NSLICE-00P stepped back into the nearly empty void, only now with the gate to the Otter Burrow on the other side. Agedia was glancing around with narrowed eyes, keeping an eye on the sides. Estrith had her eyes glued on the gate ahead of them. Taog was glancing around with wide eyes. Ateia stepped forward in a daze. She slowly crouched down and placed her hand on the ground.

“Seero…this place…is yours?”

“Affirmative.”

Ateia closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She then patted the ground and rose to her feet. NSLICE-00P continued on, marching towards the gate. Estrith followed right at her heels, the rest a bit behind them.

She stepped out into the Otter Burrow’s core room. Uscfrea had just arrived and gave her a salute. His eyes only widened a small amount.

“Welcome back, My Queen.”

“Greetings: Hello, NSLICE-Uscfrea.”

Estrith then stepped forward and saluted.

“My…Steward, I have returned once more.”

Uscfrea blinked before smiling slightly and nodding.

“Welcome home, Guard of Our Queen.”

Uscfrea then turned to NSLICE-00P.

“Would you mind explaining the situation, My Queen?”

“Affirmative. Transmitting relevant data.”

NSLICE-00P and Uscfrea’s robotic eyes both started flickering. Uscfrea grunted as images and videos streamed into his mind. After a minute their eyes stopped flickering and Uscfrea held his head, blinking a few times.

Then he scowled.

“So the Imperials were telling the truth about that whole cult business after all. I always knew the Imperials were arrogant, but to think some of them believe tearing down the world itself is a good idea. The decline of the Empire is great indeed if such a group is operating freely among them.”

Then he turned to NSLICE-00P.

“So you plan to fight them, My Queen?”

“Affirmative. Clarification: This unit, along with friendly and subordinate units, require upgrades and countermeasures to reduce the risk of termination to acceptable levels. Termination of hostiles will proceed following sufficient upgrade routines.”

Uscfrea nodded.

“Then we shall prepare as well. It’s a bit late to ask this, but I’m guessing everyone here is aware of our relationship with dungeons?”

“Affirmative.”

“Then we’ll do this the easy way. May I Transfer you and your companions, My Queen?”

“Affirmative.”

Taog tilted his head and was about to ask when the group’s vision suddenly shifted. They were in a conference room with a basic wooden table, still within the dungeon. The current occupants of the room suddenly rose to their feet, their hands moving towards blades and spears before they realized who had arrived.

The former rebel Dux Augustalis swore.

“By the Aesdes, Your Majesty, could you stop doing that?! It’s deeply unnerving when you just pop out of nowhere!”

Uscfrea smiled at her.

“No.”

Augustalis swore again while Vopicus heaved a sigh. There were three Dobhar and a Wulver in the room as well, the elderly Dobhar known as the Mother of the Waves, a younger Dobhar woman NSLICE-00P identified as Aethelu, mother of the Sacred Otterkin Aldreda, as well as a Dobhar man NSLICE-00P hadn’t interacted with. The Wulver was Ceitidh Greumach, the clan leader that NSLICE-00P had Contracted. The Mother of the Waves shook her head and chuckled.

Then Uscfrea stepped to the side and saluted.

“All hail the Queen of the Dobhar.”

Everyone’s eyes widened slightly, but they quickly gathered themselves and saluted in Dobhar, Wulver, and Imperial fashion. Uscfrea nodded.

“Everyone here has a Contract with either you or myself, My Queen, and have been ruling your people as you command. State your orders and we shall see it done.”

“Acknowledged.”

NSLICE-00P’s robotic eye began to glow, and then displayed a holographic image in the air showing the glimpses NSLICE-00P had caught of the Herald of Rain.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

“Command: New priority objective for this unit and all subordinate units is to locate and terminate the hostile organization designated ‘Heralds of the New Dawn’ and any affiliated units.”

Dux Augustalis and Vopicus both narrowed their eyes and clenched their fists at that.

“We will burn them to ash.”

Ateia scowled as well at the image displayed before them.

“That’s Senior Mage Sidonia, by the way.”

Taog’s eyes narrowed at that. Vopicus rubbed his chin.

“The Delugecaller herself? I thought Vibius said the Imperial Academy was clean?”

Dux Augustalis clenched her teeth.

“Vibius didn’t know a lot of things, it seems.”

Agedia crossed her arms.

“It gets worse. Consul Noxisius was in on it too.”

Vopicus’s eyes widened.

“Truly? Vibius thought it was Emperor Lucius, working in concert with Aedile Hortensus.”

Agedia shrugged.

“Better hope it was Noxisius, because shiny girl already killed him, most likely. Set his home on fire at the minimum.”

“Uncertain Statement: This unit does not possess the data required to identify Consul Noxisius, and so cannot confirm or deny if he was terminated.”

Vopicus gulped at that.

“So…the Empire’s on the way?”

Agedia shrugged again.

