“It is exactly like this, the longest time I experienced the Months of the Demon was two years ago, that lasted nearly four months, many people starved.”
“Why, shouldn’t be the grain reserves in Longsong stronghold be large enough to support the town?” Roland asked.
Brian’s face got a little angry, “They had enough. But Reynolds the municipal administrator who is responsible for managing such things declared that the amount of ore and minerals mined was only enough to buy food for three months, for the fourth month we had to deliver a new shipment of ore. But the Months of the Demons had not ended, we couldn’t leave the fortress.”
“So that was what happened … I got it.”
They were simply alienating the fool people. If Longsong stronghold treats these people who were living on the frontier with this kind of warmth like a spring wind, the frontiersmen would most likely want to stay and not leave, but at the moment it seems that the group of people behind Longsong stronghold were not the good natured sort. Roland beckoned the last person forward to answer, while putting the name of the administrator into his heart.
The third man looked courageous and strong, with a height of over 6 feet making Roland feel great pressure. Fortunately, he came forward on his knees.
“You said you killed the beast?”
“Yes sir,” his voice was low and hoarse, “a wild boar species and a wolf species.”
“Species”?” Roland repeated, “what do you mean?”
“This is the name of the demonic beast, your highness. The more fierce the variation of the animals was before, the more difficult it would be to deal with variation after. And they will emphasize the advantages of the body. The wild boar, it’s back fur would become extremely tough, even within a range of 50 yards it would be difficult to hurt it with a crossbow. The wolf species becomes more cunning, the running speed becomes amazing, to kill it, you need to set up the trap in advance.”
“Stronger would become stronger and faster even faster,” Roland nodded as he heard this, “But they are still animals.”
“They are, but they are not the most terrible kind of enemy,” the hunter said until here and then he had to swallow his saliva, before he was able to talk further, “The worst ones are the mixed species.”
“They are devils incarnate, only hell is able to create such a horrible monster. I have seen a hybrid. It had not only beast like strong limbs, but on his back was even a pair of huge wings, allowing it to fly short distances. And it always knew where I was, no matter how much I tried to hide, it could always detect me. It was not hunting its prey, your highness, it was just teasing the prey.” The hunter Liehu lifted his clothes, showing a large scar extending from the abdomen to his chest as he said, “I lost my consciousness and fell into the Redwater River, I was lucky to survive.”
“Such a monster exists,” Roland felt that the world became more and more like a fantasy; a strong wall can block all ordinary kinds of demonic beasts, but if they could fly what should he do? “Mixed species should be very rare, right?”
Chapter 9 Months of the Demons (Part 2)
“Not many, Your Highness,” the hunter replied. “During every Months of the Demons there will only appear two to three mixed species demons, otherwise Longsong Stronghold would be in huge trouble.”
“Well, you seem to be very observant,” Roland ordered the man to stand up and asked, “what’s your name? You don’t look like a man from my Kingdom of Graycastle.”
“Half of my lineage hails from the Mojin Clan, the townspeople call me Iron Axe.”
Mojin Clan, the people from the Shamin Kingdom, located southwest of the barren lands, it was said that they were the descendants of giants. Roland searched within his brain for any memories related to the Mojin Clan and realized that Iron Axe did not use the name his clan called him by, rather using the name given by the people of Border Town, and apparently he did not want to have a relationship with the Shamin Kingdom. As for why, since it was obvious that he was from the southwestern border of the desolate lands, he estimated, that there were a series of sad stories involved.
But for the moment those stories weren’t important; everyone was welcome in Border Town, regardless of his or her background.
Roland clapped his hands, “That’s not why I asked you to be here, Carter, bestow each of them with ten silver royals, then they can leave.”
“Thank you very much for the reward, Your Highness,” said the three in unison.
Afterwards the people were taken away by Carter. When he had finished his task, Carter returned once again and asked, “Your Highness, why did you ask them these questions? Do you want to stay here?”
Roland didn’t express any opinion and instead asked, “What do you think?”
“This matter is out of question, Your Highness!” Said the knight loudly, “According to the statement from the hunter, even a wild demon bear would be difficult to cope with. Outside of fifty yards a shot with a crossbow would have no effect; we would have to wait until it closed to forty yards, or even until thirty yards before making our shot, only our elite soldiers can accomplish this. Plus the demons are too numerous, and we can’t rely on strong walls, only standing side by side with the local guards to stop them. I’m afraid that the casualties would outstrip the accomplishments, our defeat would be assured.”
“You already saw what a witch is able to do, so why do you can’t think positively?” Roland sighed.
“This… The witches are evil, but Anna… Miss Anna does not look so, as your Knight Commander, I have to seek truths by looking for facts.”
“If I would give you a city wall, would you think it will be possible?”
“What?” For a moment Carter suspected that he had heard wrong.
“If I give you a wall, between the north slope of the mountain and the Redwater River,” Roland stressed every word he said, “Although they would not be like the enormous walls from Graycastle, but to stop animals, they should still be able to.”
“Sir, do you know what you are saying?” The knight didn’t know whether to be angry or to laugh, “Even your nonsense should have a limit, if you don’t stop, you will have to excuse my lack of manners.”
“We still have three months, don’t we? I looked at the past records, the first snow usually falls here at the end of the second month from now.”
“Even if we had three years it would not be enough! Building a wall would require many workers, for setting the foundation they have to compress the earth and every one or two feet would have to be reinforced; otherwise it would have a high risk to collapse. This would be the simplest of the earthen walls,” Carter shook his head again and again,”brick and stone walls are even more difficult to build and it would need hundreds of masons who would first have to cut the stones or bake the clay into bricks. Afterwards they would need to build it block by block. Your highness, all walls were built this way, without exception. A city being built in the time of a day and a night, that is only the stuff of legends.”
Roland indicated he had heard enough, “I see. You don’t need to be so upset, if there is no reliable wall in place, I will evacuate with you to Longsong stronghold. I’m not going to give away my life in this place.”
The knight knelt down, “I will protect you!”
Afterwards in the beautiful castle gardens, Roland nipped at his bitter ale. Looking at Anna who was intently eating cream cakes, his mood recovered a lot.
He had decided to stop the demonic beasts at the Border town — joining the elite soldier with the town guards, he would also intensive the farming by expanding the area the guards patrolled. If he wanted to build the wall, connecting the north slope of the mountain and the Redwater River within three months, he must use an appropriate technology from the modern times.