Chapter 3

Where am I?

Victor found himself sitting upright on tilled soil. A look at his surroundings revealed the familiar landscape of Riverside, unchanged since his departure.

That was, until his eyes met with the watchtower, now a mere smoldering remnant of what was once a beacon of safety, the black bodies of what were soldiers in life strewn across the fields surrounding the base.

Victor gasped and shook his head. The sight remained unchanged, no matter how hard Victor attempted to convince himself it was a lie. Panicking, he turned his head towards the family farm, where the drunk from yesterday sauntered towards the front door, torch in hand.

“Nononono NO! STOP!” Victor tried to stand up, but it was no use. His legs wouldn’t move. "NOOO! MOTHER! SISTER!" All he could do was watch, as the drunk reached for the door handle...

*FWEEEEEET* “Wake up!”

The obnoxious sound of a whistle being blown pulled Victor and the other initiates out of their dreams. “Wake up, wake up, get yourselves dressed and head for roll call!” yelled the guild’s caretaker, before blowing on the whistle again. The initiates were slow to respond: either lying in their beds rubbing their eyes, or burying their heads under their pillows, their muffled groans pleading for the whistling to stop.

Just a terrible nightmare… ugh.

A grumpy Victor stepped out his bed, almost stumbling over his bag in the process. He cursed to himself as he changed his clothes, still tired from yesterday’s ordeal at the tavern. With his regular attire on, amulet included, he threw his night clothing onto the bed; it was the caretaker's responsibility, after all. Day two had arrived, ready to take Victor by storm as he followed the other initiates to roll call.

From the entrance of the corridor, it was clear as day the briefing room was packed. Victor sighed as he walked onwards. The upper ranks had already assembled by the time the Initiates walked in; their experience has made them efficient and disciplined, a stark contrast with the Initiates' disorganized bumbling: Some stumbled into proper protocol, while others needed to be hounded into their duties. It was the wheat separating itself from the chaff.

Victor, having never been told where the Initiates stood, walked to the front of the room. A bad choice, as was affirmed by a tap on his shoulder. “Rookies in the back.” Victor’s face reddened. No one saw that… he hoped, as he retraced his steps while eyeing the ceiling. At least he now knew for next time. He lined up with the rest of the Initiates, with no issues. There they stood, arms and backs as straight as possible, waiting for the guildmaster to walk in.

Ten minutes later, footsteps emerged from the mess hall corridor. “Good morning.”

“GOOD MORNING!” the guild members replied.

“I trust you have all had a good night’s rest?”

“YES, SIR!”

“Right then.” The guildmaster grabbed a large parchment from the table behind him, and held it up before his face. “Without any further ado, let us begin.”

The guildmaster raised his voice, as he called out names and ranks from the list, beginning with the Veterans, and dwindling down the ranks to the Initiates. From Veteran to Member to Initiate, the guild members confirmed their presence. This process took about ten minutes, as the guildmaster was not the fastest reader; Age had started to claim his eyes.

“Everyone is present,” the guildmaster said, once he finished reading the names. He threw the parchment back on the table. “Right. Today is business as usual , as has been the case for a while now. Do whatever is demanded of you. That is all. Go.”

The guild went on the move as roll call concluded. The hallways were cramped with everyone shoving and pushing their way through, trying to get to their duties. As Victor attempted to join, the guildmaster’s voice called from behind: “Eric, stay here. William and Victor, you two as well.”

Chills crept up their spines as the three shuffled back to the guildmaster. There wasn’t any doubt as to why the guildmaster would call on them specifically. They lined up, anxiety visible on their faces. “So, I’ve heard you lads got yourselves in a rather peculiar situation yesterday. A stint with a particular patron at The Laughing Lizard, correct?”

“y-Yes sir,” Eric said.

