Chapter 18: Getting Answers
I struggled as we walked through the mountains to reach the horses, as my pack weight had doubled. The good news was the healing potion had done more than just heal my knee. All my aches, pains, and scabs were gone.
Delmar told me a simple healing potion, like the one I had taken, cost about five gold and could heal soft tissue injuries and mend bones. A full healing potion ran about fifty gold, but could bring someone back from the brink of death and align and repair broken bones. Our company had eight simple healing potions and nine full healing potions.
The potion's ingredients only cost about twenty percent of their value, but the alchemists needed to be exceptionally skilled. That was why magic
porters were in such high demand, since the valuable potions wouldn't expire in my dimensional space. Doing the math, a single full healing potion was worth what I would make in ten years as a soldier!
I nervously asked if I would be charged for the simple healing potion. Adrian laughed. "Only if you drink one without permission." I relaxed slightly, and he continued, "Castile does everything she can to keep us alive. A lot of mage company commanders have a healing spell. Castile does not, so she spends quite a sum on potions. We may take all the shit missions, but we also get more in return." It was definitely something for me to think about.
The First Citizen was carrying nothing but his sword and belt pouch. Firth and Wylie shared the load with me, but Justin Cicero still had four times as much gear as a normal legionnaire. The other men were weighed down with griffin meat, so we were not the only ones suffering. I stayed close to Firth as we traveled to ask questions.
I asked Firth, "So what is a First Citizen?"
He turned back to see the man walking amid the company with a cockiness that irritated everyone around him. Firth said quietly, "They can trace their lineage back to the First Legion. The First Legion consisted of some four thousand men who arrived from another world and carved out the Telhian Empire. Only about three hundred survived the Founding Wars, but their
descendants are the only ones who can own land in the Empire. They control all the seventeen provinces of the Empire with an iron fist."
He checked on Justin Cicero again before continuing, "Even being a descendent of a member of the First Legion does not grant you the right to be considered a First Citizen. There is a substantial tithe required to the Emperor. Some of the nobles only elevate the inheriting son to the status of a First Citizen. Others, like the Ciceros, have enough coin to elevate their
entire brood." He looked at Justin and said quietly, "They even do so knowing their child is an idiot."
I processed Firth's words. It made sense with the blended terminology of Rome and Medieval Europe if travelers came from all eras. Was the direction one way? Maybe there was a way back to Earth. "Did any of the First Legion ever return back to their own world?"
"Dragon's piss, Eryk. What do I look like, a scholar? I have no idea what happened some two millennia ago," Firth rasped with good humor.
Later in the hike, I asked, "Have there been other arrivals from other worlds?"
Firth shrugged, "Is your homeland so small you don't have myths about them? They appear and are brought before the Emperor, then are never
heard from again. I do not think there has been one in the Telhian Empire in three hundred years. But you should talk to a mage or scholar, not me."
I nodded, figuring that three hundred years ago, someone had brought the
idea of noble ranks; barons, dukes, et cetera. Maybe even earlier than three hundred years, as Firth's grasp on Telhian history was pretty weak.
I was silent for a long time. On a long, slow climb, I inquired, "Why can a First Citizen command so much power? He just took the griffin egg from Mage Castile. He didn't do anything to help get it. And the essences from the dungeon as well," I said.
He laughed. "That is because the First Citizens can requisition anything they want. If we are not fighting or in danger, that is." He looked back, checking on Justin again. "Don't worry. Mage Castile will log what he took from us at the Legion office. Justin will at least have to pay fair market
value to the Legion for what he took from us. We may even see a small bonus if they're feeling generous." He winked.
"What about the dungeon room chest from the water room?" I asked, remembering the contents had been part of my deal for being the bait and freezing the monsters.
Firth pursed his lips, "We never saw what was in the prize chest. We can't make false claims under the spell of a Truthseeker, and as a First Citizen, he does not need to submit to a Truthseeker, so he got away with that one. I am sure Castile will make it up to you when we reunite with the company." He leaned in close. "Castile and the company are going to race to Vartadria to register the new dungeon. We just have to make sure Justin Cicero takes at least seven days to reach Varvao."
