aside. The stunned looks in their eyes and mouths agape made Helios think they had been placed under a curse. 

Placing his hand in the pommel of his sword, Helios prepared himself to strike within a second. Whatever this was, it could be dangerous! 

Finally getting to the front of the crowd, Helios’ hand left the handle to his sword, and his mouth formed into a disbelieving smirk. 

Really?!  

“What's the big deal? I understand he is our lord, and deserving of praise, but, really?” Helios glanced left and right, as if he was dealing with fools.  

There, at the forge, Highlord Vandercross was aimlessly pounding away at a piece of iron, beating it into the shape of a sword. 

Even Helios, who had never touched a forge, could shape a piece of iron into a rod! 

The sheer sycophantry of Vandercross’ followers was sickening! 

Helios admitted, the former playboy was impressive. His repertoire of magic was terrifying, and the ability to heal limbs was something only the most accomplished practitioners of the Light could achieve. 

Despite his hatred for the senior Vandercross, Helios couldn't help but have a grudging respect for the youth. 

However, this behavior, it was pathetic. 

“Apologies Highlord, I do not intend to interrupt your training, however, shouldn't your workers be, well, working? How will Silvermoon ever be rebuilt if the people responsible for its reconstruction stand around, mouths agape?” Helios said to Vandercross, but in actuality was admonishing the Blood Elves around him. 

They were hundreds if not thousands of years old, they should know better than to pander to a youths ego! 

Helios all but ground his teeth when not one of them turned to him, or acknowledged his reprimand. 

Ingrates! 

Was he truly out there, risking his life for them! If it wasn't for his mission of revenge, he would have hung up his bow in disgrace at what his people had become! 

Vandercross then stopped what he was doing, and cast a spell. The forge in front of him disappeared, and in its place was a table full of carved runes/inscriptions. 

A runner came in from the side door, and pushed himself to the front of the crowd. He handed Vandercross a bag full of enchanting powder, and other bags full labeled with components necessary for enchanting. 

Helios crossed his arms, barely containing himself as the farce continued. 

After Vandercross spent 10 minutes hunched over the table, he stood up, and stretched with a weary smile on his face. 

“Highlord Vandercross, surely this is a jest? You aren't having a giggle at my expense now, are you?” Helios said, crossing his arms, as he was extremely vexed. 

“Shh, he's stopping, here it comes.” One of the smiths, an Elf widely regarded as a master of the craft, shushed Helios. 

Helios wore an affronted look on his face. 

“Now see here!” Helios got out, before the crowd jostled him to make way for Vandercross. 

The youth stepped outside, and the smiths and other workers were quick to follow him. 

Irate, Helios was left behind, but he decided to see what all the hubbub was about. 

Reluctantly trailing behind, Helios arrived just in time to see Vandercross spread his hand, then pull a pallet of 1,000 bricks into existence. 

Vandercross did this nine more times, and formed a full stack of 10,000. 

Helios raised an eyebrow in confusion. 

“What sorcery is this?” Helios frowned. 

“No one knows, and the Highlord has refused to elaborate. It must be secret knowledge of the Vandercross line. If only I had access to those tomes!” The master smith said in excitement.  

“Indeed? Yet all I see are bricks. Someone of your caliber is not interested in such frivolous curiosities, no?” Helios questioned. 

“Hmph, keep your mockery to yourself. The Highlord is a genius, I doubt a string plucker would understand the finer intricacies of art if it smacked him in the head.” The smith said disdainfully, then walked back into the warehouse. 

 “I beg your pardon?!” Helios harrumphed at the crafter’s back. 

It was simply a brick! What art was there in such a simple design!? 

‘That’s right, flee coward, you are not fit to argue with your superior!’ Helios thought to himself, and crossed his arms in frustration. 

It was just a brick. Fah, what intricacies? 

Helios picked up a brick from the stack, and examined it. 

The piece of hardened clay was sturdy, and uniform with every single other brick in the pile, indicating that Vandercross had either secretly been a master brick maker, or as Helios had suspected, cast a spell to create them. 

