CHAPTER 118: THE FIRE WITHIN THE NORTH

In the next couple of days that followed, Ironhold stirred with an energy it had not seen in years.

Lucen spent his mornings with the theater troupe, guiding them through the lines and movements of The Man of a Thousand Quests. Having already rehearsed it countless times in Caelhart, the adjustments came quickly, and the troupe’s nervousness soon gave way to excitement. For once, Ironhold, fortress of stone and steel, was preparing not for war, but for a performance.

Also during this time, mages from the different magic towers came to Ironhold. Lucen had invited a few purple tower mages and black tower mages, but almost all types came to Ironhold due to his fame.

It wasn’t just mages, but knight aspirants, many of whom were inspired by the play The Man of a Thousand Quests. Upon learning that the writer of the story, Lucen Thornehart, had his own personal military unit, many of them journeyed to Ironhold so that they could join Thornefang.

The once-stern fortress now buzzed with merchants hawking food, hopeful youths crowding taverns, even older men who were once again chasing their dreams, and soldiers muttering at the influx of outsiders. For the first time in living memory, Ironhold felt less like a fortress city always on edge, but a brighter, noisier city.

***

Lucen had expected a couple of people to want to join Thornefang due to his growing popularity, but he did not expect this many to come, and the reason was the play he wrote.

Now the question was what he should do with these many applicants. If he could, he wanted to accept all of them, but that was obviously unrealistic.

First, there was a problem of wages. Next, food and shelter would be hard to provide for this many people. There was also the fact that it was possible that there were spies or assassins hidden within this group of people.

Since Thornefang is the only known force to use guns in this world, if he just lets anybody in, it might not take too long for others to try to replicate the weapon.

So Lucen decided to give a test to those who wish to join under his flag. So first, he needed to think of what kind of test he should have them do.

He didn’t really care about how powerful or skilled they currently were since that could be gained later, but what mattered were other things that cannot be quantified.

Loyalty, resolve, and their reason for joining under his flag. If he does it right, he might be able to prevent the assassins and spies from joining.

If they truly wished to stand beneath his banner, they would have to prove it not with steel, but with something far harder to fake: conviction.

***

While Lucen was thinking of a plan to test the people who came to join him, the preparations for the play had finally finished. Now, the play The Man of a Thousand Quests can finally be seen by the people of Ironhold, and then later the entirety of the Dukedom of Stellhart.

***

The men and women of Ironhold were tough and knew no fear. The reason they were like that is that they live in a place like Ironhold. Here in this place, the weak die without question.

The main source of entertainment in Ironhold for children and adults alike was training and drinking. Moving around helped with the cold, and drinking ale did the same.

The theater group here was decent, but not many watch their plays since they only do a few things, like the legend of the First Duke of the North, Edric Thornehart.

But today was different; the usual nearly empty seats were filled to the brim. There were even people standing wanting to watch the play.

The reason for this change was that the play this time was something the young lord Lucen Thornehart had created.

The members of Thornefang had come to watch, as well as the knights. Those who had already watched the play were temporarily not allowed in so that others could have a chance to watch the play.

So, the Iron Duke and the others who watched it in Caelhart were not present. It was only Lucen who came, since his younger brother insisted him to come.

Vahn was also there to accompany Cael to watch, and the same as in the theater in Caelhart, Lucen had the craftsmen make a special VIP box for them.

***

Archibald smiled faintly, lips trembling but eyes alight. "Not death, my loyal William.... Only... Rest. For a knight’s dream never dies... Until our next... Grand Adventure..."

***

When the last line was spoken and the curtain closed, the reaction of the people of Ironhold were completely different from that of Caelhart.

Many men and women had their arms crossed, and some tears were falling from their eyes, not because they were sad but because they were excited. "Now that was a true knight! Just like our Iron Duke!"

"Yeah! What’s the use of power if you’re like that b*stard who called himself a knight? A knight must be like that, Archibald, one who upholds the spirit of chivalry."

"Archibald is a true man! True to his word, he never backed down even against a more powerful opponent."

Even the children were getting excited like the adults.

"I want to go on adventures like Archibald!"

"Yeah, we’d better train harder so that we can protect the weak like Archibald!"

Unlike in Caelhart, where there were many different reactions, in Ironhold, there was mostly only one kind of reaction, and that was respect for the Knight Archibald.

In their minds, Archibald or the Baron Muinic was a true-blue son of the North, a man of Stellhart. He was the very embodiment of values the people of the North hold dear in their hearts.

’As expected, the people of Ironhold are completely different from those of Caelhart. These guys are more like Vikings from my past life, no, it’s more like a Viking, Knight hybrid type people.’ Lucen, who watched the reaction of the people, thought to himself.

The cheers shook the wooden beams of the theater, echoing through the stone walls of Ironhold like the roar of a battlefield charge.

From the corner of his eye, Lucen saw Cael’s small fists clenched against the railing of the VIP box, his lips silently mouthing Archibald’s final words. Seeing this made Lucen smile a little.

"So what do you think? Did you like it, Cael?"

Cael, whose eyes were focused on the stage that had its curtain closed, shifted his attention to his older brother.

Cael, who usually had an expressionless face, was now looking at Lucen with something different. It was not something like joy, nor was it sadness, but a quiet intensity. It was like a flame that suddenly ignited in Cael, who was usually ice-cold.

For years, Cael had mirrored their father’s stoicism, wearing silence like armor. But now, there was a crack through that frost. Cael’s gaze wasn’t distant anymore; it was hungry. He wasn’t looking at the stage; he was looking past it, toward something only he could see.

"It was an amazing play, Big Brother."

"I see, I’m glad you liked it. Well, how about you, Sir Vahn? Did you enjoy it as well?" Lucen asked the old man standing behind them.

"It was an awe-inspiring play, young lord. You have captured the very essence of what it means to be a true knight. Which is not in the strength of your Aura, but the strength of your heart."

When Lucen heard what Vahnd said, he was startled, since those were the same words he had heard from an old cartoon movie in his past life. Lucen couldn’t help but grin wider after hearing those words.

"Big Brother, do you think I can have a dream I can chase like the Knight Archibald?"

Lucen looked at his younger brother. For the first time, he saw not just the cold, dutiful heir of the Thorneharts, but a boy daring to hope. A faint warmth rose in his chest.

"Of course, you can," Lucen said with certainty. "But you must find it yourself. A dream is something no one else can hand to you."

Cael nodded, his small hands tightening on the railing again. "Then I’ll find mine," Cael whispered to himself.

While the siblings were having their conversation, the people who had watched the play exited the theater with newfound vigor.

Many started training; those who were pretty old started teaching the children proper ways to train. The children who had been taught also trained with determination.

The sounds of different kinds of training could be heard throughout the fortress city of Ironhold. Some were running, others were training with their weapons, and some people, like the craftsmen, became even more invigorated to work harder.

The energy was infectious; even in taverns, there were many talking about grand adventures. Even in the coldness of the North, its people were burning brightly with pride and resolve.