Victor bit his cheeks. One day at the guild, and already causing problems. Perhaps that soldier was right. What a fool's errand it was, thinking he'd stand a chance in the Civil Defense. Blacksmithing would fit better, perhaps, or maybe becoming a shop assistant is in the cards. Or he would be better off to move back to Riverside, and spend his days on the farm. Perhaps a life spent working in the city was never meant for him.

“Trial by fire… that is an interesting way to train the Initiates, Eric.”

“I… I have no excuse, sir. My apologies. I promise it will not-”

“Apologize? What for?” the guildmaster interrupted, leaving Eric dashing his eyes about in confusion. “Take a look at this for a moment, will you?” The guildmaster pressed a note into Eric’s hands. Eric held the note up to his face, the two Initiates peeking over his shoulders to read it for themselves.

From : The Laughing Lizard's owners

To : Guildmaster Jonathan, Ravens Hill Civil Defense

Greetings, Jonathan. We've been having issues with a troublemaker forcing his way into our business. He's been intimidating and beating up our customers, chasing them away in the process. It's really hurt our reputation, and there's plenty of other cheap taverns taking advantage of the situation. We offer a reward of 500 ducats if you can get someone to knock some sense into him. He's bearded, muscular, and has an impossibly short-fuse.

The three panned their eyes back and forth between the note one and another. “Uhm… is this... real?” asked William.

“Talk about some dumb luck...” Eric breathed out in relief.

“Ah, yes,” the guildmaster continued. “The request came in two days ago. That scumbag harassed the customers at the tavern. Due to his stature, no one dared to do anything about him, even the owners feared him enough to keep their mouths shut. Hence why they preferred to remain anonymous. Leaving that aside, you did as was asked. I will see to it that you are rewarded for your efforts.”

Victor grinned. From impending calamity to reaching cloud nine, as if he were fired from a catapult. “Now then. Stop standing around. You have training to do. Get to work. Fast.” The guildmaster’s order snapped Eric back to reality, who proceeded to pull the two Initiates out of their daydreams, into the direction of the training hall.

* * *

“Not like that,” Eric tutored, “You have to hold your arm like this.”

Victor panted heavily. “Just, give me, a moment… I’m, exhausted, Eric.” he heaved. How many hours has it been? He had been striking at the practice dummy for so long, it felt as if his sword arm was on the verge of falling off.

“Alright. You rest easy while I go see how Will is doing.”

Victor leaned against a wall, and gradually slid down until he reached the floor. There wasn’t much to do, besides watching William practice his archery. William pulled back on the string of his bow, and landed a bullseye from afar, all within the blink of an eye. William pulled back again. Another shot, right where he wanted it. Then another one. And then the next three, too, on the mark. Victor wiped the sweat off his brow. Wow, Eric wasn’t kidding about Will being a good shot.

“Wow, How do you keep doing that, Will?”

“I don’t know, to be honest… I just feel in my element with a bow, like something in my mind is telling me just what I need to do.” William said, then fired again. Sure enough, another bullseye.

As Victor watched on, a spark of inspiration spread through his veins, with evermore speed the more arrows landed their mark. The spark grew ever stronger, and rose into an irresistible force, which commanded:

Are you to be bested like this? Get up, and strike back. Hard!

When the willpower reached its zenith, Victor grabbed his wooden practice sword, jumped off the ground, then yelled as he charged straight at the practice dummy,. He unleashed a barrage of arm swings on the dummy’s wooden shield, one after another after another.

All of a sudden, his sword broke through. Caught off-guard, Victor lost his balance, and staggered sideways from the target. Arms sagging to the floor, he eyed the result of his outburst. The wooden shield was in two pieces; the top was still attached to the dummy, the bottom lay broken on the floor, splinters scattered about.

“Hey, easy there, Vic!” Eric ran back towards Victor. “Well, guess your reward got a little smaller.”

