Soulbound: Dual Cultivation

Chapter 493: Calm Blackmare 2

Tom and Patrick did not take long, but when they returned, there was a noticeable shift in their expressions, the kind that came when scattered observations had begun to form a clearer picture. Lucas was standing just outside the healer’s building, his posture relaxed on the surface, yet his awareness remained sharp, his eyes briefly lifting as the two approached through the steady movement of the street.

Patrick was the first to speak, his tone low but direct as he said, "We know where the Valerion forces are being kept," and that alone was enough to draw Lucas’ full attention.

"Outskirts, someplace like here" Tom added, folding his arms lightly as he glanced around before continuing, "Not far from here, actually. They’re not being mistreated, but they’re definitely not being welcomed either. More like... contained."

Lucas’ gaze narrowed slightly, his voice calm as he asked, "They’re not allowed deeper into the kingdom."

Patrick gave a small nod. "Not even close. The moment you move toward the inner provinces, the guard presence doubles, and the closer you get to the capital, the tighter it gets. No one from outside is getting in without clearance."

Tom let out a quiet breath as he added, "And it’s not just soldiers. There are civilians too. A lot of them."

Lucas’ attention sharpened slightly at that. "Explain."

Tom shifted his weight slightly as he continued, "Refugees. Not just from Valerion. Other places too. Anyone who managed to escape the usurpers has been coming here. They’re letting them in, but only to a point."

Patrick picked up from there, his tone more analytical. "They’re filtering people. Early arrivals, especially those with value or connections, they get processed further in. The rest..." he gestured vaguely toward the surrounding area, "they stay out here, in the outer provinces and towns like this."

Tom nodded. "And if you arrive too late, or you don’t meet whatever standard they’ve set, you don’t go any further. You live out here, or you don’t stay at all."

Lucas remained silent for a moment, absorbing the information, his eyes lowering slightly as he pieced it together. "So they’re controlling the flow of people," he said finally, his voice steady. "Limiting access, preserving their core territories."

Patrick gave a faint, approving nod. "Exactly. They’re protecting their inner structure. Keeping the potential chaos at the edges."

Tom added, "And it’s working. The outer areas are crowded, but the inner regions..." he shook his head slightly, "completely different story. Clean, controlled, heavily guarded."

Lucas looked toward the distance, as if he could already see beyond the town, past the outer settlements, into the deeper layers of Blackmare. "They’ve built a buffer," he said quietly. "Let the unrest gather outside while the center remains untouched."

Patrick crossed his arms, his tone thoughtful. "It also means if anything goes wrong out here, it doesn’t reach the capital easily."

Tom smirked faintly. "Smart. Cold, but smart."

Lucas did not disagree.

Instead, he asked, "The Valerion forces. Condition."

Patrick answered without hesitation. "Tired, frustrated, but intact. They’ve been given space, supplies, enough to function, but no authority, no freedom to move as they please."

Tom added, "They’re waiting. Same as us."

Lucas nodded slightly, the pieces aligning more clearly now. "And Blackmare?"

Patrick’s expression grew more serious. "Watching. That’s the best way to put it. They’re not idle, they’re just... not acting openly."

Tom gave a small shrug. "If anything, they’re preparing quietly. Strengthening defenses, controlling information, keeping everything stable on the surface."

Lucas exhaled slowly, his gaze steady as he said, "They’re waiting for the right moment."

Neither of them argued that.

For a brief moment, the three of them stood in silence, the noise of the town continuing around them, unchanged, unaffected, as if the conversation they were having belonged to a different world entirely.

Then Lucas spoke again, his voice calm but decisive. "We go to the Valerion forces."

Tom nodded immediately. "Figured you’d say that."

Patrick’s lips curved slightly. "Might be time we stop being just observers."

Lucas glanced once toward the healer’s building, where Sage Raph was being treated, then back at them. "We move once he’s stable enough."

Tom let out a quiet breath. "Hopefully that’s soon."

Lucas’ gaze hardened slightly, though his tone remained even. "It has to be, if not he’ll have to wait."

