Building a Kingdom and Conquering the World

56  Leier's mission

Leier moved like a shadow through the forest, the ground beneath her feet already dusted with the first snowfall of winter and the frigid air stung at her lungs with every breath. She skillfully used her Tribal Tattoo ability to blend with the grey trees and the icy surroundings, while carefully measuring her steps, avoiding making any slight noise that could denounce her position, even the sound of her breathing couldn't be discerned from close by.

Her heightened senses enabled her to clearly hear the voices of the soldiers scattered around and the smell of burning wood carried by the frigid winds. She focused on everything surrounding her. As she moved further ahead, Leier could finally see the faint glow of the invaders' campfire and an improvised tent arranged near it.

She carefully analyzed her surroundings while pressing her body against a tree, like an owl hiding from both prey and predators. Leier was calculating the distance and the best route to approach her destiny without being spotted or raising their attention. However, at the moment, the area was teeming with people, making it nearly impossible to infiltrate and accomplish her mission successfully.

"I'll have to be patient and wait for the right time."- Leier thought, realizing that waiting was her best course of action.

With that decision in mind, Leier pressed her back against the rough and cold bark of the tree, her breathing shallow and controlled as she continued to closely observe the camp in front of her. Her sharp eyes eventually settled on Zuna and a group of seemingly high-ranking soldiers, who had their heads bent together in deep discussion while looking at a piece of paper, blocking the entrance to the tent.

Meanwhile, the foot soldiers were bustling around in an almost chaotic manner, either gathering around the roaring bonfire, hunting for food, or gathering wood to feed the fire through the night. There was no clear distinction of functions between them, and they seemingly did what they wanted. It was a scene that showcased a clear lack of coordination and leadership among them.

The night shift would probably be no different from the scenario taking place before her. The leaders wouldn't try to clearly delegate functions and the soldiers would likely be lax in their duties. It was the perfect scenario for Leier to successfully accomplish her mission, slip inside the camp unnoticed and take everything she needed.

Leier slightly turned her head and looked towards Henry's position. Even though she couldn't see him, she knew he was there, silently watching from the sidelines. She could even unconsciously feel his gaze over her every steps.

There was a small part of her that wished to impress her king by doing a speedy and daring mission, successfully accomplishing her objective, and going back to him to receive praises. However, she hurriedly pushed that thought aside, knowing that it was an egoistic feeling that could even jeopardize the mission as a whole.

"The mission comes first." – She whispered to herself, her voice inaudible in the frigid wind – "I will do my best"

Leier turned her attention back towards the campsite, not even blinking. She was decided to keep her position and wait for the right time. As the hours ticket by, she remained immobile, an invisible statue amidst the cold, dark night. Leier waited patiently for the right time, knowing that a successful mission required patience and even more patience. And, three hours later, the soldiers finally settled down, their exhaustion from the day's activities evident as they gathered to sleep around the flickering flames of the bonfires.

A few soldiers were stationed around the camp, but Leier could see that they were dozing off without care for the dangers laying around the place. They were an easy target for bandits and beasts. Furthermore, their positions were not decided in a strategic way and wouldn't allow the mobilization of the army in an efficient way. It was the perfect way. It was time.

Leier took a deep breath, steadying herself for the task at hand, her eyes fixed on the enemy campsite situated right next to the White Merchant Road. The deforested clearing offered little to no natural cover, but Leier had already worked out on a plan to infiltrate the tent. She dropped to the ground and flattened herself, trying her best to increase the contact with the snow, using her ability to assimilate the hues of the snow.

With a sharp inhale, she filled her lungs and held her breath, minimizing every variable that could eventually give away her position. Leier began crawling silently towards the invader's position, her ability guaranteeing that there would be no traces of her on the ground, like a ghost moving through the winter night.

Leier's movements were quick and precise. The dozing guard responsible for protecting the perimeter made it even easier for her to infiltrate the camp. The loud snore coming from his mouth would one day cause great casualties to his group in case of a bandits' raid. As soon as she passed through their first line, Leier's eyes darted around the camp, finding out the best route to reach the tent.

She carefully made her way through the sleeping soldiers, who were huddled together around the flickering flames of the bonfires for warmth, their shivering bodies revealing the harshness of the north's cold. Leier was careful to not bump and disturb them while crawling, inching closer to the entrance of the tent.

Leier lifted her hands and gently touched the side of the tent, her fingers seamlessly blending into the brown hues of the leather. She stood up, taking a moment to steady herself and gather her thoughts.

"I can't waste any time."- She thought, her eyes scanning the path she had taken to get here, confirming that no one spotted her.

Taking advantage of the dark night, Leier took out a small leather pouch from her pocket, before taking out a glowing blue seed from inside. She exhaled out of relief, seeing that it didn't explode out of nowhere while she was crawling on the floor.

Leier's eyes quickly scanned the camp for the perfect spot to deploy her king's secret weapon, finally choosing the most northern campfire. Leier steadied herself and hurled the seed with all her might.

*Boom*

A thunderous explosion echoed through the camp, causing Zuna to bolt out of her tent, swords at the ready.

"What was that?" - She shouted, surveying the chaos and confusion caused by the explosion.

The soldiers were disoriented and scrambling, unsure of what had just happened. Some were rubbing their eyes, trying to adjust to the sudden brightness of the explosion, while others were frantically looking around for any signs of danger. It was chaotic.

"Calm down!" – Zuna screamed in a commanding tone, but no one seemed to care. All of them were desperate. They had never seen or heard such an explosion. It was like God had come for them.

Leier took advantage of the commotion and slipped into the tent unnoticed. She quickly made her way to the back of the tent, where she found what she was looking for, a small chest filled with important documents. Leier opened the chest and swiftly grabbed the documents and tucked them into her pockets, before turning to make her escape, not forgetting to drop a torch illuminating the tent to the ground.

-x-

Meanwhile, high up in a tree, Henry's face lit up with a cold smile as he watched the tent burst into flames.

"Excellent work." – He mused