This was a lot of subterfuge going on. "What do we get for registering a new dungeon?" I asked.
"The company should receive a five thousand gold reward from the Adventurer's Guild once it is confirmed." He grinned madly. "It falls
outside of Legion business, so we should see the whole reward. If Mage Castile keeps to her regular pattern, then half the reward will be divided
amongst the twenty-six of us after replenishing our potions." He patted my back, cracking a wide grin.
Firth ensured no one could hear him before adding, "I heard Justin order Mage Castile not to report the dungeon, but she's going to do it anyway.
She's extremely angry about this whole situation. We save his fucking life, and he has the gall to take our prizes. This Justin Cicero is one of the worst First Citizens I have ever dealt with. Most at least have common sense and courtesy."
"If I did get the gold, could I buy my way out of the Legion? Gain my
freedom?" I asked while we waited for the others at the bottom of a steep descent. I figured 2,500 gold was almost 100 gold for each man in the company.
"No, you're locked in for your five-year contract. With your ability, they may pull some tricks to keep you locked in, so be careful. I've seen it before. The best thing to do is not draw attention to yourself," Firth admitted.
"How long have you been in the Legion of the Lion?" I asked as we started walking with the group again.
"Sixteen years next November. Don't look surprised. It gives my wife and five children a steady stream of coin. And I get to use the brothels across
the Empire without getting hassled," he said good-naturedly.
I didn't understand what would make someone enroll over and over again to risk their life. Was it the adrenaline rush?
The path got easier as we began our final descent. Renna joined us, as the trail was now wide enough for more people. She told us of her flying
excursions around her village and how they had found and conscripted her. She talked a lot about flying and what it was like. The freedom to go in any direction—to do what you wanted. I could tell she felt constrained in her current position.
The horses and legionaries were all there when we arrived. They had fought off a half dozen wolves one night, and one of the horses had to be put down, making us two mounts short. Castile talked briefly with Justin before heading off northeast, two men riding pillion. Justin came to our small group, irate and swearing. He ordered, "We make for Formica to resupply. Then we will make the best speed to Varvao."
Firth and Wylie took their time getting their mounts ready and did not speed up, no matter how much Justin swore at them. It was only a ten-mile ride to Formica, but we didn't get there till evening. I followed Firth's lead and dragged my feet as much as possible. We stayed in the same room with
Renna that night, and in the morning, we took time purchasing supplies, eating breakfast, and saddling the mounts.
Justin was not stupid enough to travel alone through the lands, and I was also keeping his griffin egg safe in my dimensional space. Maybe when we reached one of the major roads in two hundred miles, he would take the egg and sprint, but Firth planned to take him on an arcing route, avoiding the main road as long as possible. On the first day, we made only twenty miles of the three hundred, and I was sure Justin was now suspicious of our intentions.
He approached me after dinner that evening, "Legionnaire. I want you and me to ride on alone. My father's birthday is soon, and I want to make sure I make it in time." I went to piss after and consumed my last apex endurance essence. Thankfully, no indigestion.
Firth had schooled me how to respond to the First Citizen. "Sorry, but I have been ordered to protect the Mage Renna. I cannot leave her." Her
face turned red as I said it. He knew we were stalling. We had a 300-mile trip, while Castile needed to go nearly 500 miles through more dangerous
and rough terrain. Wylie was sure she would find an outlying farm to get horses for the men without.
On our second day of riding, Wylie scouted out some roving swamp rats he wanted to avoid, so we took a four-hour detour. This was how each day proceeded. We rode cautiously in roughly the right direction but avoided all possible conflict, spending an hour in the evening to find a defensible position. Thankfully, it was early in the season, and most of the more
dangerous monsters had not migrated north with their prey, according to Firth. During the day, I did get a lot of experience with my horsemanship skills.
Camp life did suck on the journey. The night watch was divided between Firth, Wylie, and me. Some nights, Renna would sit and talk with me quietly. Justin complained something fierce every evening about our slow progress.
