222 - The Last Patrol of Northwatch

Northwatch had not fallen. It had simply stopped answering.

Subin learned that distinction from the first guard he met at the settlement's outer checkpoint. The man wore a battered breastplate and carried a crossbow with only three bolts remaining. Behind him, the road leading into Northwatch was lined with abandoned supply carts, and the wooden barricades had been reinforced with pieces of broken wagons.

"You're the expedition from Greyrock?" the guard asked.

Subin showed him the Association identification and Mira's letters. "We were told your patrols stopped reporting."

"They stopped returning," the guard replied. "That's not quite the same thing."

He introduced himself as Captain Rusk, one of the few officers still responsible for the outer defenses. Northwatch had been established to protect a crossroads connecting the highland settlements to several mining districts. Its people depended on trade, but the northern road had become dangerous over the previous two weeks. Patrols disappeared, supply wagons were attacked, and creatures had begun appearing near the watchtowers.

"We've pulled most of our soldiers inside the walls," Rusk explained. "The last patrol went out six days ago. Eight people, including my second-in-command. We found their horses near the old signal tower, but there was no sign of the patrol itself."

"Have you sent anyone to search?" Yerin asked.

"Twice. Both groups returned after being attacked. One man died from his injuries. The other is still recovering."

Rusk led them inside. Northwatch was smaller than Stonehaven, with a central fortress, a handful of workshops, and rows of houses built against the inner wall. Its people had begun rationing food because the northern supply route had been closed. The local blacksmith was repairing weapons for the guards, while merchants argued with the quartermaster about dwindling stores.

Subin listened to Rusk's account before asking to see the recovered equipment from the missing patrol.

The captain showed them a broken shield, a damaged crossbow, and a length of torn leather harness. The shield had several deep gouges across its face, but the marks did not resemble those made by claws. They were narrow and almost parallel, as if something had dragged a sharp edge across the metal.

Ara examined the damage. "These marks could have been made by a bladed appendage. Whatever attacked them was not simply biting or striking with claws."

"Can you identify it?" Rusk asked.

"Not from this."

Subin turned the shield over. A dark residue had dried along its rim, and several tiny fragments of black material remained embedded in the metal.

"Where did you find this?"

"Near the signal tower."

"Then that's where we start."

Rusk offered a guide, but the captain's remaining soldiers were needed to protect the settlement. Instead, he marked the route on a map and explained that the signal tower stood on a low ridge about three hours north of the gate.

Before leaving, Subin advised Rusk to keep the outer road closed and avoid sending isolated patrols into the highlands. If the missing soldiers were still alive, a small search party would be vulnerable to the same threat.

The expedition departed shortly after noon.

They found the signal tower near the end of the marked route. Its upper platform had collapsed, leaving only a stone base and a section of the old stairway. The patrol's horses had been tethered nearby, and several broken weapons lay scattered among the rocks.

There were also signs of a struggle.

Subin crouched beside a shallow groove in the ground. The marks continued toward a narrow ravine, where several stones had been split cleanly in two.

"Something dragged heavy equipment down there," Rafael observed.

"Or dragged the soldiers," Yerin replied.

A faint metallic sound came from beneath the ridge.

Subin drew Simple Edge. "Stay alert."

The ravine descended into a natural cleft where old defensive tunnels had been cut into the rock. The entrances were narrow, but the stone around them had been freshly broken. Ara detected several mana signatures inside, moving in irregular patterns.

They entered the nearest tunnel.

The passage opened into a chamber filled with discarded weapons and broken armor. Some pieces belonged to Northwatch's missing patrol, while others were older and bore unfamiliar markings. At the far end, a dark shape moved between the pillars.

It emerged into the light.

The creature was roughly the size of a large wolf, with a low body covered in overlapping black plates. Four bladed limbs supported it, and a narrow head extended forward from its armored torso. The edges of its limbs gleamed like sharpened metal.

Ara's scanner identified it as a Level 236 A-rank: Gloomblade Stalker.

The Stalker moved before she finished reading the result.

It crossed the chamber in a burst of speed, its bladed forelimb striking Subin's sword with a sharp metallic ring. The impact sent sparks across the stone. Subin redirected the next strike and cut into the joint behind the creature's front plate, but the Stalker twisted away before he could deepen the wound.

It attacked again, this time aiming for his legs.

Subin stepped over the blade and struck the creature's head. The blow cracked one of its plates, forcing it back into the shadows. Yerin's spear followed, piercing the damaged armor and driving the Stalker against a pillar.

The creature attempted to escape through a narrow gap, but Liu Wei cut off its path. Subin reached it first and delivered a final strike through the damaged joint, ending the fight.

The chamber fell silent.

Ara studied the corpse. "Its limbs are natural weapons. The edges are formed from dense mineral growth, not manufactured blades."

"That explains the marks on the shield," Subin said. "But why were the patrol's weapons collected here?"

They searched the chamber and found a narrow passage concealed behind a fallen slab. It descended toward a larger underground space, where several more Gloomblade Stalkers moved among broken stone structures.

The team did not enter immediately. Ara counted at least six creatures, and the ceiling above the passage showed signs of recent cracking.

"We should find another entrance," she said. "If we fight them here, a collapse could trap us."

Subin agreed. They withdrew and followed the tunnel system around the ridge, eventually reaching a second opening above the larger chamber. From there, they could see the creatures moving between the pillars and a cluster of old storage alcoves.

One alcove contained several bedrolls, water containers, and a small fire pit.

Someone had been living here.

Subin examined the floor. Human footprints crossed the dust, mixed with the tracks of the Stalkers. Near the far wall, a strip of cloth had been tied around a broken spear.

