Apocalypse: Starting With Three Unique Blessings-Chapter 25: Making Moves.

After leaving Nutgrove’s cell, Magnus, guided by Kael, proceeded to the next cell, and then the next, until they had visited all nine captives.

Unlike Nutgrove, most of the prisoners were consumed by fear and readily confessed their involvement, simplifying matters for Magnus and mostly them, as he didn’t need to resort to the Darkstone Dust and purgative potion trick on them.

Having completed his rounds, Magnus had gleaned all the necessary information, including the identities of the seven remaining traitors still at large. He dispatched his men to apprehend them while he and Kael departed the dungeon.

Magnus savored the fresh air, a welcome change from the oppressive stench of decay, dust, and rust that permeated the dungeon. After a moment of quiet appreciation, he turned to Kael.

"You know what to do," Magnus stated, a reassuring smile gracing his lips as he clapped Kael on the back. "I’m confident you’ll handle this well. I trust you."

Despite the simple gesture, a wave of warmth surged through Kael. He silently vowed to execute this task, and any future ones, flawlessly for his master. Bowing his head, he replied, "I will make you proud, Lord Magnus. I will do my absolute best to complete the task as you have requested."

"Good," Magnus responded. "Then you may proceed."

As soon as the words left his mouth, Kael vanished with a speed that, to an ordinary, unranked human like Magnus, appeared like teleportation.

Magnus gazed in the direction Kael had taken, sensing the young man’s intense determination. He sighed, a little surprised by the profound impact such a small gesture had on Kael’s emotions. It made him wonder just how deeply affected the young man truly was. Although he had read through Kael’s bio he believed he understood the extent of his trauma, it seemed he had underestimated it. He sincerely hoped Kael would heal and find his way back to a sense of normalcy.

With another sigh, Magnus turned away, his own gaze hardening with resolve. Reaching out through the mental link he shared with his summon, the ones he had dispatched to the Silent Forest to accumulate points for him, he contacted each one and issued new instructions. It was time to move on to the next phase of his plan.

-----

Some time later, after communicating with his summons and assigning their tasks, Magnus left the dungeon area and walked towards the territory’s central square. The candlelight vigil of the memorial service was still in progress, the thousands of flickering flames casting a soft, orange glow across the entire area.

As Magnus arrived, he quickly surveyed the scene, soon locating Augustus in a corner, diligently overseeing the proceedings. This was typical of Augustus, always striving for perfection. It was the reason he had served as both his father Arthur’s assistant and closest friend, and now held the same position for Magnus.

Magnus started towards him, but just then, Augustus noticed his approach and their eyes met. Augustus’s brow furrowed. He could already sense something unusual in Magnus’s expression.

"Lord Magnus," Augustus greeted as Magnus reached him. "Is everything alright? You must be tired after a long day. You don’t have to be here at the memorial service. I’ll ensure everything goes smoothly."

"Oh, no need," Magnus replied. "There’s something I need to discuss with you in private."

Augustus’s brow furrowed deeper. "Is everything alright?" he repeated.

"Never been better," Magnus murmured, a faint smile playing on his lips.

Augustus’s brow furrowed even further, puzzled by the cryptic response.

"Okay then," Augustus conceded. "Lead the way, Lord Magnus."

"Sure," Magnus replied, leading Augustus away from the territory’s central square.

Augustus’s brow remained furrowed as Magnus continued walking even after they had put some distance between themselves and the central square. He had assumed that "in private" meant just outside the crowded area, but it seemed Magnus had other intentions. They continued until they reached Magnus’s quarters, where a guard stood waiting.

"Greetings, Lord Magnus," the guard said with a bow.

Magnus nodded in acknowledgment and entered his quarters. Augustus, however, lingered, his eyes fixed on the guard, a look of intense confusion on his face. He was certain this was not a guard from their territory.

