Callan was dressed and bent over the map when Remy and Eachen came to check-up on him the next morning. Remy’s ointments and potion had worked wonders for his wounds. His ankle felt as good as new and the ache in the back of his head had reduced to a dull throb. He had spent the early hours strategizing his next move, weighing the pros and cons of his options and finally, was ready to execute the next part of his plan. It was time to split their party.
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“I see you still don’t seem to understand the meaning of complete rest, captain.” Remy sniffed seeing Callan bent over his desk. “I was hoping to find you still in bed.”
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“I was feeling better. Saw no reason not to get some work done.” Callan replied offhandedly, not looking up from his examination.
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“Let me be the judge of that.” Remy walked over to him and put a firm hand on his shoulder, pushing him down onto his seat. He started unwrapping the bandage around Callan’s head. “And what work did we get done that couldn’t wait for a few extra hours of bed rest?”
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“I have decided what we are going to do next.” Callan tried to turn his head to look at Eachen, who was standing respectfully at a distance, but Remy put a firm hand on his chin.
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“Stay still.” The healer scolded. “Whatever you have decided can wait until I have had a proper look at that head wound of yours.”
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Callan sighed and settled down. Remy hummed and muttered as he examined the lesion on the back of his head, probing it with his finger.82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6No7axtTgB
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“Hmm. No signs of swelling or infection. Seems to be healing well.” He stooped down to examine Callan’s ankle, pushing and prodding the area where the swelling had been.
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“Let me know if it hurts. And don’t lie. I will know.” He ordered and then twisted the ankle left and then right.
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“No. Feels as good as new.” Callan said truthfully.
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“Damn the young blood.” Remy muttered irritably and then stood and shrugged at Eachen. “He is good as new and ready to return to work. I will need to change his bandages for a few more days but I don’t see anything that we need to worry about.”
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Eachen scowled and sighed. “I was hoping to keep you off your feet for a day or two. But it looks like you are not going to let me catch a break. Fine! Let’s hear this plan of yours.”
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Callan grinned. “Later. First, anything to report since last night? Any more encounters or unusual activity?”82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVKOBIV3OwZ
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Eachen shook his head. “No, captain. I doubled the sentries. Put them in groups of three and closer to the camp this time, away from the forest. No new incidents to report.”82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY9TglAJ2M3
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“What about the men? What is the atmosphere like in the camp?”
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Eachen’s face hardened. “I had a talk with them last night. Believe me. They will not dare to pull a stunt like that again.”
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Callan nodded as Remy started to wrap a fresh bandage around his head.
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“Also, we brought back the bodies of the two soldiers who fell at the bridge last night.” Eachen continued. “We have made arrangements to have them preserved until we can take them back to their families. Unfortunately, we couldn’t recover the one who fell into the ravine.”
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Callan grimaced. This was meant to be a fact-finding and search-and-rescue mission. He had not expected to lose anyone. Now three of his men were dead and three more missing. He had not known these men for long but their loss still bit at him dearly. Not to mention, incurring losses in his first mission as captain would not do well for his career. He was not ready to risk anymore lives if he could and he was hoping that his next decision would mitigate that danger.
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“I want you to assemble the men.” He commanded Eachen. “I have a few announcements to make.”
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Eachen raised his eyebrows questioningly, but Callan dismissed it. “Right away, soldier. We don’t have any time to waste.”
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If Eachen had any doubts about the lack of specificity in Callan’s orders, he did not show it.
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“Yes, captain.” He put his right fist over his chest in the posture of the traditional military salute and bowed and then left the tent.
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“I don’t like that gleam in your eyes.” Remy observed as he finished tying the bandage. “It means you are planning something reckless.”
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“I don’t know what you are talking about.” Callan laughed.
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Remy rolled his eyes. “Well,” he said as he rolled up his medicine kit. “I will know soon enough whatever madness you have planned for us next.”
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Callan smiled at him mysteriously.