The missing patrol had reached this place.

A quiet voice came from behind a collapsed wall.

"Don't come any closer."

Subin stopped. "We're from Northwatch. Captain Rusk sent us."

There was a long pause before a man emerged from the narrow opening. His armor was torn, and one arm hung stiffly at his side. He carried a short sword and looked ready to fight despite his exhaustion.

"I'm Sergeant Halven," he said. "How many of you are there?"

"Six."

Halven studied them before lowering his sword. "The others are alive. Most of them, anyway."

He led them through the collapsed passage to a hidden chamber where five surviving soldiers were sheltering. Two had serious injuries, and one was feverish. They had escaped the initial attack but become trapped when the tunnel entrance collapsed.

Halven explained that the patrol had discovered the Gloomblade Stalkers near the signal tower. At first, the creatures had retreated into the tunnels whenever the soldiers approached. The patrol followed them, hoping to locate their den and clear the route.

That decision had proved disastrous.

The Stalkers attacked from several passages at once. Their bladed limbs could cut through ordinary armor, and the narrow tunnels made it difficult for the soldiers to fight effectively. The patrol had retreated into the chamber, but the creatures blocked the exit and remained nearby.

"Why haven't they killed you?" Jae-hyun asked.

Halven looked toward the lower chamber. "They come close, then leave. Sometimes they drag away a weapon or a piece of armor. They haven't tried to break through this wall."

Ara frowned. "They may be using the old structures as a nesting area. The metal could be part of their feeding behavior or simply material they collect."

"Either way, we can't stay here," Subin said. "We'll get you out."

The wounded soldiers were moved toward the upper passage. Rafael and Yerin helped them climb while Liu Wei remained with Halven to make sure no one was left behind. Subin and Jae-hyun returned to the entrance of the lower chamber, where the remaining Stalkers had begun to gather.

There was no need to fight every creature in the den. They only needed to create a safe passage long enough to evacuate the patrol.

Subin stepped into the chamber and struck the nearest Stalker before it could reach the narrow exit. His blade cut through the damaged plate at the base of its neck, killing it quickly. A second creature lunged from the side, but Jae-hyun intercepted it and drove it away from the passage.

The others converged on Subin.

He avoided the first bladed strike, then used the creature's momentum to expose its underside. One precise cut ended the attack. Another Stalker tried to circle behind him, but Subin turned and severed its forelimb before it could close the distance.

The brief fight gave the survivors enough time to clear the upper passage. The remaining Stalkers withdrew into the deeper tunnels rather than continue against the team.

Subin did not chase them.

They escorted the patrol back to the signal tower, where the injured soldiers received water and first aid. Halven confirmed that three members of the original patrol had died during the first attack. Their bodies remained somewhere in the lower chamber, beyond the collapsed section.

Subin promised that Northwatch would receive the exact location so a recovery team could return when the tunnels were safe.

The journey back to the settlement took longer because of the wounded. Captain Rusk was waiting at the gate, and his expression changed when he saw Halven among the survivors.

He gripped his second-in-command's shoulder, then turned to Subin.

"I had begun to believe the entire patrol was dead."

"Three were killed," Subin replied. "The others were trapped underground. The creatures are still in the tunnels, so the northern route isn't safe yet."

Rusk listened to the report and immediately ordered the signal tower road closed. He would send a larger team to recover the dead and assess the old tunnels, but only after the injured soldiers had been treated and the entrance had been reinforced.

Ara gave him the scanner readings and a description of the Gloomblade Stalkers. Their bladed limbs made them especially dangerous in confined spaces, and the settlement's ordinary guards would need stronger armor and weapons before attempting to clear the den.

"Can they be driven away?" Rusk asked.

"Possibly," Ara said. "But we don't know how extensive the tunnels are. Clearing one chamber won't guarantee that the whole area is safe."

Rusk accepted the limitation. For the moment, reopening the road was less important than preventing another patrol from disappearing.

That evening, Northwatch held a small gathering for the returning soldiers. Their families came to the infirmary, and Halven gave his report to the captain before allowing himself to rest. The settlement had lost three experienced guards, but five others had returned alive.

Subin watched from the courtyard while the surviving patrol members reunited with their families.

Yerin stood beside him. "You didn't try to clear the whole den."

"We didn't have enough information, and the tunnels were unstable. Killing the creatures in one chamber wouldn't solve the problem."

"And if they spread beyond the ridge?"

"Then Northwatch will need a proper operation, not a group of exhausted travelers improvising underground."

She nodded. "You're learning when to stop."

Subin looked at her. "I knew when to stop before."

"Of course you did."

Her teasing smile made him laugh.

The next morning, Captain Rusk provided the expedition with updated route information. Beyond Northwatch, the road climbed into the highlands and eventually reached a broad plateau used by traders and miners. The next major settlement was called Frostgate, where several routes converged before continuing toward the northern frontier.

Rusk warned them that Frostgate had recently restricted access to its outer mining district. He did not know whether the decision was connected to the problems at Northwatch, but the timing concerned him.

Subin accepted the information and prepared to leave.

Before they departed, he gave Rusk a copy of Ara's notes and emphasized that the Gloomblade Stalkers remained alive in the underground tunnels. The captain promised to share the warning with nearby settlements and arrange a recovery operation for the fallen patrol members.

The expedition passed through Northwatch's gate and continued toward the highlands.

Behind them, the settlement had regained five of its missing soldiers, though the old tunnels remained dangerous. Ahead, Frostgate waited with its closed mining district and an unexplained shortage of ore shipments.

Subin tightened the strap securing Simple Edge and followed the northern road.