On the fourth day, we ended up fleeing a troglodyte war party of five. Firth made sure we galloped in the wrong direction. On the fifth night, we were attacked by lesser shadows and had to get the fire burning bright for the
entire night to keep them away. On the sixth day, we circled wide of a diseased treant, which was a massive living tree. This one had visible rot and no leaves. It took us eight days to reach the walls of Varvao, fleeing every possible creature. Justin seemed a coward, unwilling to fight any monsters. Since he was a First Citizen, we would have been forced to defend him if he did fight, but he was willing to flee every time.
Renna paused at the gates before leaning into me and whispering, "I hope our paths cross again. Remain safe in your travels." She then rode to
reunite with High Mage Dacian.
Justin's parting words were not as pleasant. "Give me the fucking griffin egg so I can take a portal to Olheus." I gave him the egg, and he stormed off, leaving us the mount he had borrowed and all his gear.
"Are we done with him?" I asked Firth.
Firth shook his head, "For now. I doubt he will be too happy after he finds out that Castile beat him to report the dungeon. But I suspect he already
knows."
"How much power does a baron's son have beyond being a First Citizen?" I asked as we rode through the gates ourselves. Firth was leading us to the
Legion office and barracks.
"Well, there are seventeen provinces and sixteen Dukes to run all the provinces, besides the Emperor's personal province. Each Duke has a Count in charge of each city and five to ten Barons that manage regions of their province. I'm guessing there are maybe one hundred barons in the
entire Telhian Empire. Some are more powerful than others. Baron Cicero supplies all the horses to the standing army and the Legion. That's nearly two thousand new riding mounts, and an additional one thousand war
mounts yearly," Firth explained.
Wylie added, "A lot of us knew Justin's pathfinder, Marius. He used to be in the Legion and was a good man. I think part of all this was Castile getting some payback for us for his death." Firth was nodding in agreement.
"It would have been easier just to leave him in the dungeon," I said seriously.
"Mage Castile doesn't like to fail. She sees everything to the end. You'll learn that soon enough," Firth replied.
"So what do we do?" I asked.
"We report in, and there should be a message from Castile on where we are to meet up with them," Firth said as he dismounted in front of the Legion office.
Chapter 19: Self-Assessment
The Legion office was more of a tavern than a formal building. A dozen men in legionnaire armor ate at the tables. Another dozen men and women in civilian clothing were eating food and drinking. I could tell most were legion by their well-muscled bodies in the more comfortable clothing. This city was much larger than any city I had been to, so the two dozen
legionaries inside should not have been a surprise.
I followed my mates to the bar. Firth ordered four ales and paid for them. He handed us each one and took two for himself as we went and sat at a table. We got a few looks, but no one talked to us. I asked Firth, "So what do we do now?"
"After we finish these—" he held up his two mugs "—I'll shower, hit the local brothel, and then I'll check for messages from Castile."
He sipped on his ale, and I was a bit speechless. It seemed like we should
have checked for messages first. I asked, "Can I head out and check out the city?"
Wylie said, "No problem. Be back here in four hours. You might want to shower first. You smell like shit, horses, and sweat." He pointed down a hallway. "Showers are that way. They'll wash your clothes and treat your leather armor."
Firth said seriously, "Don't run off, Eryk. It will not take long for the Legion Hounds to track you down. The punishment is always a public death."
With that wonderful news, Firth was off to the showers. I followed and stripped in front of a boy who put all my things in a box with the number 44 on it.
He bowed. "Your items will be ready in two hours, legionnaire. You didn't take your coin pouch." He pointed at it. It was empty, but I unclipped it anyway and carried it with me. I guessed he did not want anyone questioning missing coins. There was a cold shower to scrub the dirt off, then a hot soaking pool, and then I finished with a scented oil rub. I didn't spend much time in the hot soak, even though it felt good, because I was
anxious to get into the city. I also found it odd to sit in a pool with half a
dozen other naked men. They were all familiar with each other, involved in a deep conversation about methods to fight a hill giant.
I dried myself off after the soak. There were three scented oils to choose from: lavender, honeysuckle, and coconut. I went with the honeysuckle. I had not seen Firth, so he must have raced through the baths to get to the brothel. My clothes were not ready yet, so I only had access to a linen robe while I waited.