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The men soon assembled in front of his tent. The atmosphere was charged with anticipation for Callan’s announcement. Callan stood in front of them, dressed impeccably in his white tunic and breeches and silver armour engraved with the captain’s gold sunburst emblem on his chest. His long sword hung casually from his hip and his white sunburst cloak hung from his shoulders behind him. Eachen stood beside him, similarly dressed but with the silver sunburst of the regiment vice-captain. The rest of the men’s armour sported bronze emblems. They had started with a small party of twenty five, not counting Callan himself. Now down to nineteen, the absence of the missing and the dead soldiers was very conspicuous and weighed heavily on Callan’s conscience.
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“Gentlemen” He started solemnly. “I know the last couple of days have been very trying for all of us. We came here with a mission of finding a missing man, but we have encountered dangers far beyond our imaginations. We have witnessed an entire village slaughtered in a single night, lost many good men to an unseen enemy and our party has been severely depleted. In the face of such uncertainty and odds, I appreciate the courage you have shown, and I have decided to dismiss the incident of yesterday as fluke madness, which I strongly hope will not be repeated again.”
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He paused for effect, searching the faces of men for reactions. Many looked embarrassed, shuffling their feet or staring at their hands. Some had relief on their faces, realising their immature attempt at mutiny will not be reported. The more senior members, Forgis and his cohorts, simply looked stony-faced, not matching Callan’s eyes. Callan begrudgingly decided it would have to do.
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“As a captain, the safety and wellbeing of my men is my responsibility. I admit I have been remiss in that and as such I take full responsibility for the fate of the men who are not with us today. Unfortunately, there are some who could not be saved. They have passed through the gates of Aigon and are in the shade of Joha now. But I believe the others can be rescued and I do not intend to return until I have found them or brought their bodies back to their loved ones.”82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0kXDAHrXQn
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Looks of unease spread through the group of men. The hesitation to remain in the mountains while being stalked by an unnatural predator was clear on their faces.
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“However, it would also be irresponsible of me, if I do not consider the safety of those who are still alive. As such, I have reached the decision to split the party.”
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Murmurs spread through the crowd, men looking at each other with wide eyed confusion. Callan raised his hand for silence.
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“From here on, I will be only taking a party of six men with me to continue the search for the missing men and investigate the anomaly that is plaguing this region. The rest, under the charge of vice-captain Eachen, will return to Johanai through the sea route to confer with the high councilliary and wait for further instructions.”
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Callan saw Eachen's expression change from a confused frown to a red-faced scowl. Remy nonplussed as always simply shook his head. Forgis looked shocked. The rest of the men just stared at each other dumb founded. Callan turned to the healer.
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“Unfortunately, Remy, you will have to come along with me. I will need your expertise.” Remy nodded and Callan turned back to the crowd. “As for others, I will not force anyone to this mission unless I absolutely have to. But I will need five more volunteers. Those who are willing, please move to this side.” He gestured towards his right.
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Callan was not surprised to see Bernol and Mareet be the first to step up. But he was taken aback when Forgis came to stand to his right as well, followed by a tall and burly square-jawed fiordian highlander named Haldan. Forgis expression remained stony, and he refused to meet Callan’s eye. Callan decided he would have plenty of time to unravel the mystery of Forgis later.
There was an awkward pause as the soldiers looked around themselves uneasily. Then, Brine untangled himself from the knot of men he was standing amongst and joined Forgis and the rest of the volunteers. Callan hesitated but controlled himself. Brine was too inexperienced for this kind of mission. But Callan had opened the door and he couldn’t well call the young faldorian out and humiliate him in front of his colleagues. Callan gave one last look over the group of men who had decided to throw their fate in with his own. Not all of them were his first pick for a quest that could potentially be their last, but they will have to do.
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“Well, with that settled, let’s start packing the camp. I want to leave immediately.” He nodded once to his volunteers and then to the rest of the men. He then turned around and entered his tent, a furious Eachen close on his heels.
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“What is the meaning of this Callan?” Eachen demanded when they were out of earshot of his men. “You blind-sided me. Have I offended you in some way? Or is it that you simply do not trust me or consider me capable enough?”
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Callan sighed and turned around to face his second-in-command.
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“This has nothing to do with your loyalty or your capability, Eachen.” Callan insisted wearily. “You know I trust you more than anyone else to have my back, old friend.”
