Nash

Everyone passed through the portal and entered a region close to the entrance of the Black Castle.

Vermithor couldn’t understand what was happening. It was as though the hunter had become the hunted. While trying to hold off the enemies on the battlefield, the blows he received were causing him a lot of trouble. His mind was clouded. Something was terribly wrong. The speed and magical power of Draugr King’s army were far stronger than he had anticipated. They had been forced to retreat. His warrior spirit was the only thing keeping him on his feet until they reached the castle.

The healing mages in Vermithor’s group noticed the severity of his wounds and came to his aid.

“My Lord, you shouldn’t shield yourself this much; we will do everything we can first.”

Taking deep breaths, he turned toward the door. The soldiers inside and the castle’s guards were staring at him.

The guards called out loudly: “Call the doctors, our Lord and his soldiers are injured. Hurry!”

The doctors quickly arrived with their healing herbs.

Lordhair and Solve were waiting at the castle entrance for him. Upon seeing the urgency of the situation, they hurried closer. Lordhair immediately became serious, his face showing concern. Solve took a step forward, furrowing his brows before asking, “Vermithor, what happened?”

“Draugr King,” he said, his voice struggling. “We faced his army. We tried to stop the attack, but... the combined assault of the mages was just an illusion. The real danger came with a much larger army. Their numbers and strength were far greater than we had estimated. We had to retreat, but... this is just the beginning.”

Lordhair cautiously approached Vermithor. “Are you injured?” he asked.

Vermithor, wincing with every step, shook his head. “But that’s not the real issue. The war isn’t over. We retreated, but they’re coming with a growing army. We must defend this castle.”

Solve stepped forward impatiently, not taking his eyes off them. “This place isn’t safe,” she said, but there was a sense of assurance in his eyes. “Come, let us take care of your injuries. Rest for a few hours. We can fend this off. But you need to recover first.”

Vermithor was so exhausted that he felt like he could fall at any moment. But with determination, he shook his head. “We have to do this. It’s hard to stop someone like me, but...” His eyes wandered over to Lordhair. “When you’re ready, everyone in this castle must be ready.”

Lordhair nodded slightly, the responsibility of leadership showing on his face. He called over a group of soldiers. “Everyone needs to gather themselves. Vermithor, get some rest. Preparations will be made tomorrow morning.”

Vermithor nodded, but the warrior resolve was still in his eyes. “If we delay this any longer, there will come a time when it will be too late,” he said quietly.

Lordhair noticed the dark thoughts in Vermithor’s eyes and said, “Recover. Everything has its time.”

What is happening in the other dimension?

At Jorah’s command, Nash set off to infiltrate the five great kingdoms and identify the weakest points of each. His mission was not only to gather intelligence but also to determine which kingdom would pose the greatest threat to the Iron Kingdom. To do this, he infiltrated each region using different identities and methods, conducting in-depth investigations.

The Land of Flames: Ashes of War

The Land of Flames was a region known for its strong armies and disciplined warriors. Nash joined a mercenary army here. The military discipline, war culture, and hierarchy in the kingdom were notable. While the kingdom maintained an aggressive stance towards the outside, it was weakening from internal strife. Power struggles between nobles and warlords were the most striking issue Nash noticed. The kingdom’s greatest weakness was its lack of unity and internal conflicts.

Nash spent several weeks in the army, earning the trust of the commanders, and eventually witnessed a direct conflict arising from one lord’s betrayal. While the Land of Flames was strong, its internal problems were making it vulnerable. Nash concluded that it wouldn’t pose a significant threat in the long run.

Nash would inspect each kingdom one by one, but did time move faster in this dimension?

The Crystal Kingdom: The Shining Threat

The Crystal Kingdom was one of the best countries at balancing magic and science. Magic wasn’t widespread, but it existed. Nash introduced himself as an alchemist and infiltrated the academies where magic and technology were merged. The kingdom’s most important resource was its nearly endless energy-producing crystals. However, Nash’s attention was drawn to a secret meeting being held here.

The kings of the five great kingdoms were secretly gathering in the Crystal Kingdom for a summit. Nash couldn’t uncover the full details of the meeting, but he suspected that the kingdoms were planning a coalition against the Iron Kingdom. This information needed to be reported to his master immediately. Nash thought the Crystal Kingdom could be a threat, but the person behind the meeting might be someone else, so he decided to focus on finding out which country was behind it and learn more details.