After a good laugh, he resumed teaching. “Anyway, you shouldn’t charge in blind like that. Just imagine if this were a real battle, and someone else snuck up behind you.” Victor nodded his head along, all ears to Eric’s criticism. He was determined to learn, no matter how rough the road would be. “Right now, you fight like most newcomers do: Too fast, no technique, oblivious to their surroundings…”

“And yet, passionate,” a rough voice spoke. It was the guildmaster, standing by the corridors.

“Oh- err… Greetings, guildmaster!” Eric stumbled over his words before saluting.

“No need for any greeting. So then, Victor…”

The guildmaster paused, as he walked into the training room proper, the sounds of arrows flying through the air filling the void. “...as I have said before, you have that spark within you. The spark that can make one accomplish great things, provided you strive to do so. Do not stop now.”

“Yes sir!” Victor saluted, copying the other guild members.

“With that said, I have a favor to ask of you, Eric,” the guildmaster said.

Eric raised his chin upwards. “What is the favor, sir?”

The guildmaster cleared his throat. “As you know, our reputation stretches far beyond Ravens Hill. We are known for our work all across old Lokahn. The Justitians are no exception, and as such, I regularly correspond with imperial officials through letter, whether for official business, shall we say, or they request our service.”

By now, William had put down his bow to listen, fascinated by the conversation. “Since I am a busy man, I can’t always respond back in a timely fashion. I would therefore appreciate it if you were to deliver this letter here to the Ravens Hill Court. Do not worry about who you must give it to; The officials there know who its receiver is. Is that clear?”

“I have one question, sir,” Eric said.

The guildmaster folded his arms, displeased. “And what would that question be?”

“If I could take the two Initiates with me. It would be interesting to see how they handle themselves when speaking on behalf of the guild.”

The guildmaster gave a light groan in response. He closed his eyes, and sucked in a dry breath between his teeth. “I suppose it would not be a problem. But remember : any embarrassments they cause is your responsibility. Understood?”

“Yes, sir!”

The guildmaster then turned and left without so much as a goodbye. “Hey, umm, what was that about?” asked William.

“We have to deliver a letter to the Ravens Hill court.”

William reflexively staggered. “Oh, don’t be such a wuss, Will,” Eric reassured in a condescending tone. “It’s not some horrible, tedious event. This’ll be done before you know it. Now, both of you, get yourselves ready. We will meet in the main hall in thirty minutes.” The three split up, and walked back to their chambers to prepare.

Those thirty minutes came and went, the three having done whatever they felt necessary: taking a bath, putting on new clothing, and so forth. They met up, and soldiered through the front door. Sun shined through the light grey clouds, illuminating the cobblestone streets of Ravens Hill. Over the timber buildings arose the spires of the court, casting their shadows upon the city. Pools of leftover rainwater from yesterday’s downpour were strewn throughout the streets, which William had a habit of stepping into by accident.

“You know what? Ah, why not,” said Eric aloud, before turning down an alley.

“Hey, where are you going? Aren’t we supposed to go to the court?” said Victor.

“Change of plans, we’re doing this first.” Eric pointed towards a bakery down the street. “Let’s grab something to eat real quick. I’m starving.”

“Great idea, Eric. It’s not like we’re meeting officials, right?”

“Oh, stop worrying so much. You’re starting to sound like him.” Eric nodded towards William.

Without a moment of hesitation, he pressed forward into the bakery. “Bastard…” groaned Victor, fists clenched, a quiet William as his lone witness.

A few minutes later, Eric stepped back outside with three pastries in his hands. “Want a Lokahnic Delight?“ he asked, neither William nor Victor protesting. Victor gave a firm look at the pastry as he accepted it from Eric, and rolled his eyes. Great. Did he pick the messiest thing for sale?

...maybe I should just enjoy myself. Victor raised the pastry to his lips, his companions already digging into theirs without much of a care in the world. One small bite of the rich, treat was all it took for his worries to disappear as well. No wonder this traditional Lokahnian pastry was called a ‘delight’; it tasted like it was baked in the heavens, where the delicate strawberries filling the treat grew.