“That will depend on the Magister Exploratores and Consul Hiberius, so probably not right away if at all. But if the Heralds of the New Dawn had agents that high in the Northern Court, even after the purge a decade ago, then they most certainly exist in either the South or the East as well, probably both.”

Uscfrea shook his head.

“Whatever the case may be, our job is clear. Our Queen is preparing to go to war with this cult, and the first blows have been struck. We must be ready to follow her, and to fend off their attacks.”

Aethelu saluted to NSLICE-00P once more.

“I will follow you no matter what, My Queen. We will strike down your enemies, without fail.”

Dux Augustalis clenched her fist.

“We’ve been preparing for this foe for a long time, and we have a score to settle of our own.”

The Mother of the Waves frowned and rubbed her chin.

“From what you say, this group has been manipulating the Empire? Our people are not fully established yet, Steward, and Her Majesty’s subjects have not yet found peace with one another. Do you think it is wise to fight again so soon?”

Uscfrea nodded.

“I understand your concern, Mother of the Waves, but the foe has already struck. The fight is coming, whether we are ready or not. Our Queen has commanded, we must now see it done.”

The Mother of the Waves continued frowning, but then glanced at NSLICE-00P. Her expression returned to neutral.

“Well…I suppose with the Queen of the Dobhar at our head, I should not be so worried.”

Uscfrea smirked at that.

The group gave some reports after that. Dux Augustalis, the male Dobhar, and Ceitidh reported on the available soldiers in their respective camps, while the Mother of the Waves, Vopicus, and Aethelu reported on the organization of the noncombatants. From what NSLICE-00P could tell, the Dobhar were making vast improvements in the organization and sophistication of their forces, as well as their food supply. The Imperial rebels, on the other hand, had established a settlement with the help of the Dobhar and the Wulver, and were just starting up some industries besides food and basic construction.

There were some integration issues between the three groups, going as far as some brawls. Likewise, while the Dobhar and Wulver were improving, their organization and discipline still didn’t approach Legion standard. The rebel Legions, on the other hand, would face supply issues in all but the shortest of campaigns without the support of a more developed economy and the abundant resources the Empire could provide. NSLICE-00P’s army could not match the cohesion, readiness, or sustainment ability displayed by the Empire.

But that was fine. NSLICE-00P had not considered the Dobhar as a major asset for the offense in the first place, and was planning to handle the termination mission personally. If the Dobhar could defend themselves, then that was enough. If her subordinates could conduct offensive operations apart from her, then that only improved her current predictions.

It wasn’t clear if the Heralds of the New Dawn actually had any organized military forces to their name, after all. The Heralds’ operations that NSLICE-00P had observed thus far were more characteristic of asymmetric warfare, which would imply a desire to avoid peer conflict. Whether that was by choice or necessity was unknown, and would require further investigation. She may, in fact, need to boost the Dobhar’s effectiveness as an organized force should the Heralds possess armies on par with the Legion.

In any case, no one had any actionable intel on the Heralds at this time. The Imperial rebels had some but it was sourced by the late Magister Vibius and contained some contradictions to observations made in live combat by NSLICE-00P, and so could not be acted upon without further confirmation. So nothing could be done at this stage besides further upgrade routines, which was NSLICE-00P’s plan to begin with.

So, NSLICE-00P ordered Uscfrea to prepare for the conflict and gather intel as best he could, while she would focus on her own upgrades and investigations. While she could offer her own protocols on combat and military organization, she calculated working on her own, direct countermeasures would be more efficient in defeating this specific threat.

And so, the group parted ways with Uscfrea’s council, heading to the Dobhar settlement. They would greet the Dobhar, and then Uscfrea would arrange for their quarters. And as they exited the dungeon into the public areas of the Dobhar settlement, an older Dobhar woman approached them. A Dobhar woman giving off nonstandard readings.

Uscfrea raised an eyebrow and was about to question her when NSLICE-00P stepped forward. The Dobhar smiled.

“It might cause a bit of commotion if you mention my name here. Why don’t we go somewhere private, first?”

“Affirmative.”

With NSLICE-00P’s approval, Uscfrea fell silent and led them to quarters that had been prepared should NSLICE-00P come to visit. Once in private, the Dobhar woman created a barrier and assumed her Aesdes form once again. Uscfrea’s eyes went as wide as they could go before he struck his tail on the ground and bowed his head.

“So what I saw was true. Welcome, Mighty Ardith, the Master Hunter and Warrior. I am honored to be in your presence.”

She smiled at him.

“Be at ease, Brave Uscfrea. You are a warrior both courageous and mighty, and you have preserved your people with strength and cunning. You have much to be proud of.”

Uscfrea looked up to her. He began to tremble slightly.

“…thank you, Mighty Ardith. Your words mean a great deal to me.”

Colleöne smiled at him. As she did, a message passed before her eyes.

Are you going to tell him how Velus and his wife always cheer for their kids when watching battles? Loudly, I might add.