Three weeks into building New Haven, things were going pretty good.
We had seven buildings now, not counting the wall. Food wasn't a problem—Maya hunted almost every day, and Toran's crops were actually starting to grow. The four slaver prisoners worked without complaining much, probably because they knew the alternative was starving in stone boxes.
I'd even managed to create my first successful enchanted item. A knife that stayed sharp no matter what you cut. Simple stuff, but it worked and didn't explode.
Then Garon brought bad news.
"Riders," he said, rushing into the communal hall where I was eating breakfast. "Four of them. Coming from the south. They'll reach the valley in maybe an hour."
I put down my food. "Did they see you?"
"Don't think so. I was on the ridge, they were following the river path. But they're definitely heading this way."
Maya stood up. "Could be the slavers who got away. Coming back with reinforcements."
"Or could be random travelers," Toran offered hopefully.
"In this remote area?" Kira shook her head. "Nobody comes out here by accident."
I thought fast. Four riders meant at least four people, possibly more if they had supplies or prisoners. We had seven people total, but three were non-combatants—Kira, Toran, and Pip.
"Garon, Maya, you're with me. Everyone else, hide in the communal hall. Lock the doors." I turned to the prisoners. "You four, back in your quarters. Make a sound and I bury you. Understand?"
Jed nodded quickly. The others looked scared but they moved.
"What's the plan?" Maya asked once the others were hidden.
"We observe first. If they're just passing through, we let them go. If they're looking for us..." I trailed off.
"Then what?" Garon pressed.
"Then we deal with it."
We climbed to a good vantage point on the hill overlooking the valley entrance. I used air magic to make sure no sound carried from our position.
The riders showed up twenty minutes later.
Four men on horses, all wearing leather armor with metal reinforcements. Professional quality, way better than what the slavers had. Each carried weapons—swords, crossbows, maces.
But what caught my attention was the symbol on their chest pieces. A red hawk clutching a silver coin.
"Merchant guild," Garon whispered. "That's the Crimson Hawk Trading Company. They operate across the eastern provinces."
"Why would merchants be out here?"
"They're not just merchants. They hire mercenaries for security. These look like guild enforcers."
The riders stopped at the valley entrance, examining the ground. One of them—an older guy with gray hair—dismounted and knelt down, looking at tracks.
"Someone's been through here recently," he called out. "Multiple people. Some barefoot, like beastkin."
My stomach dropped. They were tracking the refugees.
Another rider, younger with a scar across his nose, grinned. "Think those cat freaks made it this far?"
"Possibly. The trail leads into the valley. Let's check it out."
They started moving forward.
I made a decision. "Stay here. I'm going down."
"Alone?" Maya hissed. "That's stupid."
"Four against one looks less threatening than four against three. Plus if things go bad, you two can provide backup." I looked at Garon. "You've got the crossbow?"
He nodded, holding up one of the slaver weapons we'd kept.
"Good. If they attack me, shoot the leader. Aim for the horse if you can't get a clean shot at the rider."
Before they could argue more, I used air magic to jump down the hillside, landing softly in the valley entrance.
The riders saw me immediately. They reined in their horses, hands going to weapons.
I stood there, trying to look non-threatening. Just a kid in simple clothes, no visible weapons or armor.
The gray-haired leader studied me. "Well. Didn't expect to find a child out here."
"I live here," I said simply.
"Live here? In the middle of nowhere?" The scarred one laughed. "Where's your parents, kid?"
"Dead."
That shut him up for a second.
The leader's eyes narrowed. "You're alone out here? No family? No guardians?"
"I manage."
He didn't look convinced. His eyes scanned the valley behind me, taking in the wall, the buildings visible in the distance.
"You built all that by yourself?"
"I'm a mage," I said, which was technically true. "Earth magic helps with construction."
The third rider, a woman with short black hair, spoke up. "You're awfully calm for a kid talking to four armed strangers."
"Should I be scared?"
"Most people would be," she said.
I shrugged. "Most people can't do this."
I raised my hand. A sphere of fire appeared above my palm, bright orange and crackling with heat. Not my strongest magic—just enough to make a point.
The horses shifted nervously. The riders exchanged glances.
The leader held up a hand. "Easy there. We're not here to hurt you. We're looking for some escaped property. Beastkin, five of them. You seen anyone like that?"
Property. They meant slaves.
"No," I lied smoothly. "Haven't seen anyone. It's just me here."
"Tracks lead into this valley," the scarred one said. "Fresh tracks, less than a month old."
"Animals, probably. Lots of wildlife around here."
The woman wasn't buying it. "Animals don't wear shoes. And beastkin have distinctive paw prints mixed with humanoid feet. We know what we're tracking."
The leader dismounted, walking closer to me. Not threatening, but clearly trying to intimidate through size difference.
"Listen, kid. We're authorized by both the Merchant Guild and the Ducal authorities to recover escaped slaves. It's legal business. If you're hiding them, you're breaking the law. Hand them over, and we'll leave you in peace. Lie to us..." He let the threat hang.
I met his eyes. "There's nobody here but me. You're welcome to look around if you want. But you won't find what you're looking for."
