Dan didn’t know how fast the first team had managed to get through the mountains, but he suspected that, for this part at least, it would have been faster. His own group was much bigger, and thus couldn’t manage it as quickly. With a group this size, you couldn’t hope to sneak through the territory. Instead, you had to be prepared to constantly defend against monsters. It was almost like they were some kind of beacon for them.

  Although it was funny when some of the monsters turned to fighting each other instead of the strike force. Not even close to the group, either; sometimes, just getting close enough to each other while reacting to the new presence was enough to start a fight. Dan enjoyed watching it, when he could get a good look.

  At least entertainment was one thing this trip didn’t really lack, even if it was a big headache otherwise. Or maybe several smaller headaches. But he didn’t really mind that part, he liked the chance to travel through the mountains, fight monsters, and then go help Tim out with some more fighting. Or politics, but that would be solely Tim’s area and he could just stick to bashing some heads in where needed. Unfortunately, their Queen had also put him in charge of this group. Strike Force Delta. Someone probably thought they were being funny. (Seriously though, why 'delta'? 'Gamma' would make sense if you counted Tim’s group and the first wave of reinforcements. Did they just want to bluff people into thinking there was another strike force ahead of them? That wouldn’t work.)

  Dan suspected Janis was involved. Regina would have definitely consulted her. Unfortunately, as had been pointed out to him several times and at length, he was a senior officer, with more seniority in the Hive than any other except Ben, and there weren’t many people who would be trusted with this. Owin was already leading his own force. So he had to step up.

  At least he knew many of the people under him. Instead of the hodgepodge of high-level people thrown together for Owin, this was largely just an actual force detached from the Imperial military command. Still high-level, of course — they couldn’t send anyone less than that here — so there had been some shuffling around. He wasn’t sure a company-sized strike force was the best, but he had to acknowledge they could punch far above their weight class. Especially with all the other gear Ben had sent with them. And there was still a flock of Winged Drones above. It kept shrinking due to monster attacks, and it usually hung back, keeping high above the clouds or to safer areas, to preserve it.

  They’d still made good time, despite the size of the group. The first part of the trip had been very easy. The area had already been cleared, they’d started from a proper base, and there was an actual road winding into the mountains, as well as tunnels for some terrain that was less easy to traverse. They’d still had to fight once they got to the end of that part, but considering they'd been able to start much deeper into the mountains anyway, due to the gnomes’ help, it must have shaved days off their trip. Maybe even more.

  It also helped that half a dozen of his new soldiers were actually gnomes, newly enlisted in the Imperial army, and half of them had previous experience with the deep mountains. They weren’t the most high-leveled people, so they must have been chosen for that reason. Dan didn’t mind, they had already given him a few good tips regarding the route and how to react to monster attacks. He’d known the gnomes had been more involved in sending people into and occasionally even through the mountains — it was obvious given that part of their territory was in the mountains anyway — but he hadn’t realized how much of a difference it made.

  Now they had made it through the worst parts already and were most of the way through the mountains. Considerably closer to the southern side than to where they’d started. The monsters had actually seemed to thin out a little, although he wasn’t sure if it just seemed that way because their previous fights had made an impression. The kinds of monsters they fought had also shifted a little. Regardless, they were now entering areas where they might even encounter other people, or so the gnomes had warned him. It was still unlikely, but adventurers from the southern lands could get this far. Or, apparently, the dwarven communities — he’d also been briefed on information Tim had collected about the southern lands, and they’d been mentioned.

  It was interesting that Galatea hadn’t said much about them, though; maybe they’d kept hidden from her, or she just didn’t find them interesting or worth reporting on. Maybe she hadn’t considered them part of the southern lands when Regina had asked for information on those. Dan didn’t want to speculate.

  Dan stepped onto a rock formation hanging a few meters over the path his company currently trod, although it was more like a small grassy patch that led up the slope they were currently climbing, and looked around. He adjusted his belt and the sword hanging from it nervously. It wasn’t his normal weapon, but one recommended for the trip, considering its weight and the likelihood of having to fight one-handed. He was also currently wearing the Imperial military uniform with light armor, in the Hivekind version. Their normal colors were blue and black, with a darker blue for special forces. He wore a thick gambeson reinforced with metal strips instead of the normal jacket over the uniform tunic, along with a helmet and shin guards over his combat boots. It had the added advantage of helping keep warm in the mountains. At the moment, since they weren’t that high up currently and were moving uphill, it felt like too much of a good thing and he was getting rather warm.