The Land of Lakes: Quiet and Deep

The Land of Lakes was famous for its water magic and deep spy networks. Here, people believed in the memory of water, saying that all information was hidden in the depths of the lakes. Nash entered this land under the guise of an explorer and mingled with the water mages.

The greatest danger here was the government, which was aware of everything but revealed nothing. The true rulers of the Land of Lakes silently gathered information, using it when necessary. Nash realized he couldn’t stay here for long, as even the smallest mistake could reveal his identity. However, he understood that while this land didn’t pose an immediate military threat, it was a country that wielded information as a weapon.

The Land of Shadows: Silent and Deadly

The Land of Shadows was home to assassins and shadow warriors. Nash entered as a fugitive and infiltrated the criminal organizations. What he saw here was more dangerous than in the other kingdoms. This land fought not with an army, but with shadows. Assassins, spies, and shadow mages were the true rulers of the state.

The most important thing Nash learned here was that the Land of Shadows, despite its policy of neutrality, had a system where it would serve whoever paid the highest bid. This country didn’t directly pose a threat, but it could be used as a weapon. If someone were to use the Land of Shadows, they could corrupt even the Iron Kingdom from the inside. Nash realized the danger and decided to stay here, making it his mission to gather the deepest secrets of this land.

Nash’s Decision

After analyzing all the kingdoms, Nash concluded that the greatest threat was the possibility of the five great kingdoms uniting, and the uncontrollable power of the Land of Shadows. He learned that the kings of the five kingdoms were holding a secret summit in the Crystal Kingdom, which indicated that war was approaching. However, the deadliest threat lay in the Land of Shadows losing its neutrality and falling into the hands of another country. Therefore, Nash decided to stay there, implanting his deepest spy network. His new mission was to move through the shadows and gather the most critical information for the Iron Kingdom.

Nash’s game had begun, and the fate of the Iron Kingdom now rested on his reports.

Nash’s Report

He gathered all the information he had and sent a secret message to Jorah Iron. In his report, he wrote:

"Majesty,

I have successfully infiltrated the five great kingdoms and gathered the necessary information. The greatest threat comes from the Land of Shadows. This place works for whoever pays the most. If our enemies use this to their advantage, we must be prepared to be torn apart from the inside.

Also, I have learned that the five kings are holding a secret meeting in the Crystal Kingdom. While I have not been able to fully ascertain their goals, I suspect this meeting could result in plans against the Iron Kingdom.

I am waiting for your command. I am currently fully infiltrated in the Land of Shadows and am trying to access the deepest secrets here. If we want to prevent our enemies from using this place, we must act quickly.

Nash"

Jorah Iron carefully examined Nash’s report and immediately ordered the council to convene. It was time for the Iron Kingdom to make its decision, and Nash’s intelligence would determine the course of the upcoming war.

Nash’s reports had a significant impact in the Iron Kingdom, and the king immediately called for an urgent council meeting. The king of Iron and the kingdom’s leading strategists and generals discussed what steps to take against this threat. The most powerful living general suggested that the head of the snake should be crushed when it was small and proposed war. However, the Iron King rejected this idea, stating that if they acted aggressively, the first to suffer would be the people, and they would face immense difficulties.

After lengthy discussions, three main decisions were made:

Technological Embargo: The Iron Kingdom would no longer sell technological devices, weapons, or magical materials to any foreign nations. This was a critical step to halt the development of other countries and maintain superiority.

Kingdom Shield: A massive technological defense shield would be created around the entire Iron Kingdom. This shield would protect the country from external attacks and prevent any infiltration. In the event of an intrusion, state-of-the-art radar systems would alert and neutralize the threat.

Constant Surveillance: Intelligence units would conduct ongoing operations in the identified countries, closely monitoring developments.

These decisions would force the Iron Kingdom to become more isolated, but at the same time, they would keep it superior to its rivals. As the council members discussed the long-term consequences of the decisions, Lordhair narrowed his eyes and looked out the window. The war hadn’t yet begun, but the first move had been made.