I went into a closet, pulled out my simple clothes from my space, filled my coin pouch with my gold and silver, and went out the back door. I walked to the streets, and after two questions to passersby, I was headed toward the trade district. My pouch bulged under my pants, and I kept my hand near it, mindful of thieves.
The city reminded me of something akin to an open market, with rows of
tents selling everything under the sun. What I really wanted was an essence collector or a stat assessment tablet. I asked and was directed to a small
elaborate fountain in a cul de sac. The cul de sac didn't have tents but actual shops, magic shops. The security was higher here, and maybe a dozen city guards milled around the fountain. I had only seen sporadic
pairs of city guards in the general market, so the fourteen here showed how important the cul de sac was.
I entered the bookstore first. A few patrons were browsing the shelves, and a middle-aged woman with a distracting mole on her chin asked me, "Can I help you?"
It was hard not to focus on the hairy mole, but I met her dull brown eyes and asked, "I'm looking for a book to teach my niece to read. She just started and needs something intermediate." She beamed at me, thinking I was helping a young girl.
"I have a few things, although you might want to try one of the general stands in the market as well," she said as she motioned me to follow.
She pulled out three books. I negotiated the price from thirteen silver down to ten, as all the books were old and worn. One book was the history of the Telhian Empire for kids. The second was children's stories of brave men and women of the Adventurer's Guild fighting the orc hordes. The third book was an actual dictionary. I thanked the woman and moved back to the
fountain. I would have purchased a book on magic, but that would have cost too much gold.
I tried asking one of the guards if anyone sold essence collectors. He curtly responded, "You can only buy them from the Empire shops. Their sale is highly regulated." I apologized as I backed away, not realizing a collector was that difficult to obtain. I supposed if you could use one on a live person to collect essence, then the restrictions made sense.
I considered getting my dungeon amulet appraised, but I might draw attention to myself if it was exceptionally valuable. Instead, I was able to find a tablet reader to rent in private. I could go into a room, activate the tablet myself, and see how much I had developed. I was more interested in getting my magic affinities assessed.
Tablet readers were apparently expensive to purchase and even to just rent. I paid an entire gold to access a stat and magic affinity tablet. I did both, so as not to be too suspicious. My physical, mental, and magical stat reading went incredibly well.
Physical
Mental
Magical
Strength (+2/+0)
48/
79
Intellect (+3/+0)
31/
54
AetherPool (+2/+0)
14/2
2
Power (+2/+0)
45/
82
Reasonin g(+4/+0)
46/
59
Channeling (+4/+0)
14/5
5
Quickness (+3/+0)
32/
49
Perceptio n(+2/+0)
54/
60
AetherShaping (+2/+0)
8/8
Dexterity (+5/+3)
35/
59
Insight (+3/+0)
34/
49
AetherTolerance (+1/+0)
22/5
0
Endurance (+10/+8)
66/
95
Resilienc e(+1/+0)
46/
71
AetherResistance (+1/+0)
5/19
Constitutio n
(+4/+0)
41/
65
Empathy (+1/+0)
11/
21
PrimeAether Affinity
Spa ce
Coordinati on(+2/+0)
40/
61
Fortitude (+4/+0)
50/
89
MinorAether Affinity
Tim e
I remembered my last reading over six weeks ago. Since then, I had consumed a major essence for Dexterity and three apex essences for Endurance. Although my magical values had improved, my aether went
from 12 to 14, and channeling went from 11 to 14. My aether shaping had maxed out. This was why I would never be able to cast spells, according to Damian. In order to write spell forms with my aether, I would need at least 30 in my aether shaping statistic. I could tell how poor my ability to control my aether was now that it had been some time. I just did not have the potential to be a true mage.
On a more positive note, my physical stats greatly improved, particularly my endurance. My potential for endurance also increased from 87 to 95. That confirmed in my mind that my spell form for the convergence affinity was locked in. I was maximizing what benefits I received from consuming an essence. It should have taken dozens of apex essences to raise my
endurance potential by just one point. It still felt like my gains were too much; I wasn't training twelve hours a day as I had been at legionnaire training. Was I missing something?