  Most of his men (and women, although the human soldiers were mostly male, as well as all of the gnomes, obviously) were similarly equipped, to strike a balance between protection and being able to march through rough terrain. Leg and arm guards were surprisingly handy when they had to climb. And Max had made sure they all had good boots, which Dan really appreciated. He watched them march, noting the way they were holding their weapons. All becoming veterans of the mountains now, if they hadn’t been before.

  Their supplies were getting low. They’d supplemented what they’d brought with hunting, especially with all the monsters attacking anyway, but there wasn’t much time to waste on it. The soldiers all carried dense, high-calorie provisions, but there was only so much they’d brought to not get weighed down. He might have to slow down and allow for more hunting or foraging, which Dan hated. The drones would be fine, but he didn’t think humans would have an easy time finding edible plants here, anyway. Though some of them had magic or Skills that should help.

  “Commander? Do you think it’s time for another break?”

  Dan shook his thoughts off and turned to his second, who’d paused a meter below him. “Not yet, Geoff,” he said. “Maybe once we’re at the top. Can you go to the front, though, check in with our scouts and take point?”

  “Of course, sir,” he nodded, turning to leave.

  Dan looked after him for a moment. The rogue was a veteran Delver and had been part of Owin’s party, probably for years before they met. As such, he was one of the most trusted Delvers. He was also newly a Captain in the Imperial army. In Dan’s opinion, he could have led this company perfectly well, although he supposed he didn’t know if he was any good at diplomacy. Maybe they hadn’t wanted to put him in charge for the political aspects. At least Geoff was friendly and seemed pleased to be working with him.

  This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  A moment later, Dan hopped down from his pile of rocks, getting back onto the road. He managed to balance on the rockier part beside the main ‘path’, walking quickly to pass his soldiers. On the way, he smiled and exchanged a few words with them, offering encouragement. He’d been trying to get to know his people, and so far it was going well.

  By the time he finally passed the column, they were almost up the hillside. They were currently in an upper part of a valley leading between several mountain peaks, or maybe a plateau, since it was still pretty far up. From the maps he’d seen, they should be able to follow it for some kilometers longer and then climb around the side of the southernmost mountain, going along another ridge. And then, they would be almost through, and would mostly have to descend to get to the open southern lands.

  Dan was about to call for his soldiers to stop and take half an hour, when Geoff melted out of a crag between two rock formations in front, hurrying towards him. Dan paused and turned to him, frowning.

  “Commander,” he panted, “we found something. A kind of quarry, perhaps, or maybe a natural formation. But it looks like people have been here, we found signs of pickaxes.”

  “Can you tell how recent?”

  Geoff shrugged. “Well, it hasn’t eroded away, yet, and the scouts say they found what might have been tracks, but they’re unsure if those are from monsters or people, or how old they are.”

  Dan nodded. “Alright, show me. Sergeant, your unit will accompany us,” he added to the closest party leader.

  Geoff saluted and turned back to lead Dan and the others to the place they had found. The path was a bit rocky, literally and metaphorically, and he almost stumbled into a remaining ice patch once, but they all made it without injuries. The site was a bit higher up than their current resting place, behind a bluff and hidden from view from below, but as he approached, he saw it was still in a depression considering the surrounding rise in the terrain. There was a small brook, probably dried out for part of the year, a hundred meters farther; he heard the faint sound of trickling water.

  Dan realized why Geoff had called it a quarry right away, it did seem to resemble one going by the layout and first impression. There was a hole in the ground, and boulders were scattered around the depression in the ground, some almost forming a circle around it. But something still seemed off about it. This looked like the same stone (granite, maybe?) the surrounding mountainsides were made of. If anything, he might’ve expected some kind of caves here.

  Dan carefully stepped forward, keeping his steps light. Something here set him on edge. He gestured at the others, and they took up guard positions. Then he approached the depression in the ground, frowning down into the dark.

  A moment later, something shifted behind him and he heard a sound like stone grinding on stone. Dan whirled around, half-drawing his sword. He paused at what he saw. In the time he hadn’t been looking, somehow several people had appeared, as if they’d stepped out of the rocks. Which they might well have. They were dwarves, obviously — shorter than him and with rocky skin. They also wore armor and carried weapons.

  “Be careful where you tread, travelers,” one of them said.