It was a gamble. The settlement was visible from here, but the refugees were hidden. If these guys searched thoroughly, they might find evidence. But if I refused to let them look, that would confirm I was hiding something.
The leader studied me for a long moment.
Then he smiled. It wasn't a nice smile. "You're lying. I can tell. You've got that look—like you're trying too hard to seem innocent."
"Think what you want."
"I think you've got five beastkin hidden somewhere. And I think you're a talented young mage who doesn't understand how the world works." He gestured to his companions. "Search the valley. Check every building."
The riders started forward.
I didn't move. "I wouldn't do that if I were you."
They ignored me, riding past.
I sighed. "Last warning. Leave now or face the consequences."
The scarred one laughed. "What're you gonna do, kid? Throw fireballs at us? You're outnumbered and—"
I hit him with compressed air.
Not enough to kill, but enough to knock him clean off his horse. He flew backward, landing hard on the ground with an "oof" that probably knocked the wind out of him.
The other three reacted instantly. The woman fired her crossbow. I deflected the bolt with an air barrier—it pinged off harmlessly into the bushes.
The fourth rider, who hadn't spoken yet, started chanting. His hands glowed blue.
A mage. Great.
I didn't give him time to finish. Used earth magic to grab his horse's legs, stone hands erupting from the ground. The horse panicked, bucking wildly. The mage's spell fizzled as he grabbed for the reins.
The leader drew his sword, charging at me on foot.
I created a pit directly in his path. He tried to stop but momentum carried him forward. He dropped into the ten-foot hole with a yell.
Three down, one still functional.
The woman abandoned her crossbow and drew twin daggers, dismounting smoothly. She was fast—way faster than the others. Closed the distance between us in seconds.
I barely got an air barrier up before she was on me. Her daggers sparked against the invisible wall.
"Impressive shield," she said, circling. "But how long can you maintain it?"
Good question. The barrier was draining my mana steadily.
She attacked again, daggers moving in complex patterns. Testing for weaknesses.
I reinforced the barrier, but she was right—this wasn't sustainable.
From the hillside, Garon fired. The crossbow bolt whistled through the air, aimed at the woman.
She dodged without even looking, like she'd sensed it coming. "You've got backup. Should've mentioned that."
Two more bolts followed. She evaded those too, movement fluid and practiced.
She's way too skilled. Professional assassin level.
I needed to end this fast.
Dropped the barrier suddenly. She lunged forward, expecting me to be defenseless.
Instead, I hit her with fire. Not a fireball—those were easy to dodge. I superheated the air around her, creating a sphere of burning atmosphere.
She stumbled back, skin reddening from the heat. Dropped one dagger to shield her face.
That's when Maya's arrow took her in the shoulder.
The woman went down, cursing. "Dammit!"
I froze the ground beneath her using water magic, ice spreading across the dirt. She slipped, went down hard.
"Enough!" I shouted. "Next attack, I stop holding back."
The scarred one, still on the ground wheezing, raised his hands. "We yield! We yield!"
The mage's horse had calmed down, but he wasn't trying to cast anymore. Just sat there looking shaken.
The leader climbed out of the pit, sword still in hand but not attacking. He looked at me with new eyes.
"You're no ordinary child," he said slowly.
"No. I'm not." I let fire gather in both hands, making sure he saw exactly how much magic I could channel. "Here's how this works. You leave. Right now. Tell your guild that this valley is claimed territory, and anyone who enters without permission will be treated as hostile."
"Claimed by who? You?"
"Me and everyone under my protection."
The woman, still on the ground with an arrow in her shoulder, laughed bitterly. "You're insane. The guild will send an army. The duchy will declare you an outlaw."
"Let them try."
The leader sheathed his sword. "You've made a powerful enemy today, boy. The Crimson Hawk doesn't forget."
"Neither do I."
He helped the woman up, pulled the mage's horse steady, and retrieved the scarred one. All four remounted, keeping wary eyes on me.
"This isn't over," the leader said.
"I know."
They rode away, slower than they'd arrived, looking back occasionally like they expected an ambush.
I waited until they were completely out of sight before letting my magic fade.
Then I collapsed.
My legs just gave out. Exhaustion hit me like a physical weight. I'd burned through maybe half my mana pool in those few minutes of fighting.
Garon and Maya rushed down from the hillside.
"That was incredibly stupid," Maya said, but she was smiling. "Also kind of awesome."
"They'll come back," Garon said grimly. "With more people. Better prepared."
"I know." I let them help me up. "We've got maybe a week, maybe less. Need to prepare."
Back at the settlement, everyone emerged from hiding. Kira immediately started fussing over me, checking for injuries. Pip looked at me like I'd grown a second head.
The beastkin refugees were pale.
"They know we're here," Toran said. "They'll send more hunters."
"Not just hunters," Garon corrected. "The Crimson Hawk Trading Company has connections. Money. They might hire actual mercenary companies. Could be dealing with thirty, forty fighters."
"Then we prepare for thirty or forty fighters."
"With what?" Maya asked. "We've got seven people, four of whom can't really fight."
