Chapter 25: Into Black Pine Ridge
Dawn broke quietly over Frostleaf Town.
A thin mist clung to the earth, weaving through the newly plowed fields like pale silk. The scent of damp soil lingered in the air, fresh, alive, and full of promise. Rows of farmland stretched toward the horizon, their neat ridges a testament to days of relentless labor.
Rhodes stood at the edge of the manor grounds, fastening the strap of his cloak.
Behind him, Durant checked his sword, Cut Through Thorns, with practiced ease, while Gunther leaned against a post, lazily spinning a small hatchet in his hand. Despite his relaxed posture, his eyes were sharp.
Renn arrived last, accompanied by another hunter, Dolan.
"My lord, we're ready," Renn said, bowing slightly.
Rhodes nodded, his gaze sweeping across the group.
Five people.
Himself, Durant, Gunther, Renn, and Dolan.
Lean, efficient, and, most importantly, quiet.
"Remember," Rhodes said calmly, "this is not a hunting trip, and it's not a show of force. We move fast, observe more than we act, and avoid unnecessary conflict."
Gunther grinned. "Unless something attacks us first."
"Then we kill it," Rhodes replied without hesitation.
That settled it.
They set out just as the first rays of sunlight broke through the mist.
The road quickly gave way to uneven terrain, and before long, the group entered the outer edges of Black Pine Ridge.
Tall, dark trees loomed overhead, their branches thick enough to block most of the light. The forest floor was uneven, littered with roots, stones, and the occasional animal track.
Renn moved ahead, crouching occasionally to examine the ground.
"Fresh tracks," he muttered. "Deer… and something else."
"Something else?" Durant asked.
Renn nodded. "Heavier. Clawed. Probably a boar… or worse."
Rhodes didn't respond immediately.
Instead
A faint sensation stirred in his mind.
It was subtle. Almost like an itch.
Then
[Mineral Vein Detection (Green) Activated]
Rhodes slowed his steps.
"There's something here," he said quietly.
The others immediately tensed.
"Enemy?" Gunther asked, gripping his axe.
"No."
Rhodes closed his eyes briefly, focusing.
The sensation grew clearer.
Not danger.
Not life.
Something… beneath.
"Stone… no… not just stone," he murmured. "There's a deposit nearby."
Durant frowned. "Ore?"
"Possibly."
Rhodes stepped off the path, moving toward a cluster of low hills. The others followed closely, forming a loose protective formation around him.
The feeling intensified with each step.
Then
He stopped.
"Here."
He pointed to a patch of ground partially covered in moss and loose rock.
Dolan stepped forward, kneeling to inspect it. He brushed away debris, revealing a darker layer beneath.
"This isn't ordinary soil," Dolan said. "Too dense."
Renn drew his dagger, Jielong, and struck the ground.
Clink.
A metallic sound echoed.
Everyone froze.
Gunther's grin widened. "Well, I'll be damned…"
Durant crouched down, examining the exposed surface. "Iron," he confirmed. "And high quality, judging by the density."
Rhodes exhaled slowly.
First mine.
Just like that.
But his expression didn't relax.
Instead, his gaze hardened.
"Mark this location," he ordered. "Carefully. No obvious signs."
Dolan nodded, already beginning to carve subtle markers into nearby trees, marks only hunters would recognize.
"We don't mine it yet?" Gunther asked.
"No."
Rhodes straightened.
"We don't have the manpower to defend it if word gets out."
The memory of Durant's report surfaced in his mind
A dead lord.
Beastmen.
Unrest in Razorfen Downs.
This wasteland was changing.
And fast.
"We move on," Rhodes said.
By midday, they had crossed deeper into the ridge.
The terrain grew harsher.
Steeper slopes. Narrow paths. Occasional patches of lingering frost hidden in shadowed crevices.
At one point, they reached a high ridge overlooking a distant valley.
Gunther whistled. "Now that's a view."
Below them, a winding river cut through the land, its surface partially frozen but clearly beginning to thaw.
"Azure River Bay," Rhodes said quietly.
So the ice was melting.
Good.
That meant irrigation might actually be possible.
But as he stood there, observing the land
That strange sensation returned.
Stronger this time.
Sharper.
Rhodes' eyes narrowed.
"…There's another one."
Durant immediately turned. "Where?"
Rhodes didn't answer right away.
Because this time
The feeling wasn't just beneath the ground.
It was… ahead.
And something about it
Felt wrong.
"Stay sharp," Rhodes said, his voice low.
Gunther tightened his grip on his axe.
Renn silently nocked an arrow.
The wind shifted.
And from somewhere in the valley below
A distant, unnatural sound echoed.
Not a beast.
Not quite human either.
Rhodes' expression darkened.
"…Looks like this trip won't stay quiet after all."
End of Chapter 25