  Dan hesitated for a moment, eyes darting around. Where were the more diplomatic members of his Hive when he needed them? ”We weren’t trying to intrude on your space,” he finally said. “Stand down, men. This doesn’t need to come to a fight.”

  They did, and the dwarves visibly relaxed a bit as well. A moment later, shadows played around the other rocks and more figures seemed to melt out of them. In the end, at least twenty of them surrounded him and his group. At least they weren’t baring their weapons. In fact, their body language seemed peaceful, not aggressive.

  “You are from the Central European Empire, I see,” the leader said again. According to the system, he wasn’t the highest leveled fighter, but he clearly spoke for the group.

  “That is true,” Dan agreed, belatedly inclining his head in a gesture of respect. “We are moving through the mountains toward the southern lands.”

  The dwarf nodded. “Is your goal Veragles? Like the first party of yours that passed through?”

  “You’re well informed,” Dan said slowly.

  The leader smiled, although it didn’t look very pleasant. “Just because we live here, far from others, doesn’t mean news doesn’t reach us, Hive drone. We make a point to keep informed of what goes on in the world. And the birth of a new empire so close to us is rather hard to miss, even if your empress has not granted us her attention.”

  Dan exchanged a look with Geoff. “I’m sure that wasn’t an intentional snub, sir,” the Delver spoke up. “Your presence here is not well known. Now that we are here, talking to you, we will send word back and I am confident Her Imperial Majesty will be eager to send actual diplomats to start proper talks. Right, Lord Dan?”

  Dan blinked and nodded. “Very much so, Mother would love to hear from you,” he agreed.

  The dwarven mage cocked his head slightly. “And you cannot speak for the Empire? I was under the impression you were high-ranking officers — and one of you a senior son of the Empress, no less.”

  Dan bit down on a grimace. He knew exactly what the others would say. “I am,” he confirmed, “and the Empire would honor my word, within reason. While we are somewhat pressed for time, I would like to speak further with you.”

  “I can see your mission is time-sensitive,” the dwarf conceded. “How about an invitation, then? We have some tunnels leading further south that should help you to your destination without having to climb the Grey Beak’s Mountain. You can rest at our settlement tonight, and we can discuss common interests. We will then send you off with a guide.”

  Dan tried not to look stunned. “That is very gracious,” he managed. “Yes, I mean, we would be honored to accept your invitation.”

  Frantically, he tried to recall if they had anything they could leave as a gift for the dwarves. He was distracted enough to almost miss the dwarf gesturing and the grinding of rock deeper in the ‘quarry’, as a hole opened up, exposing the entrance of a tunnel. Dan blinked, then turned to Geoff to organize their move.

  It took a bit to marshal everyone and get them to enter the cave in an organized fashion. The dwarves waited patiently, then went ahead of them. Dan put himself at the front of the group, walking quickly to catch up to them.

  The tunnel was low enough he had to duck his head, but exactly rectangular and seamless. It turned and descended further underground. One of the dwarves was carrying a lantern, and with whispered orders, some of his own men lit their own.

  “How long until we reach your settlement?” Dan asked.

  “A few hours,” the leader, Itemila-ne, replied. “We will guide you. There are many passages and dead ends, intruders who wander without help are prone to find themselves lost and stranded, prey for monsters.”

  Charming. Dan caught his fingers drifting toward his sword and jerked them away. “Sounds nice,” he replied lightly. “You won’t require us to be blindfolded?”

  The dwarf gave him a sideways glance. “I do not think that would stop Hivekind for long, would it?”

  Dan nodded, conceding the point. “The gnomes weren’t able to tell us your settlements’ locations,” he said instead.

  The mage smiled faintly. “Of course not. I suppose that they will learn of it now is an unavoidable side effect. I do hope you’ll be careful with whom you share such information.”

  “I don’t take your trust lightly,” Dan replied.

  “Good. Now please be quiet, we don’t want to attract any earth wyrms.”

  Dan nodded and fell back a bit, chewing on his lower lip.

  Even he could tell the dwarves probably wanted something from him or they wouldn’t be this hospitable. Maybe it was just because the empire was powerful and looking in this direction, and they’d rather get off on the right foot. Maybe they wanted help against enemies in the southern lands. He sighed. So much for leaving all the politics to Tim, I guess.

  At least it was still a nice adventure. It had only gotten more interesting. He was curious to see their settlement.