She wasn't wrong. This was bad.
I gathered everyone in the communal hall, including the prisoners.
"Okay. Reality check. We just made serious enemies. They will come back. Probably in force." I looked at each person. "Anyone who wants to leave, now's the time. I won't stop you. This is my fight."
Silence.
Then Garon spoke. "Where would we go? Back to slavery? No. We stand with you."
"Same," Maya said. "You gave us a home. Time to defend it."
Toran nodded. Kira too. Even Pip raised his hand.
Jed, the prisoner, cleared his throat. "What about us?"
"What about you?"
"We help you fight, you let us go free after. Deal?"
I considered it. "You help defend this place, you earn your freedom. But if you run or betray us, the deal's off."
He glanced at the other prisoners. They nodded.
"Deal," Jed said.
[MILESTONE ACHIEVED: DEFENDED SETTLEMENT]
[NEW QUEST: PREPARE FOR SIEGE]
[TIME LIMIT: 7 DAYS]
[REWARD: INTERMEDIATE DEFENSIVE MAGIC TECHNIQUES]
Seven days to prepare for an army.
"Alright," I said, mind already racing through possibilities. "Here's what we do. Garon, Maya—you train everyone in basic combat. Even the non-fighters need to know how to hold a weapon. Toran, I need you to help build defenses. Wooden stakes, traps, anything that'll slow down attackers. Kira, start stockpiling food and medical supplies. We might be under siege for days."
"What about you?" Garon asked.
"Magic. I'm going to build defenses that'll make them regret ever hearing about this valley."
The next seven days were hell.
I barely slept. Spent every waking hour creating magical defenses.
First, I reinforced the wall. Not just physically—I carved runes into the stone, linking them to my mana. The runes would strengthen the wall and alert me if anyone tried to climb over.
Second, traps. I created dozens of them throughout the valley. Pit traps with spikes. Stone walls that would rise from the ground on command. Areas where I could superheat the air or freeze the ground instantly.
Third, I set up a barrier at the valley entrance. A magical wall that could be raised or lowered. It would drain my mana to maintain, but it could stop arrows and slow down charging attackers.
While I worked on magic, Toran and the prisoners built physical defenses. Sharpened wooden stakes planted in the ground around the wall. Ditches filled with loose rocks. Platforms inside the wall for archers.
Garon drilled everyone in combat. Even Kira learned to use a spear. Pip practiced with a sling, slinging stones at targets.
Maya taught everyone archery basics. "You don't need to be great," she explained. "Just good enough to hit someone from the wall."
We also prepared supplies. Smoked meat, dried vegetables, water barrels. Kira organized everything meticulously.
On day five, I tried something new.
I'd been thinking about the enchanted knife I made—the one that stayed sharp. What if I applied similar principles to weapons for everyone?
I spent an entire day enchanting. Created six daggers with sharpness runes. Four spearheads with durability enchantments. Two short swords with minor strength-enhancing magic.
The process nearly killed me. Enchanting was exhausting, and I pushed too hard.
Kira found me passed out in the workshop, bleeding from my nose where I'd overextended my mana channels.
"Idiot," she muttered, but her hands were gentle as she treated me. "You're going to burn yourself out before the fight even starts."
"We need every advantage," I croaked.
"Not if our leader collapses from exhaustion."
She was right. I forced myself to rest that night. Actually slept for eight hours.
Day six, we did a full defensive drill.
Simulated an attack. Everyone to positions. Garon on the wall with a crossbow. Maya and Toran with bows. Kira and Pip behind the wall with spears. The four ex-slavers at ground level with weapons.
I stood at the entrance, ready to raise the barrier and coordinate magic.
"Enemy approaching from the south!" Garon shouted.
Everyone reacted. Maya nocked an arrow. Toran raised his bow shakily but held position.
I raised the magical barrier. It shimmered into existence, a wall of hardened air across the valley entrance.
"Fire!" Garon commanded.
Arrows flew at imaginary targets.
"Second wave! They're climbing the wall!"
The ex-slavers rushed to that section, spears ready.
We ran the drill three times, finding weaknesses, adjusting positions.
By the end, everyone was exhausted but more confident.
"We might actually survive this," Toran said, trying to sound optimistic.
"We'll do more than survive," I said. "We'll win."
Day seven arrived with dark clouds and distant thunder.
Garon spotted them at noon.
"They're here."
I climbed to the wall, looking south.
An army was marching toward the valley. Not just four riders this time.
I counted at least forty people. Maybe more. Armored mercenaries, mounted cavalry, and what looked like three mages based on their robes.
In the front, riding a black horse, was the gray-haired leader from before.
"Told you we'd be back," his voice carried across the distance, magically amplified.
My heart pounded. This was it. The first real test of everything I'd built.
I looked back at my people. Seven fighters and me. Against forty plus.
Maya caught my eye. She looked scared but determined. Garon stood tall, sword ready. Even Pip had his sling loaded with a stone.
"For New Haven," I said quietly.
"For New Haven," they echoed.
The army advanced.
And the first battle for my kingdom began.