Did my time in the dungeon play a role? I was told the closer my ratings got to my potential, the harder it would be to increase them. I had been pushing my body harder, but for much shorter amounts of time.
A knock at the door told me my time was almost up. I set up the magic affinity tablet for the rare magics first and channeled my aether. The tablet displayed everything I had expected.
Rare Magics
Space
98
Time
90
Displacement
61
Materialism
9
Worlds
88
Void
22
Convergence
74
There was no change to any of my affinities that I remembered. I quickly burned the numbers into my memory.
I reset, switched the tablet to elemental affinities, and channeled my aether into the tablet.
Elemental Magics (Common)
Fire
0
Air
0
Water
0
Earth
0
Firth spoke first. "We were just about to scour the city for you, Eryk. This is Prefect Bacchus. He runs the message dispatch. He just gave us our
orders."
Wylie interrupted, spitting, "We're being sent to the Western Front. The City of Macha. Fucking Justin Cicero must have pulled some strings to fuck over Castile." Prefect Bacchus' eyebrows went up in surprise. The captain looked like he had a rod shoved up his ass.
I asked, "What does that mean? The western front is the Kingdom of Bartiradia, right?" I had looked at some maps, but was no expert.
Prefect Bacchus turned the sheet in his hands. "It is fifteen hundred miles from here. The borders are constantly shifting. Mage Castile has been asked to reinforce the city, not fight on the battlefront."
Firth leaned back in his chair, annoyed. "We've heard that before. Pegasus Campaign, Defense of Amatalhos, Emperor's Diplomacy Mission to the Heptarchy. They always say this mission is a chance to relax, just like taking eggs from a hen. Then that fucking hen has five-inch claws and a five-foot tongue that can strangle you."
"True story," Wylie interrupted, then laughed to himself and took a long swig of his ale.
Prefect Bacchus stood and nodded to the three of us, obviously
uncomfortable with the informality. He said, "The portal will be open to Macha just after the mid-day bell. Do not miss the opening."
After he left, Firth swore. "Fucking rich sons of the favored," he said, referring to Bacchus. "That ass has never seen and will never see battle in his entire enlistment, but he'll still make ten times the coin we do."
After spouting off some more obscenities, Firth calmed down, but I had a weird feeling it was more of an act than being truly angry with Prefect Bacchus. Personally, I did not see the difference between risking our lives against monsters or another kingdom. I wisely kept my mouth shut. Firth looked at me and said, "No horses on the front. We are not cavalry. Before you get to the bunks tonight, get our gear from the horses, Eryk. Wylie,
complete three packs of provisions for us before you lay down."
Firth took a long pull. "I'm going to kick the rumor mill tonight and see if anything useful falls out." He looked around the room, stood, and joined a table of intoxicated legionaries still in armor.
I went to get a meal and ate it at the counter, still famished. The barkeep slid me another ale and asked, "You are with Castile's company?"
I nodded while stripping a chicken leg with my teeth. He seemed to consider something. "Is Linus still with them?" I nodded again, as Linus
was our medic. He smiled. "He saved my life. Give him this when you see him. Tell him Nolan is still alive and kicking." He produced a bottle of amber liquid from under the bar. I took the bottle and nodded in understanding.
After the meal, I went to the bath and found my clothes and gear, which were now clean. I carried it to the stables and found our packs neatly arranged on the shelves. I pulled an apple I had brought with me and
walked to Ginger, my horse. "Sorry, lady, this is the end of the line for us. We had some good times. You're a good horse." I rubbed her down one last time and fed her the apple.
I spent the next two hours going through the bags and packing our gear into three backpacks. When no one was around, I moved the books, luxury tent, and bedroll into my dimensional space. Each of the three backpacks weighed about sixty pounds when I finished. I lugged them to the common room, and a drunk Firth told me to bring them to bunk room seven.
The bunk room was empty and had four beds, all floor-level. I dropped a pack on each bed and took the fourth for myself. The mattress was canvas stuffed with some type of soft straw, and it smelled like sweat from the last user. I almost preferred sleeping on the ground.