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“Then why was I not consulted before you decided on this forlac-brained quest of yours. Tracking these, these monsters, with only a company of six, you have gone out of your mind.”
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“I know it will be dangerous. But it must be done. We have to get to the bottom of this. You saw what they did to the village. If my suspicion is true … .” The charcoal grey face with the familiar features that he had seen last night flashed through his mind. He couldn’t imagine how it could be true. But if it was, the possibilities were nightmarish. He sighed. It was too soon to give in to such speculations. He needed more information. “If my suspicion is true, more is at risk here than the Nogar. Once, these monsters have dealt with the humans in this region, who is to say they won’t move on to the plains.”
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Eachen eyes widened. “You really believe that?”82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwjBrt26niL
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Callan shook his head. “I don’t know. We don't know anything, and that is the problem. How many are there? Where are they coming from? What are they capable of? Why are they attacking humans? Why are they killing some and taking others captive? And we have to find out before it is too late.”
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“So, you are still going with the theory that the missing have been taken captive?”
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“Yes, unless I am proven otherwise.”
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“Then, why split the party?” Eachen threw up his hands. “If what you say is true, you are going to need more men when you confront these creatures. If you are afraid of mutiny, I can assure you I have it under control.”
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“It's not about mutiny, Eachen. These men are scared. And I do not entirely blame them. Suddenly seeing your nightmares come to life, that would put the fear of Beniot in even the most hardened soldiers. Commanding a large party of scared men while tracking these creatures around the mountain range, it would be more of a hindrance than help.” He clasped his friend's shoulders in reassurance. “Besides, I am not planning to confront them. This is simply an information-gathering mission. Once I have learned as much as I can about these creatures and, hopefully, rescue those who I can, I plan to make for Silver Peak and then Ashinai.”
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Callan watched Eachen's face as the old soldier tried to find a hole in Callan’s argument. Stubborn as he was, Eachen was still a reasonable man and Callan knew he would come around to his plan once he saw the merit and importance of it. Finally, Eachen sighed in resignation.
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“What do you want from me, captain?”
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“Leave for Johanai immediately. Meet with the high conciliary as soon as you get there and give them a full report. Do not hide anything. Tell them we need reinforcements to tackle this threat. A cadre of newil revenaats, if possible. By then, by Joha’s grace, I will have more information on what we are dealing with here. Meet me with the reinforcements in Ashinai and then we can plan what is to be done.”
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Callan hesitated. He was debating the decision to warn the humans villages and towns in and around the Noigiri of the threat before the high conciliary had a chance to review the evidence and decided on the matter. If it turns out he was wrong, creating unsubstantiated public panic would result in an end to his career in the Johastian military. But if he waited too long, it may result in more tragedies. Finally, it was his respect for human life that won out.
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“Tell the towns and villages that you pass on the way to Darfin, to be on guard. It would be best if they increase the sentries at night and issue warnings for people not to travel at night.”
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That brought fear to Eachen’s face. “You really think it is that serious?”
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“I do not know what to think. But until we have determined what the intentions of these creatures are, it would be best if we all are on guard.”
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“As you say captain.” Eachen nodded gravely and then hugged him. “But promise me one thing, you will take care and I will see you again.”
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Callan smiled. “You will not get rid of me so easily, old friend. We'll meet again. I promise.”
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“Then, I will go and look to the preparations.” Eachen bowed and turned to leave.
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As Callan watched his friend’s back disappear behind the flap of his tent, he wondered if he will be able to keep his promise.
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They departed right before noon. Callan, Remy, Bernol, Mareet, Forgis, Hadal and Brine followed the high road north towards the Fermi pass while the rest of the regiment turned south towards the port city of Darfin. Callan rode at the head of their small party alongside Remy, followed by Forgis and Brine. Bernol had ridden out to scope the road ahead. They were traveling light, trading the bulky tents and large food carts for bedrolls and travel rations. These bare necessities were loaded onto two pack phasthus that trailed behind them under the watchful guidance of Mareet and Hadal.
