The Insane Regressor: Throne of Pride

The sun had risen by the time Ravian finally reached the border.

It was no different from what he remembered; the human positions remained where they had always been, showing none of the signs of retreat he had expected after discovering the orc camp in the forest.

’Had they allowed that little army to advance this far?’

That was the only explanation he had come up with so far. Perhaps the human camp had known about the orcs and left them alone for a reason, or perhaps there were other details he knew nothing about.

Either way, there was no longer an orc camp to investigate.

Ravian reached the camp’s main gate, which differed from the gate in the border fortress wall; this was a reinforced stone gateway built to serve the human camp extending beyond the fortress. Judging by the soul energy he could sense, the guards stationed before it were Ninth Rank, though he did not rule out someone of a higher rank being nearby.

As soon as he approached, one of the guards raised a hand and signaled for him to stop, and Ravian halted five meters away.

”Who are you, and what brings you here?”

To them, he was merely an unfamiliar human, with no insignia on his clothes, no armor linking him to a unit, and no visible weapon suggesting that he belonged to the camp. He had previously lost his only means of proving his identity to these guards, but he did not consider that a problem worth worrying about.

The real problem would begin once they knew who he was.

Ravian raised his head and looked at them with an expression soured by what awaited him, then spoke.

”Tell Sir Karius Dmitri that his disciple has returned.”

Silence settled around the gate, even the wind seeming to ease a little out of respect for the announcement as the guards’ expressions began changing one after another.

The guard who had addressed him kept staring, then slowly lowered his hand to his weapon’s hilt.

”Your name.”

Ravian sighed through his nose.

”Ravian Veyr.”

One guard immediately turned toward a colleague standing behind him, while the other kept his eyes fixed on Ravian.

’Ugh, damn it, exactly as I expected. This isn’t going to be easy at all.’

That was all Ravian could think about as he watched their expressions.

...

Inside the communications center in the camp’s central building.

A soldier was reviewing a report from the guard posts when the door swung open and the gate messenger strode inside, passing the table near the entrance and heading straight for the officer in charge.

The officer looked up with a frown.

”What is it?”

”A report from the main gate. Sir Antonius needs to receive it immediately.”

The messenger held out the paper he carried, but the officer did not take it at once.

”Concerning what?”

The soldier hesitated briefly before answering.

”Someone at the camp’s perimeter claims to be Ravian Veyr, Sir Karius Dmitri’s disciple.”

The soldier sitting at the neighboring table froze with his hand above his report.

This time, the officer took the paper.

He read the first line, then continued through the rest of the report before looking back at the messenger.

”Did you let him inside?”

”No, sir. He’s still outside the gate under observation, and he hasn’t tried to resist us.”

”Has anyone confirmed his identity?”

”Not yet. He had no proof with him, but he specifically asked us to inform Sir Karius.”

The officer folded the paper and rose from his seat.

”Return to the gate and tell the officer there to keep him where he is until further instructions arrive.”

Then he turned to one of his aides.

”Where is Sir Antonius?”

”Upstairs, sir, but the company commander is currently meeting with—”

”I know who he’s meeting with, you fool.”

The officer left before his aide could finish, leaving the other soldier staring at the report he had forgotten to finish reading.

Ravian’s name had faded from everyday conversation for a while, but not from the memories of those who worked in that building. After all, he was the person they had been required to search for in the forest for weeks after his disappearance, with information about him exchanged under the strictest secrecy on orders from above.

And it certainly had not faded from the memory of the man about to receive the report.

...

Antonius went still at the first sentence spoken by the officer from the central building’s communications center.

He did not interrupt, allowing the officer to finish before taking the paper and reading it himself.

”Ravian Veyr?” Antonius asked incredulously.

”That’s the name he gave the guards, sir.” The officer nodded.

Antonius’s eyes settled on the brief description the gate officer had added to the report.

A young man with white hair and crimson eyes...

’Oh my God...’

Antonius covered his face with one hand in genuine exhaustion, remembering everything he had endured while searching for that insane boy because of his master’s obsession with him.

Still, distinctive though that appearance was, it was not enough to confirm his identity.

Even so, Antonius felt his fingers tighten around the edge of the paper before he relaxed them again.

”When did he arrive?”

”Immediately before the report was sent.”

Antonius looked up.

”Did he say anything else?”

”He asked them to tell Sir Karius that his disciple had returned. That was all.”

Antonius fell silent for a moment.

That manner of announcing himself was irritating enough to suit the boy he remembered.

But that was hardly sufficient proof either, especially given the enemy they currently faced. They needed proper confirmation.

”Tell the gate guards not to let him enter or leave until we arrive, and I don’t want anyone trying to force answers out of him,” Antonius said.

”Understood, sir.”

Antonius headed toward the room at the end of the corridor, and this time, he did not wait for the meeting to finish.

He knocked twice, then opened the door a moment later without waiting for a response.