Lucas did not waste time once Tom and Patrick finished their report, his focus shifting immediately back to the one matter that could not be delayed, and as he stepped into the healer’s quarters, his presence alone drew the man’s attention. Sage Raph lay on a prepared bed, his breathing steadier than before, though still shallow, his condition improved only enough to keep him from slipping further. The healer moved carefully around him, adjusting herbs and mixtures with practiced hands, and when Lucas approached, he looked up briefly, already aware of the urgency carried in the young man’s gaze.

"How long," Lucas asked, his voice calm but direct, leaving no room for vague answers.

The healer hesitated only slightly before replying, "If his condition remains stable, he should regain consciousness in a few days, perhaps three," his tone cautious, as though he understood the weight of what he was saying.

Lucas’ expression did not change, but there was a subtle tightening in his eyes as he processed that. "Three days," he repeated quietly, more to himself than anyone else.

That was time he did not have.

Behind him, Lady Isabelle stood still, her gaze fixed on Sage Raph, while Lady Cecilia remained composed, though her attention shifted toward Lucas, already anticipating his decision. Tom and Patrick lingered near the entrance, silent but attentive, while Darmian stood with arms loosely at his sides, his posture still carrying the fatigue of the journey.

Lucas exhaled slowly, then spoke again, his tone steady. "He stays here," he said, not as a suggestion, but as a decision already made.

Lady Isabelle’s gaze flickered toward him, but she did not argue, because she understood. The situation had moved beyond personal preference.

Lucas turned slightly toward the healer. "You will take care of him. Whatever he needs, you provide it," his voice low but firm, carrying a quiet authority that made it clear this was not a request.

The healer nodded immediately. "He will be treated properly," he replied, his tone respectful.

Lady Cecilia stepped forward at that point, reaching into her belongings and placing payment on the table, more than what was required, enough to ensure there would be no neglect, her voice calm as she said, "This is for his care. Use whatever is necessary. If more is needed, it will be provided."

The healer’s eyes widened slightly at the amount, but he inclined his head quickly. "He will be given the best attention available," he assured them.

Flora stepped closer to the bedside, her calm presence settling into place as she said quietly, "I will remain with him," her voice steady, as though there had never been any doubt.

Lucas nodded once. "Good," he said, then turned to two of his men, his gaze sharpening slightly as he gave his next command. "You stay here with them. Protect this place. No one gets close without reason."

The two men straightened immediately, their voices firm as they responded, "Understood."

Lucas’ eyes lingered on them for a brief moment before he added, "The moment he wakes and is stable enough to move, you bring him to us. Do not delay."

"Yes," they replied again, more resolute this time.

Lady Isabelle stepped closer to Sage Raph, her hand resting lightly near his arm for a brief second, her expression soft but controlled, before she stepped back without a word. There was no time for drawn-out emotion, not now.

Lucas turned away from the bed, his decision already complete, his voice cutting through the room once more. "We’re moving," he said.

Tom straightened slightly, the fatigue from earlier pushed aside. "To the Valerion forces," he said, already knowing the answer.

Lucas gave a small nod. "We need to reach them, and after that, I go to the king," his tone leaving no room for delay.

Patrick let out a quiet breath, a faint edge returning to his expression. "Then we don’t waste another second."

Darmian adjusted his stance, rolling his shoulders once as he prepared to move again, while Gwen stepped back from Sage Raph, her focus shifting forward. Lady Cecilia gave one last glance toward Flora before turning as well, her composure returning fully, and Lady Isabelle followed, her earlier concern now buried beneath resolve.

Without another word, they began to move.

Lucas led the way out of the healer’s building, the rest following closely behind, their formation tightening once more as they stepped back into the streets of Blackmare’s outskirts, no longer travelers in need of rest, but a group with purpose renewed.

Behind them, Sage Raph remained in careful hands.

Ahead of them, the next stage awaited.

They set off toward where the Valerion forces had been stationed, their pace quick, their focus unwavering, because every moment now carried weight, and Lucas had no intention of wasting any of them.