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The high road was a wide pounded earth highway that ran from Darfin to Ashinai connecting two of the first Ashin cities in Airaat. It was said Darfin was where the first Ashin pilgrims had landed, fleeing war, disease, and famine in the continent out east. Guided by Joha to this promised land, the road was created by those refugees as they migrated across the Noigiri to settle the fertile plains of Meyrin. Now 1500 cycles old, the highway was a major lifeline of the mountain kingdom, transporting its agricultural produce for export through its only port, Darfin and importing exotic products like ale and spices from the west and the south to the rest of the nation.
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The road snaked around several mountains as it steadily ascended towards a small gap in the range known as Fermi Pass. It was bordered on both sides by tall dewar trees, creating alternating pockets of bright sunlight and shadows where the sun was blocked by the towering conifers. In the distance, the afternoon autumn sun peeked from in between taller snow-covered eastern peaks in a clear blue sky and breeze would blow through the path now and again keeping the temperature cool and ideal for a full day of travel. Despite the comfortable atmosphere, they rode in an uneasy silence. Callan spied from the corner of his eye, Forgis and Brine looking around nervously every time they turned a bend in the road. Even Mareet and Haldan seemed tense and alert, griping their swords as they rode. Callan did not blame them. He himself was feeling quite jumpy. Only Remy seemed to be unaffected as he sat comfortably in his saddle looking at the vista with dispassionate interest. Callan marveled at the man’s ability to keep his cool in any circumstance.
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They had been travelling for an hour when Bernol came riding back with a grim expression on his face. Callan motioned the party to a halt.
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“What’s the news?” Callan asked when Bernol was within hearing range.
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“Not good, captain! A village ahead, about half an hour ride from here. Completely destroyed.”
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The men shifted in their saddle.
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“Did you see any bodies?” Callan inquired
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“No, captain. No bodies alive or dead that I could see. Just a bunch of broken empty huts.”
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Callan nodded. “Ride with us for now. And everyone keep alert.”
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Bernol rode back to join Mareet and Hadal in the rear and they continued forward. About half an hour later, the village came into view. It was situated on the high road, the highway running through the village as its main street. Caved-in wooden roofs and fallen mud walls were all that remained of the Nogar settlement. As they rode into the village, tell-tale signs of an attack became more visible. Doors were smashed. Spears’ heads and axe handles were strewn in the street. Torn rags fluttered in the breeze over broken wooden posts that once may have served as pillars for the huts. And streaks of dried darkened blood marked the walls and door sills of several homes.
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They stopped at the center of the village. Callan jumped from his phashtu and the rest of his company followed suit.
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“Remy, stay with the phashtus, rest of you pair up and check the huts. If you find anything unusual, report to me immediately” Callan ordered. “Brine, with me.”
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“What are we looking for captain?” Forgis asked.
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“I don’t know. Anything that seems out of place and can shed some light on these creatures.” He hated sounding so vague, but he did not have much to go on.
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They separated, each group heading in a different direction. Callan walked steadily towards the northern end of the village with Brine at his heels, peeking in and out of the collapsed huts. But there wasn’t much to see, except for broken beams, smashed bed pallets and scattered pottery. As they made their way to the end, the squawking of birds and a loud buzzing noise drew Callan’s attention.
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“Captain! Over there.” Brine gestured towards a clearing on the side of the road overlooking a cliff. A flock of crows circled around the gorge, swooping in and out, carrying bits and pieces in their beaks.
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Heart pounding, Callan walked to the cliff and looked over. It wasn’t a straight drop. However, the ground slanted steeply towards a small stream that ran at the base of the ravine. The ground around the stream was pebbly and strewn with the naked human corpses. Flies buzzed around the bodies and kavas were busy pecking at the eyes and the entrails. It was too far to see clearly, but from their state, it looked like the bodies had been lying there a while. Callan heard Brine gag behind him and turned away. He patted Brine’s back steadily as the young soldiers heaved in a bush nearby.
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“S.. S.. Sorry! Captain.” Brine fumbled as he wiped his mouth on his sleeves. “I just … .”
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“It’s alright.” Callan reassured him with a sympathetic smile. “Go clean yourself up. I saw a well in the village.” He was surprised he had taken in the grim scene so indifferently. Maybe having spent hours with corpses the day before had numbed him. It wasn’t a comforting thought.