Considering transmutation was possible, Helios was not all too impressed with this creation. 

Tossing it in the air, Helios whipped his bow off his back, and shot an arrow at the brick. 

To his surprise, the chunk of masonry flashed with a pale light, and his arrow clattered harmlessly to the side. 

Muffled laughter from the warehouse entrance had Helios flip kick another brick into the air, he then poured everything he had-all his mana-into the bow and let it flow into the shaft and arrowhead as he released. 

Covered in blue energy, the arrow brightly shined along with the glare of the morning's sun. 

Helios sighed in relief when he saw his arrow penetrate the protective barrier, however, his relief turned to disappointment when the arrow became lodged within the brick. 

He had been hoping for the blasted construct to shatter into a million pieces. 

By his estimate, it would take two, or three of such arrows to break this brick into rubble. To the common folk, breaking this marvel of magic would be all but impossible. 

Only a concentrated attack from many parties, a mage, or perhaps a siege engine would be capable of dealing any substantial damage. 

If these were the building materials intended to reconstruct Silvermoon, then Helios could only admire Vandercross for his forward thinking. 

He now understood why the crafters and workers had been so in awe of him. Such a strange way of creating something seemingly from nothing was an astounding display of magic. 

Of course Helios knew that the youth required raw materials to make the magic happen, but he was impressed nonetheless. 

Helios firmed his lips, and softly chuckled at himself. He couldn't believe he was praising a Vandercross. The petty politics of Vandercross Sr. had set him back centuries in rank. 

Bah! He would maintain his skepticism of young Vandercross, but he had to admit, this was impressive. 

Begrudgingly, Helios sheathed his bow, and held up the brick for inspection. 

“You did well to pierce that brick, Helios. I had just finished achieving mastery after crafting tens of thousands of them. What you hold in your hands is the toughest brick I could make.” Varrus said with a smile, and clapped Helios on the shoulder. 

Helios slipped out of the friendly gesture, still somewhat uncomfortable with the youth's informal nature. 

“Such materials are impressive Highlord, should you construct a golem with such sturdy materials, it would be the terror of the battlefield.” Helios was quick to offer his suggestion, and prove his value. 

“Hmm, something to research. I don't have much experience animating rocks, and doubt I could make one as effortlessly as I did these bricks. However, that is a thought for another day. Thank you Helios. Now if you have anything else to report?” Varrus nodded in dismissal. 

“Just returning to deposit the latest haul, and catch up on some sleep. I slew 56 Undead on this latest endeavor to clear our fair city, and retrieved more coins, books, herbs, and ore as per your instruction, Highlord.” Helios bowed, and waited for the Highlord to wave him off. 

“Ah, very good. Keep your eyes out for seedlings or rare plants, my wife enjoys gardening, and is quite skilled at herbalism.” Varrus nodded, then waved his hand in dismissal. 

Helios internally sighed, pleased that he no longer had to converse with a superior, then nodded once more.

“I'll take my leave then.” Helios seriously intoned, then turned to go to his quarters. 

“Wait just a moment Helios, I realize I've forgotten something.” Vandercross called from behind. 

Helios closed his eyes, and made sure to keep any displeasure off his face when he turned around. 

“Yes, Highlord?” 

“I realized something was strange when I saw you had difficulty destroying that brick.”

‘No need to rub it in.’ Helios thought sourly to himself, and eyed one of his rangers snickering at his plight. 

Helios would remember that! 

“I never had an opportunity to enchant your gear. Come, let's find a room so you won't be standing around in your small clothes.” Vandercross cheerfully commanded, then walked away taking the lead. 

Helios curiously followed behind. Was enchanting equipment so interesting? 

All of his subordinates had enchanted gear, and while it certainly helped boost some of the amateurs from useless to semi-useful, Helios wasn't particularly impressed. 

Perhaps the Highlord had improved himself since then, and he would make a set of enchants that protected him like the brick? 

Curious about the Highlord's enigmatic thoughts, Helios followed closely behind. 

Just what did the young Vandercross have in store for him?