The Rise of the Black Plain

Ten days after leaving Armhands headquarters, Minos' group arrived in the area where they had to carry out their mission.

With one more day of travel, they would enter the area where the unauthorized warfare of some members of their guild was taking place.

Today, they were stopped in a forested area, where the group was resting and preparing to deal with the situation of their mission from tomorrow!

...

At the place where the group stopped to rest, Rhett was sitting on a rock next to a peak where they could see hundreds and hundreds of square kilometers.

There were forests densely covered with trees in one corner, a large lake not far from where they were, but also mountain ranges with their tops frozen in the distance on the horizon.

Although Zocarro was very different from the Spiritual World, some things would always be more or less the same in any habitable world in the universe. Just as the natives of the Spiritual World would appreciate nature's beauty, the alien next to them could do the same.

"Do you have views as beautiful as this in your world?" Rhett asked the people in his group.

"Certainly. Our home world is tiny compared to Zocarro, but there is plenty of diversity and many beautiful landscapes." Minos replied, being the one in his group who had traveled the most in the Spiritual World despite his young age.

Rhett commented. "Not mine. Where I come from is an endless savannah without many breathtaking views like this."

"Where do you come from?" Ruth asked as she sat in front of a small fire, roasting some vegetables.

Rhett didn't answer her as he changed the subject. "I want to hear from you what we're going to do from tomorrow. How should we deal with this problem, Recruit Ruth?" He looked at her.

Everyone turned their eyes to Ruth as she took a deep breath. "We should solve the problem created by the guild members. Even if the guild didn't authorize this confrontation, now that we have members involved, we can't just back down."

Minos complemented her speech. "We have to deal with the rebels as well. First, we'll win the confrontation and show the strength of Armhands, and then we'll punish those who started this little war."

Rhett nodded in agreement, enjoying seeing Minos' Law Enforcer mentality's sharpness.

"That's the focus of the mission. Never forget that. First, we protect the honor of the guild, and then we deal with those who break our rules.

Soldier Minos is a Law Enforcer, so your group will be able to punish the rebels together. Our superiors will look into this in the future, so do what you think is best for the guild, even if it means trouble." Rhett commented, looking at Maximillian and the robot standing there.

Maximillian opened a map and then said. "The Bellowing Garden is 43 hours from our position. We'll get there early tomorrow afternoon if nothing goes wrong.

Then we'll have three options. Go towards our guild mates who have called for help, go straight to the enemies in Misthall, or join the group of reinforcements that should already be at the rendezvous point in the Bellowing Garden."

The robot commented. "The members of Silverdawn probably already had bad intentions against the guild. I think it's appropriate that we investigate the enemies behind this war further."

"He's right," Rhett commented. "Silverdawn is a strong sect, but not so strong as to be able to stand against Armhands. For them to counterattack our men with the force they've been attacking, there must be something deep behind it all."

As far as they knew, 30 Armhands internal members had started this incident. However, the opposing side in this war had been brutally attacking the survivors of that group as if there was nothing more important to that sect than the total extermination of that team.

Silverdawn was not as strong as Armhands, indicating something important that needed to be analyzed.

"We can split up," Minos suggested. "Maximillian and I can enter the enemy's territory and study what's going on while you go to our guild members. With Ruth's power, we can help get some of them back into fighting condition."

Rhett didn't see a problem with this plan since they could get away from each other during this mission, even if the internal members normally had to keep their eyes on the external members on missions outside the guild headquarters.

"All right, you can go ahead with this plan. When do you intend to separate from us?" Rhett asked Minos.

Minos thought for a moment and said. "The members of Silverdawn are probably watching our companions for chances to eliminate them. If we go with you there, it will be difficult to get close to our enemies."

"So you're going to move on to Misthall when we get to our comrades' position?" Rhett asked.

"Yes, I think that will be better," Minos suggested as he looked at Rhett and Maximillian, seeing that the two were fine with his plan.

"Soldier Minos and Soldier Maximillian, be careful. You two are the strongest in this group, but Silverdawn isn't simple.

That force represents a great danger for a Grandmaster and a newly promoted Sovereign. Be aware that there are even high-level Sovereigns in that sect."

High-level Sovereigns were those between levels 110 and 114!

"We'll be careful, Officer," Maximillian said, agreeing to take that risk because the result of their investigation could earn him a lot of merit points if there really were a secret behind Silverdawn's actions.

So the group agreed to go ahead with these arrangements, and as soon as they had finished resting, they got back on the road, heading towards the point in Bellowing Garden where they would go their separate ways.

That would take place over the next 20 hours when Ruth's group would reach the men of their guild waiting for reinforcements, while Minos and Maximillian would move on to Misthall.

...

Arriving at the location of the guild members who had started the current war, Rhett and those of his group still with him were soon in what looked like a tent, where several aliens were on special medical stretchers.

There were no other reinforcements besides them there, so as soon as they arrived, the only doctor on hand came over to them.

"Officer, where are the other groups? Why haven't we received any help so far?" The doctor from that group of rebels asked.

Rhett didn't know the exact reason why no one but them had arrived, but he could imagine. 'The groups sent are probably more interested in solving the problem than saving these rebels.'

He said nothing about it and asked. "Officer, what's the situation with your group? I have a doctor here with me and men to help defend the area."

"Help? A group made up of external members?" That doctor looked at the two individuals next to Ruth.

Rhett had the same rank as that being, but he was a warrior, while the one in front of him was just a doctor. So he asked. "Are you going to answer me, or will you keep making things difficult?"

"Sigh... I don't know how to explain it. My group had about 30 members. We didn't often act simultaneously. When all this madness started, my colleagues and I, who are still conscious, weren't with the part of the group that started the fight." He said.

"Those who know what happened are either unconscious or dead."