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Brine nodded and hurried back towards the village. Callan followed him at a slower pace, deep in thought. From the looks of it, the attack had occurred only a few days earlier, but before the attack at the previous settlement. It seemed like a pattern, and if he was right, as they travelled more towards Fermi Pass, they should see more such ransacked settlements and scenes of the slaughter from the past. That would mean two things. First, the attacks had been going on much longer than they had imagined but had started only recently because there had not been any news of it in Darfin or any other villages they had travelled through on the way. If they continued to follow the trail of destruction they should eventually, in theory, encounter the nest of these creatures. Second and more ominous, the attack seemed to be spreading outwards. It would mean he was right about them eventually spilling onto the plains. He only hoped the warnings he had left with Eachen would be sufficient for the villages in the plains to guard themselves adequately. Those Ashin villages were much better guarded, with wooden stake fences and all-night watches, than the open Nogar villages in the mountains. But they also did not know what the enemy was capable of. Whatever the case, he had to locate the nest of these creatures fast. They had no time to lose.
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Lost in thought, he did not realize he had reached the village center until Remy interrupted him.
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“That bad?” Remy asked. The expressions on his men's faces told him Brine already conveyed to them what they had found.
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Callan shook his head. “It is the same pattern. Villages ransacked and burned. Corpses stripped and dumped over a cliff. I will not be surprised if some of the villagers are missing from this pile as well.”
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“Are we going to retrieve the bodies again, captain?” Forgis asked, a touch of contempt in his voice.
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“No. We don’t have time. We have to locate where these attackers are coming from.” Callan replied. Then he quickly summarized his conclusion for them. He had decided at the start of the trip it would be best if they were all on the same page. Hiding information could lead to mistakes and they couldn’t afford them right now.
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“Joha’s light, you really think this could spread beyond the mountains?” Haldan mouth gaped. The others looked at Callan with the same wide-eyed fear.
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“I do not know what their intentions are. But we should assume the worst.” He walked over to his phasthu. “Come. We should get a move on.”
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They encountered two more such villages later in the day, each attacked in a similar way, but, from the state of decomposing corpses, earlier in the past than the ones before. Callan felt a growing pit of apprehension as his conjectures started to become reality. They had ridden for two hours after encountering the last decimated settlement when Callan asked Bernol to scout for a campsite. The sun was still hours away from setting but Callan did not want to take chances. If they were attacked at night, Callan wanted to make sure it was on grounds they had chosen and had sufficient time to make a defense and escape plan.
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Bernol soon returned, leading them to a clearing in the forest next to the road. It was a good place to rest for the night, the clearing was large enough that they would be forewarned if an attack came from towards the trees. Regardless, they built the fire as close to the road as possible and tied the phashtu close by, in case they had to make a quick escape. Last meal was a thin slab of dried boar sandwiched between two wedges of forlaccheese and stale meiji loafs, washed down with water. It was neither the most delicious nor the most filling of meals, but they had to make their rations last since they did not know how long they would have to stay in the mountains.
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As the seven of them sat around the fire, Callan couldn’t help but feel a little uneasy, which had nothing to do with their now latent fear of the darkness. This was the most intimate situation he had ever been in with these men. He had dinner with Eachen and Remy in his tent once in a while, where they would share stories or counsel over a cup of wine. But he had not gotten a chance to interact with the rest of his troupe this closely since he became their captain. Before that, he had not known most of them at all. Though he was not the only one feeling uncomfortable. Callan could feel the hesitation in the atmosphere with him around. He felt it was up to him to break the ice but he couldn’t figure out what to say. Finally, It was Remy who broke the silence.
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“Say Brine. Heard your wife’s pregnant. How far along is she?” Remy asked the youngest member of their party.
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Brine startled at being addressed and nearly skid off his seat, earning a chuckle from Forgis and Haldan.
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“Six months now sir.” He sputtered, blushing from head to toe. “Just came to know meself before we left.”
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“You are married?” Callan asked in surprise.
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“Aye, captain. Goin’ on a cycle now.” Brine smiled shyly.
