Shifter - Infinite Transformation-Chapter 55: Camp Ashborn

The soldiers were already distraught when they reached Camp Ashborn. Their forces had cleared the surroundings of the makeshift camp in the Eserian forest, making sure nobody would bother them. That was until the Hnolls attacked. They clearly didn’t expect such a well-organized assault from mere monsters.

Even if they were humanoids, Hnolls were not supposed to be intelligent enough to overwhelm the Zetrian Empire’s soldiers and hunters. At least, that was how I imagined them to be thinking.

I still didn’t know the extent of their initial plans, but either the discovery of the dungeon entrance or the find of the eggs had changed something. Whatever it was, it sent waves throughout Camp Ashborn. So did the roar ringing out from the Eserian.

The soldiers who’d already been traumatized by the Hnolls’ striking force were now reeling. Some screamed and wanted to flee the scene; others collapsed. Fortunately, the situation was quickly resolved when the Captains stepped forward to intervene.

One of them was none other than Captain Anthea. While I didn’t know her well enough to say much about her personality, she was feisty and did not shy away from violence. That much she showed clearly when she had the deserters whipped. They didn’t make it far and barely ran a few meters before someone had them caught, confined, and bound to a wooden pillar, where Captain Anthea had them whipped.

Blood splattered on her uniform, adding to the speckles of blood that already stained it. I doubted many paid attention to her uniform or the blood sprinkles... except for me. I did, and I knew that Captain Anthea hadn’t fought against the Hnolls. At least, she hadn’t been covered in blood before. That was no longer the case.

While there hadn’t been much blood to note, wasn’t it weird that there was suddenly blood on her uniform when there hadn’t been any as they left the Eserian?

Did she kill them already? My eyes grew wide at how easily the thought came to me. It didn’t even surprise me. If anything, it felt like it rang in my ears like a theory that made perfect sense–that Captain Anthea had all those who knew about the eggs killed.

It had only been a premonition, and I was more than happy to have shifted into another soldier before it was too late.

I considered staying far away from her as well, but she was too close to the tent where the three eggs were kept. So distance wasn’t the right call either. If I really wanted to fulfill the juvenile dragon’s wish, I would have to approach her rather than stay away.

So that was exactly what I did. Well, somewhat.

Since I was still in the old soldier’s form, one I could maintain permanently thanks to the dragon’s Essence boost, I could walk through Camp Ashborn without having to worry about getting exposed. I probably looked distraught, vigilant, and frightened to the core no matter how tough I tried to appear, but that was probably for the best. Even the tougher soldiers were scared. The roar reverberating through the forest must have affected them more than me.

"You!" a soldier shouted, eyes narrowed at me. "What is your name, soldier?"

"Are you asking me?" I asked, my heart skipping a beat.

"I am pointing at you, you old fool!" he growled. "What is your name?"

The soldier was young, but the authority in his voice echoed in my ears. It did something to me, and I answered him before I could think about it properly.

"Merle," I answered, trying hard not to look at my Status.

The sharpness in the soldier’s voice and eyes diminished ever so slightly. Following that, the compelling force I had only just now recognized faded as well.

"Thank you for your cooperation, Soldier Merle." The soldier offered a faint smile. "Do you know a soldier by the name of Phillip Lecoste by any chance? Captain Anthea wishes to speak with him."

The soldier’s question made my heart skip once more. Phillip Lecoste was none other than my other human form. It was the form I’d used to infiltrate the soldiers’ camp.

"No." I shook my head slowly, making sure I maintained a neutral expression. "Do you know why Captain Anthea is looking for him? If she needs help with something, I could–"

The soldier waved dismissively. "Captain Anthea does not need the help of old soldiers." He tilted his head. "No, you know what?"

The compelling force returned as suddenly as it had faded earlier.

"Do you want to get into Captain Anthea’s pants?" he asked sharply.

"No."

"Good. Do you desire her?"

"No." Was that not the same?

"Are your intentions pure?"

What even were those questions? I narrowed my eyes at the soldier but nodded anyway.

"Yes."

The soldier seemed satisfied, but the compelling force prevailed as he asked one last question.

"Can you be trusted with a special mission?"

I was still unsure what the soldier was getting at. Still, I answered honestly... I had to, after all.

"I think I can be trusted." A bead of sweat trickled down my forehead as I responded.

The soldier clearly had a Power that compelled those affected to speak the truth. That was what it did to me. However, I felt like there was more to it. Alas, the soldier seemed satisfied enough.

"Perfect. Follow me. You will tend to Captain Anthea’s desires. Do not sleep with her. I am going to cut your dick off if you do." The soldier glared at me, but I couldn’t quite tell how serious he was. Either Captain Anthea liked sex a lot and wasted a lot of soldiers, or the soldier with his Truthspeaking Power was in love with her and wanted her for himself.

I really didn’t care about their personal preferences. For all I cared, Captain Anthea could sleep with all of Camp Ashborn.

He appeared satisfied enough with my response and guided me back to a series of tents, one of which I’d entered the first time I stepped into the camp. It was the tent where the eggs and some other goods were stored.

"Your task is simple. Guard these tents. Turn a deaf ear to everything you hear," the soldier ordered. "The only time you are allowed, and supposed, to listen up is when Captain Anthea steps out of her tent. Other than that, you are to ensure the tents’ safety."

To have a guard watch over the tents in the heart of Camp Ashborn was odd. Or maybe it wasn’t. Not if it meant that the military’s higher-ups didn’t trust some of their soldiers.

"Oh, right, I almost forgot to ask something else. How stupid of me." The soldier chuckled lightly to himself and turned back to me. "Are you loyal to the Zetrian Empire?"

It was probably a normal question to the soldier. No more than a formality–something he had to ask everyone to ensure he didn’t give the watch duty to a thief or someone who could be bribed.

Unfortunately, it was also one of the worst types of questions aimed at me.

I had been loyal to the empire all my life, but after the earl kidnapped me and nobody did anything about it... could I really be considered loyal to them? I’d even killed some of the empire’s soldiers. The earl’s, to be precise, but did that really make a difference?

"I considered myself loyal to the Zetrian Empire my whole life." In the past, thus the tense. Considered rather than consider.

The soldier’s smile faltered momentarily at that. It wasn’t enough.

He cleared his throat, still smiling. "That’s good to know. It seems I forgot another question... Do you intend to harm the empire in any way?"

That was it. The soldier knew something was up. Yet he stepped closer, his smile as kind and genuine as before.

"Yes." I wanted to steal from them, take the eggs away, and I said as much even when I didn’t want to.

The soldier’s Power forced me. He forced me into speaking, but also into all that followed.

I was upon him, a bread conjured in my left hand. Shoving the bread into the soldier’s mouth as it parted for a shout, I was upon him. I pushed him into the tent to my right, a Bloodleer thorn stuck in his neck.