I still fell asleep in short order. Wylie woke me when he entered and tossed three heavy packages on the ground, rolling a pack to the floor and then quickly falling asleep. Firth didn't show up till much later in the evening, clearly drunk. He slept next to the backpack I had prepared rather than tossing it on the floor. I rolled over and tried to get back to sleep.
Chapter 20: Displacement Mage
I slept heavily, even with the noises my roommates made in the night.
Wylie woke us in the morning. Firth told us not to leave the Legion office building, so I went to the baths and soaked in the hot tub for an hour. In the meantime, I had my clothes washed for free and changed into my Legion gear. The box I was given this time was numbered 36 and was much smaller. After my long soak, I waited for my clean clothes to be returned.
When I took the box, I paused. This wooden box was the perfect size, closely matching what I had claimed to be the size of the dimensional space. I moved the box into my space, appropriating it for the greater good.
From now on, I would no longer have to guess if I was exceeding my
storage limitations—at least, what I told everyone it was. I would use the box for Legion business. How had I not thought of this earlier?
Rather proud of myself, I went to the common room. Wylie gave me a hard time about spending two hours in the baths. On the table, we all repacked our gear. We were trying to squeeze in the food Wylie had procured.
"Eryk, we're going to the war front. You always want to make sure you take as much food as possible," Firth advised.
"As much good food as possible," Wylie added.
"A legionnaire marches on his stomach, Eryk. We are going to be working in the army camps, and their food is terrible. Horde what non-perishables you can, when you can. If you can squeeze any spices into your little magic space, do it now. They are worth their weight in gold in a siege," Firth said.
"Siege? What are you talking about?" I asked, suddenly unsteady.
"The rumors last night say the kingdom plans to push deep into Empire
lands and surround Macha. The Emperor is going to draw as many enemies into the land surrounding the city as possible, before wiping them out with a secret attack. At least, that's what I garnered from the twenty men I drank with last night. Then again, we're practically on the other side of the Empire, and what these drunkards know might be dragon shit," Firth said.
After our packs were set, Wylie led me to the Legion goods warehouse. It was completely different than last time, when I took what I wanted without supervision. Now, Wylie filled out a requisition sheet. He waited for it to be reviewed and answered a dozen questions about why he needed pepper
flakes, garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, dried rosemary, and paprika. Wylie eventually received several large glass containers filled with spices. I asked about Kraken salt, and Wylie laughed, "These spices are worth a gold or two each. Kraken salt in one of these containers would be 100 gold. Alchemists make it, and you can't find it in a Legion supply
room."
The attendant, who was putting the large glass jars on the counter, added, "Kraken salt is about a gold an ounce, quite literally worth its weight in gold. The last Kraken to be slain was some four years ago."
Wylie quipped, "I know. I was there. Can you squeeze all these into your space? Our cook will be happy to get them, and you'll be a taste bud hero. Since they come in glass containers, we can't pack them."
I was able to fit all six containers in the crate in my dimensional storage. We added small leather bags of sea salt until the crate was filled, and I told Wylie I could not store any more.
As we left to find Firth, I asked, "So, are there not any supplies out in the city of Macha?"
"Luxury goods are rare on the front. The problem is the time it takes to reach the city. There is only one Displacement Mage in each city, as the affinity is quite rare and the spell is difficult to learn. They have limits on how much they can transport. Also, once the siege begins, the enemy will set up an array around the city, preventing the use of the portals," Wylie said conversationally.
Firth waved us over, and we put on the packs, each one weighing over seventy pounds now, not including our leather armor and blades. I had two short swords and two short, curved blades. I was not carrying a spear, but planned to add a few in my dimensional space. We followed Firth to the street and toward the upper city. Firth said, "If you see Vincent Cicero, keep your mouth shut." Firth was talking to Wylie, not me, but I got the message.
The clothing of the people became more and more opulent as we followed Firth to the portal. The square where the portal was had a full company of legionaries guarding it, which told me it was too important to leave to city guards or the army. It was a large stone archway situated on light gray
stone. The gray stone had black runic markings on it, while the archway itself was a plain black stone.