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“I’d say you are the only one in the present company, who’s still not married, captain.” Remy gave him a wily smile. It was Callan’s turn to blush. Remy could be a sly little devil when he wanted to be. “When are you blessing us with the good news?”
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“I’d say captain has his pickin’ for whichever Faldorian noble lass he wants.” Mareet remarked with a grin. ”The youngest legion captain and a prince to boot. They be throwin’ themselves at his feet to get his attention. Us little beggars have to do with whomever we can get.”
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Bernol elbowed him and he grunted but continued grinning at Callan. They were all looking at him now. Callan suddenly realized he did not want to be part of this conversation after all. He knew this was all just part of the ribbing between soldiers, but marriage was one topic he did not wish to converse about, especially not with men he hardly knew.
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“Uh! I still have two older brothers who haven’t got married. So I guess my marriage is not in the scrolls for a while.” He managed a smile, hoping that was enough to deflect the question.
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“Why not?” Haldan enquired, frowning as if Callan had said something outlandish. Callan was surprised he was paying attention. Most of the time the burly highlander seemed to be off in his own world. “What does you getting married have to do with your brothers?”
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Callan didn’t know how to answer that question. He also noted the lack of respect in Haldan’s voice and found himself getting annoyed. Fiordian highlanders were known for their lack of manners. But he would hope five years of Johastian military training would’ve drilled some into him.
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“It’s Faldorian custom, sir.” Brine, his fellow countryman, clarified. “In Faldora, you don’t get married before your elder brother or sister.”
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“So, what happens if you find a girl to marry and your brother hasn’t found his bride yet?” Haldan seemed genuinely surprised.
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“You wait till he’s ready.” Brine replied as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. “Most time that doesn’t happen though. My brother got married just so I could marry Sarine.” Brine blushed again.
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“That’s ridiculous. What if your girl runs away while you wait on your brother?” Haldan shook his head. “Why not just get married to whom you want when you want, like we do in Morden and Esteban.”
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“Uh! That’s not a … “ Brine looked confused about how to answer that.
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“If your girl runs away, you better be glad you didn’t marry her in the first place.” Mareet laughed. “Brine’s just glad Sarine decided he was a keeper.”
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Haldan snorted, “Ridiculous. I’ll never understand these customs of you plainwaifs”, making Mareet roar louder in laughter while Brine looked around the fire smiling sheepishly. Even Forgis smiled, which was a first for the evening.
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Callan took the opportunity of the lull in the conversation to ask the question that was nagging him.
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“Brine! Why did you come if your wife was pregnant? You would’ve gotten special dispensation from the legion office.”
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“Uh!” Brine flushed. Callan noticed other men also showed discomfort at the question. Even Mareet’s effervescent smile fell from his lips.
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“I tried cap’n.” Brine finally answered looking at his knees. “Told ‘em me wife was pregnant three months. They didn’ consider. Said they needed every man.”
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Callan frowned. That did not seem right. He had seen officers get special dispensations for more trivial reasons. “Did Eachen know about this?”
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“He did, cap’n.” Brine looked like he was going to say something but then he bit his lip looking around nervously.
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“Special dispensation is only for special people. Not peasant scums like us.” Forgis added dryly, his face back to being stony as ever.
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Callan frowned. If he thought about it, the only officers he had known who asked for special dispensation were noble born. But then the only officers he knew before this trip were also noble born, except for Eachen. And yet, why did Brine decide to join him rather than return to his wife with Eachen when he had the chance? Callan somehow thought it was not the right time to ask that question.
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“Once we are done here, I will grant you leave till your baby is born.” Callan promised.
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Brine beamed at him. “Thank you, cap’n. That would mean a lot, indeed.”
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Forgis snorted, “If we survive this first.”
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And that brought the conversation to an uncomfortable closure, each man relapsing into his own morose thoughts. After a few minutes of uneasy silence, Callan decided to turn in and so did some of the other men. Mareet and Haldan, who were taking the first watch, moved away from the camp, engrossed in what looked like a private conversation. The last thing Callan wondered, before drowsiness engulfed him, was when the two of them had become such good friends.
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