The Imperial System: Architect of an Empire

The roar rolled across the valley.

ROOOOOOOOAAAR!

Birds exploded from the surrounding forest.

Horses kicked against their restraints.

Several soldiers instinctively reached for their weapons.

The young boy in Kael's arms buried his face against his chest.

"Don't let it find me..."

Kael looked toward the mountains.

The sound hadn't come from the village.

It had come from much farther away.

And judging by the vibration beneath his boots...

Whatever had made it was enormous.

Kael carried the boy toward the campfire.

"Get him some water."

A healer immediately approached.

The boy refused to let go of Kael's cloak.

"They're coming..."

"Who?"

"The monsters."

Kael crouched beside him.

"Tell me what happened."

The boy swallowed.

"We were sleeping."

"Then the bells started ringing."

"My father told us to hide."

His eyes filled with tears.

"Something hit the village."

"The walls broke."

"Then they came."

Walter knelt beside him.

"What came?"

The boy shook his head.

"I don't know."

"They weren't like the wolves."

"They weren't like the trolls."

"They..."

He struggled to describe them.

"They looked wrong."

Kael exchanged a glance with Darius.

"What happened afterward?"

"They took people."

"Where?"

The boy pointed toward the mountains.

"The old mine."

Grom returned from scouting.

"The boy is telling the truth."

Kael looked at him.

"You found it?"

Grom nodded.

"Three kilometers north."

"Old mining tunnel."

"There are tracks."

"Many."

Darius looked toward the mountains.

"How many?"

Grom hesitated.

"Too many to count."

Walter looked at Kael.

"Then we know where we're going."

Kael shook his head.

"Not yet."

Walter frowned.

"Why?"

"Because someone already went there."

Everyone understood.

The main expedition soldiers.

The same soldiers who had arrived before them.

The same soldiers who claimed they had found nothing

Kael ordered Grom to locate the main expedition unit.

An hour later...

They found them.

Their camp sat several hundred meters from the old mine.

Soldiers were eating.

Weapons rested against wagons.

Nothing appeared unusual.

The noble officer stood near the entrance.

He turned when Kael approached.

"Prince Kael."

"You found the survivors?"

Kael didn't answer.

Instead...

"Why didn't you investigate the mine?"

The officer's expression remained calm.

"Because there's nothing there."

"You entered?"

"No."

"Then how do you know?"

The officer's eyes narrowed.

"Because my scouts investigated the area."

Grom stepped forward.

"They didn't."

The officer glared at him.

"You again."

Grom pointed toward the mine.

"There are fresh tracks."

"Your scouts never came close."

The officer's face hardened.

"Watch your tongue."

Kael stepped between them.

"Enough."

He looked at the mine.

Then back at the officer.

"How many soldiers do you have?"

"One hundred and twenty."

"Then we're going inside."

The officer immediately objected.

"No."

Kael looked at him.

"No?"

"The Imperial Expedition Corps operates under a chain of command."

"You're not authorized to enter."

Kael remained silent for several seconds.

Then he reached into his cloak.

He produced the Emperor's sealed expedition order.

"This gives me authority to investigate monster activity threatening Imperial territory."

The officer stared at the seal.

Kael folded the document.

"Unless you're claiming the Emperor's orders don't apply here."

The man's face tightened.

"No."

"Good."

Kael turned toward his soldiers.

"Twenty with me."

Darius stepped forward.

"I'll lead the first formation."

"Take fifteen."

Darius nodded.

"Grom."

The goblin stepped forward.

"Scout ahead."

"Yes."

"Walter."

"Stay with the rear."

Walter nodded.

"And Leon?"

"Keep everyone outside organized."

Leon saluted.

"Understood."

Kael looked toward the remaining soldiers.

"Nobody enters without orders."

The Black Dragons answered together.

"Yes, Commander."

The entrance was enormous.

Old wooden supports had collapsed across the floor.

Ancient mining tools lay rusting against the walls.

The air smelled damp.

Kael entered first.

His hand remained near his sword.

Darius followed.

Then Grom.

The soldiers moved silently.

Ten meters.

Twenty.

Thirty.

The sunlight disappeared.

Grom raised his hand.

Everyone stopped.

He crouched.

A dark smear covered the stone.

Kael examined it.

Blood.

Fresh.

Darius looked ahead.

"Someone was injured."

Grom nodded.

"And dragged."

A trail continued deeper into the mine.

Kael followed it.

They found a soldier lying against the wall.

His armor was torn.

His weapon remained beside him.

Darius immediately recognized the uniform.

"Imperial."

Kael crouched.

The soldier was still breathing.

Barely.

"Help!"

The healer rushed forward.

The wounded man opened his eyes.

He grabbed Kael's wrist.

"Don't..."

Kael leaned closer.

"Who attacked you?"

The soldier's breathing became shallow.

"Not..."

"...monsters."

Kael's eyes narrowed.

"What?"

The soldier struggled.

"They..."

"...were wearing armor."

Then he lost consciousness.

Silence.

Darius slowly stood.

"Someone wearing armor attacked Imperial soldiers."

Kael looked deeper into the tunnel.

"Yes."

Walter's expression became serious.

"So the monsters aren't the only problem."

Kael shook his head.

"No."

He looked at the blood trail.

"We've been following the wrong enemy."

The tunnel split into three paths.

Grom examined each one.

He pointed toward the center.

"Air."

Kael understood.

"There's another chamber."

They advanced.

The passage became narrower.

Then suddenly...

The tunnel opened.

A massive underground chamber appeared.

Ancient carvings covered the walls.

But that wasn't what caught Kael's attention.

At the center...

Hundreds of iron cages filled the chamber.

Most were empty.

Some contained broken chains.

And several...

Contained people.

Villagers.

Merchants.

Soldiers.

All alive.

A woman screamed when she saw them.

"Help us!"

Kael immediately stepped forward.

"Stay calm!"

The Black Dragons rushed to the cages.

Darius began breaking locks.

Walter carried injured prisoners out.

Grom searched the chamber.

Kael walked toward the largest cage.

Inside were several soldiers.

One was wearing the uniform of the main expedition.

Kael stopped.

"You were sent here?"

The soldier nodded weakly.

"Yes."

"What happened?"

The soldier looked toward the darkness behind Kael.

"We found the monsters."

"And?"

"They weren't attacking us."

Kael frowned.

"What do you mean?"

The soldier's voice trembled.

"They were running from something."

A deep rumbling echoed through the chamber.

Everyone froze.

The prisoner whispered:

"They're coming."

Kael slowly turned.

The darkness at the end of the chamber moved.

Something was approaching.

Heavy footsteps echoed through the mine.

BOOM.

BOOM.

BOOM.

Kael drew his sword.

Night Aura gathered around his legs.

Darius raised his weapon.

The Black Dragons formed ranks.

Then...

Two enormous red eyes opened in the darkness.

A creature stepped into the torchlight.

It stood nearly three times the height of a human.

Its body was covered in thick gray armor-like hide.

Two enormous horns curved backward from its skull.

But the most disturbing thing...

The weapon was in its hand.

A massive iron axe.

Forged by humans.

Kael stared.

The creature stared back.

Then it spoke.

Not like an animal.

Not like a monster.

Like a soldier.

"Leave."

The chamber went silent.

Kael tightened his grip.

"You can speak."

The creature raised its axe.

"You should have listened."

Behind it...

More footsteps began echoing through the tunnels.

One.

Then five.

Then dozens.

Kael's expression changed.

This wasn't a monster attack.

It was an army.

And somewhere beyond them...

Someone was controlling the situation.

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