In front of the portal were several people loaded down with gear. Most looked like merchants, but there were a few soldiers. Firth went to one of the legionaries guarding the portal and handed him our orders. The man
inspected them carefully and then waved us forward. Firth said, "When the portal is activated, move quickly into it. It's like a dungeon gate; you'll be slightly disoriented after you pass through. Try not to fall on your face this time." He grinned at me.
We did not have to wait long. I was talking to a merchant from the Kingdom of Nausis, far to the south, when a loud bell chimed twice, and everyone faced the portal. There were maybe forty of us in total. A mage
in bright yellow robes went to a small monolith under the guard of a pair of legionaries.
Firth chuckled at my intense focus. "Never seen a portal opening before? You must be from a backwater kingdom."
The mage placed both hands on the pillar. The air buzzed with electricity as the black stone around the portal started to glow blue, and the runes underneath us matched the blue light. The archway shimmered into an
image that looked like a heat haze. Two bells sounded, and everyone moved forward. I was pulled forward with everyone else and into the arch.
It was the same as walking into a dungeon. On the other side, the air was heavy with moisture, and the buildings were much more drab, favoring a grayish wood. I didn't have time to study the buildings, as Firth was already walking toward a tall citadel made of blue-gray stone. I followed him.
Dozens of soldiers from the regular army were inside the bailey. Some
were drilling, and some were resting. They did not look war-weary to me as I followed Firth into the fortified building.
He turned left into the first room, and I noticed the first legionaries I had seen: Orson, Mateo, and Felix. I went and sat with them, dropping my pack. "Eryk, you survived the First Citizen!" Felix said with a smile.
"Did everyone in the company make your trip safely?" I asked, sitting on a bench.
Orson chuckled. "Donte lost a finger to giant snapper, and Flans broke his leg falling off his horse when we battled some centaurs. Other than that, it was an easy ride."
Mateo choked. "Easy ride? Fifteen hours a day at a steady pace? I can barely walk." I snickered a little, remembering how much grief I had taken from the men with my own soreness. They even gave me an expensive
pillow as a joke.
"So, what's the news on this mission posting?" Wylie asked.
Orson looked perturbed. "Three legion companies are in the citadel. We are to rotate foot patrols northeast and southeast. The soldiers will cover the road due east toward the Empire, where any skirmishes are likely to happen. There is mostly woods northeast, but there have been a number of sprites causing mischief. The route southeast is boggy. Just giant frogs, but a few days ago, a bullywug was spotted."
"What are—" I started to say, but Orson, one of the company scouts, answered before I finished asking my question.
"Sprites are small fairies that can go invisible. Bullywugs are frog men. Both are a pain in the arse in their natural habitat."
"So, what direction are we patrolling?" I asked.
"Southeast," Delmar said, joining the group. "Mateo, Eryk will be bunking with you. Show him where."
Mateo stood and motioned for me to follow him. I picked up my pack and trailed behind him, but stopped when noticed Lirkin, the company cook. I paused to unload the jars of spices and bags of salt from my dimensional storage,
"Damn it, boy!" he said. "Your talents are wasted carrying around those life-saving potions. Whenever you want a double portion, just ask!"
I would have to thank Wylie for this boon. I still had the bottle of amber liquid for Linus in my dimensional space, but I hadn't seen him yet.
We walked out into the city. Most of the people on the streets were soldiers, and a lot of the shop fronts looked abandoned. Mateo said, "This city has been handed back and forth for the past three hundred years. The regular
people have an instinct when it is about to happen again."
Mateo went into a store that was clearly a bakery. A large, cold oven dominated half the back wall. Mateo explained, "Not enough room for
everyone in the Legion Hall in the citadel. At least, not if you want to sleep peacefully." He pointed up the stairs, "Three rooms up there. Each has two beds. Felix and I have one room. Konstantin is in one room, and the third is currently empty, but the beds are children-sized." He left me, and I climbed the stairs and found the kid's room.
The beds were small, but if I pushed them together and slept diagonally, I would fit. I dropped my gear with a loud thud and got to work moving the beds. Konstantin appeared in the doorway. "If you're going to make all that noise, then you have the energy to practice. Grab your blades. There is a small yard in the back."
Great. My plans for a nap were crushed; instead, I was about to get a sound beating under the guise of training.
C