Steel and Sorrow: Rise of the Mercenary king

Chapter 432: Among the ants(2)

The ship that carried Torghan and his group back home did not return empty. Its hull was filled with the goods meant for exchange with the outsiders—barrels of wine and cider, sacks of salt, steel weapons, and pieces of armor gleaming under the afternoon sun. The sheer amount of wealth being unloaded onto the shore was enough for the tribesmen to propser and take back their hills, as long as they were willing to pay the price.

For the first few hours after disembarking, Torghan found himself lingering at the outskirts of the outsider camp, watching as the soldiers and laborers meticulously organized the shipment. Even though he was home, something about the camp's structured order felt oddly familiar now. Perhaps it was the memory of his time spent in Alpheo's court, the days of riding, observing drills, and sharing meals with men who were utterly different yet strangely welcoming.

The sickness of the sea still clung to him, a dull unease in his stomach, so he chose to rest a while. The rocking of the waves had ceased, but his body had not yet caught up, making solid ground feel unsteady beneath his feet. He waited, letting the discomfort pass before finally rising to his feet.

With the sun starting its slow descent, Torghan knew it was time to return to the village. He adjusted the fine armor that still felt slightly foreign on his shoulders and began his journey back. However, Aron remained behind in the camp saying that he had some matters to tend to, and that he would follow them either later into the evening or the next day.

And with that, Torghan and his tribesmen departed without him, heading toward the heart of their homeland to report all they had seen.

After hours of marching, their feet carrying them over hills and through forests they had once thought they would never see again, the group finally found themselves walking the familiar path back to their village. The scent of the land, the rustling of the trees, and the distant sound of animals grazing brought a strange mixture of nostalgia and realization—this was home, yet something about them had changed.

As soon as they emerged onto the village outskirts, the response was immediate. Tribesmen swarmed around them, faces alight with curiosity, relief, and confusion. Questions came at them from all sides.

"Where have you been?"

"Why did you leave?"