Of course, Augustus didn’t know every single guard by face, given there were thousands of them, but something about this guard seemed distinctly out of place. Firstly, his armor was vastly different, not only in color but also in design and quality. Everything about it screamed superior craftsmanship. With a single glance, Augustus could tell it was of a far higher quality than the armor worn by the territory’s soldiers.

Aside from that, the aura this guard exuded was different, intense. Suddenly, Augustus’s eyes widened in shock as realization dawned on him.

This guard is an Awakened!

Magnus, walking ahead, sensed Augustus’s inner turmoil but didn’t pause to offer an explanation. He continued onward, followed hesitantly by Augustus, still reeling from the revelation, and then the guard.

’What the hell is happening? Lord Magnus, what have you gotten yourself into? How did you get your hands on an Awakened soldier?’ Augustus’s mind raced with thoughts and questions, but he remained silent. He couldn’t wait to get inside and voice everything swirling in his mind.

They proceeded through the building until they arrived at Magnus’s room. Entering, the lit lamp cast a soft, orange glow across the space.

Magnus walked directly to his bed and sat down. He then turned his gaze to Augustus, who looked as if he might die of curiosity. "Well, firstly, before you ask any questions, I want to inform you that I’m going to conquer Gaylord’s territory tonight," Magnus stated abruptly, preempting any inquiries from Augustus.

’What the hell...’ Augustus’s mind reeled from the unexpected declaration. ’What is actually going on tonight?’

Seeing the stunned expression on Augustus’s face, Magnus knew he had to explain. "Firstly, as you may know, I was blessed by a God during my recovery from the injuries I received from Gaylord and his men’s ambush. One of the blessings allows me to acquire Awakened soldiers, as well as other gifts. So that explains..." Magnus gestured towards the guard standing behind Augustus, who continued to exude a powerful aura.

’What!’ Augustus’s mind exploded again.

He had believed Magnus about the God’s blessing, but he had assumed it entailed minor advantages, not the ability to command Awakened soldiers. This was far beyond what he had imagined. But then the question remained: how did Magnus plan to conquer Gaylord’s territory tonight? How many of these Awakened soldiers did Magnus possess to be so confident in his ability to accomplish such a feat?

"Erm, Lord Magnus, sorry to ask, but how many of these Awakened soldiers do you have?" Augustus inquired.

"Well, not that many yet," Magnus replied nonchalantly. "A few hundred. More to come in the future, though." Meanwhile, Augustus felt his brain short-circuiting. He was utterly overwhelmed.

’That many?’ He had expected a number in the single digits, or perhaps tens, not hundreds. His mind struggled to process the information. How could Magnus be so casual about it? And what was with that dismissive tone – "not that many?"

’Not that many your head!,’ he cursed inwardly.

Damn Gaylord’s territory. With this level of manpower, Magnus could conquer all the neighboring territories. In fact, he could rule over the entirety of the Beastlands and all the surrounding territories if he so desired.

Magnus watched Augustus struggling to comprehend the situation. He calmly waited for him to regain his composure before delivering the next piece of news.

Augustus continued to grapple with the information for a few more moments before finally managing to calm himself. Once he did, he quickly realized this was incredibly good news for their territory. With such a force, they wouldn’t have to worry about Gaylord and his men. Even the upcoming territory trial wouldn’t pose much of a threat anymore. Joy filled his heart as the implications sank in.

Observing Augustus regaining his composure, Magnus sighed and pulled out a recording crystal.

Augustus furrowed his brow, then his eyes widened as he recognized the object. Recording crystals, though incredibly useful, were extremely expensive and useless to non-Awakened individuals, as they required mana to activate. But then he sighed, remembering that Magnus had an Awakened guard with him, so that wouldn’t be an issue. And with all the miracles Magnus had been performing since his recovery, acquiring a recording crystal didn’t seem so improbable. Still, he wondered what Magnus was about to show him.

Seeing Augustus’s inquisitive expression, Magnus sighed again and said, "For this next part, I need you to brace yourself. It won’t be very pleasant."