The fire popped, sending a spray of sparks into the air. Thomas spoke and confirmed what Reidar already knew: the Church wasn't just conquering territory; they kidnapped survivors, either to work them to death or to use them for their twisted experiments, creating stronger monsters that they would then slaughter for massive mana gains or to use them in some other way.

Thomas also explained the settlement situation in this area, and it was bleak. There were no other major settlements left around these parts. The Church had been thorough. Anyone who hadn't bent the knee had been eradicated or dragged off in chains. This small camp was the last one still standing. Of course, that was not true for the entire region, but a huge chunk of it had been conquered already.

After all, the level disparity between the average survivor and the church was abysmal. Only the settlements directly protected by the Aegis Phalanx were still standing.

"I'm sorry," Reidar said, and he meant it. "We can't stay to protect you, but we can get you out."

He explained his offer. Since he could now summon a permanent squad of creatures that could act as mounts and guards, bringing these 100-200 people out of this forest wasn't a problem, and since the Foragers he had originally planted on Silas had vanished when the skill hit 100% proficiency and evolved, not making a new squad was just stupid.

"They'll take you as close to Creamont as possible. It's a two-week journey, but with the Sky-Hunters, you'll move fast, and nothing in these woods will touch you."

Thomas looked at him, then at the exhausted people huddled around the fires. He didn't argue. He didn't have the luxury. "We'll take it," he said.

The decision was made quickly. The camp began to stir. A ripple of energy moved through the survivors as they packed what little they owned.

For Reidar, summoning a couple hundred Sky-Hunters was a negligible drain on his vast reserves. He could replace them easily if needed. It was a small price to pay to ensure these people didn't end up as fuel for the Church's machine.

And he pitied them. This was not the way a person should live. With the logistics settled, Reidar turned back to Thomas.

"One last thing," Reidar said. "Do you have a vendor?"

Thomas nodded, pointing toward a secluded tent near the back of the camp. "We do."

Reidar left the gathering and made his way to the vendor's tent. Inside, he found a Thalassari merchant who called himself Zyreth'Kal. The creature's appearance was modest, almost ragged, and Reidar wondered if this was deliberate.

The vendor's modest appearance might have been intentional. It could have been a way to show solidarity with the survivors, to meet them where they were rather than flaunt wealth they didn't have. Or it could have been practical. If he looked too prosperous, too well-stocked, desperate people might start asking for handouts.

They might demand he open his inventory and share food, medicine, and supplies for free. Given how little these people had left, that kind of request wouldn't have been unthinkable.

As Reidar approached, the vendor greeted him with a calm nod. "Reidar Miller," he said. "I never thought I would have the honor."

"You know me?" He asked.

"Like everyone else."

There was a slight pause.

"How may I assist you?"

Reidar didn't waste time. "I need to send information to the Aegis Phalanx. Is there a way to do that through you?"

Zyreth'Kal inclined his head. "There is. I can transmit documents through the vendor network. They will reach the Phalanx within seconds."

Reidar reached into his inventory and pulled out the documents he'd taken from Viren's body the week before.

The papers were slightly creased but intact. Intelligence reports, operational notes, and encoded communications, but most importantly, locations.

Those locations weren't just routine intelligence. They were critical operational coordinates that could shift the entire balance of power in the region.

The Aegis Phalanx had been deployed to contain the Church's expansion and, more importantly, to monitor and counteract the Progenitor's movements. But their effectiveness depended entirely on having accurate, up-to-date intelligence, and the church proved to be far too adept at hiding.

Reidar would have never known where all these settlements were if he didn't plant spies on Silas. The question was, why did no one else do it?

The Phalanx operated blindly, not knowing the concentration of the Church's forces or the routes of their supply lines. They could react to attacks, but they couldn't strike preemptively. They couldn't dismantle the infrastructure that kept the Church's war machine running, and aid to the survivor groups often happened when everything was already done.

The Church was acting as if they were terrorists, which, in a sense, they were.

These documents changed that. The locations Reidar was sending them would reveal staging grounds, facilities, experimental sites like Redwater Crossing, and possibly even command posts. Not all of them, of course, but with that information, the Phalanx could launch targeted operations and save this region.

They could free prisoners. They could disrupt supply chains. They could force the Church onto the defensive.

And if any of those locations tied back to the Progenitor, if there were coordinates for where it had been sighted or where its influence was strongest, that was even more valuable. The Progenitor wasn't just another enemy, after all. Every piece of intelligence that helped the Phalanx track or predict its movements could save thousands of lives.

Reidar understood that much, even if he didn't know the full strategic picture. He knew the Phalanx needed every advantage they could get, and right now, these documents might be the most valuable thing he could give them.

He handed them over. "Send these. They'll want to see them."

The vendor accepted the papers without hesitation. He glanced at the top sheet briefly, then folded the stack with care. "It will be done. Is there anything else you need?"

Zyreth'Kal asked as he tucked the documents away.

"I actually do."

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