After finishing their snack and extensively wiping their faces on Victor’s insistence, the three walked the remainder of the distance to the court, located on the city’s western edge. Rising above the rest of the city, the stone-rendered complex and it's spires were a firm reminder of who pulled the strings in the city. A second wall separated the court from the rest of the city, with one checkpoint serving as the only way in. Past the checkpoint, a well-maintained garden of imported flowers and bushes greeted visitors.

“Halt. for enter, a reason?” The guard standing by the checkpoint stopped the three once they approached. His Lokahnic was unintelligible, made worse by his thick foreign accent. Are they incapable of finding anyone better for this?

“We’re here to deliver a message,” answered Eric after piecing the broken language together.

“Message? what from? What person, message maker?”

Eric took deep breaths, as he once again translated into proper Lokahnic. “Civil Defense. We’re here on behalf of Ravens Hill Civil Defense.”

The guard covered his mouth and closed his eyes for a moment. “Yes. Pass you may,” he said, and stepped aside, signalling to the three to pass.

As the company pressed on through the courtyard, a soldier keeping watch next to the large wooden door reached for the iron handle. “Stand. The room middle.” he said in different but still broken Lokahnic, as he pulled the door open.

A red carpet with golden edges stretched from the door to a set of steps deep into the hall. Up the steps sat an empty throne, illuminated by light coming in from the windows by the roof. On the sides of the hall sat numerous statues of knights holding their longswords to the ground, with various corridors in between, lit by torchlight.

Victor and William followed behind Eric, who stopped next to the steps, as was ordered. After a short wait, the baroness of Ravens Hill walked into the vestibule. She wore a navy blue uniform with a Justitian insignia pinned to her chest. “Greetings, gentlemen,” she said, with a cheerful voice none amongst the three expected to hear. It was as if they were talking to their own grandmother. “How can I be of service?”

“Oh, err, we’re here to deliver a letter.” Eric couldn’t help but blush. He had been anticipating something formal, instead of something akin to visiting his parents back in Riverside.

“Ah yes, I was informed that this letter would arrive today,” the baroness said with a warm smile, as she accepted the letter from Eric’s hands. “Is there anything else you would wish to speak of?”

“Well, not really…” Eric said, while placing his hand on the back of his head.

That’s all? Well then, it was nice meeting you lot. Good to see that the youth of today is working for the betterment of the world. Farewell!” The baroness put her right hand up, the red signet wrapped around her ring finger shining in the window light.

“Goodbye, my lady.”

* * *

The baroness watched and waved as the company left the court, still wearing her mask of friendliness. But once they were gone, the mask disintegrated, revealing a dithering old woman, as she went on to deliver the sealed letter to the man it was addressed to.

“General Sanctullator?” the baroness’ now fragile voice echoed from behind the creaky wooden door into the general’s study.

“Come in, my lady, what is it?” said the general, as he placed down his wine goblet.

“I have the response from Guildmaster Jonathan you said would come today.” The baroness handed over the letter, which the general unsealed, and proceeded to read. His facial expression turned evermore sour as he read the guildmaster’s reply to his request.

“Fool!” Sanctullator slammed the letter on his desk. The baroness stepped back in shock. “Ugh, my apologies.”

“What’s wrong, Stefan? Is it-”

“It’s as I feared. The guildmaster is not sending any of his men to support the campaign. Says his hands are tied up with Ravens Hill’s local problems. Deep down, I knew it...”

“Pardon me,” the baroness interrupted, “what do you mean, exactly? You knew the locals would not cooperate with us when we demanded it?”

The general rested his elbow on the table, and fiddled his fingers to the side of his eye, as if he wore a pair of invisible glasses. “I knew that the locals would stop giving us the time of their day, given the way we’ve ruled over this land for eight years now. The common folk have complained again and again about poverty, lawlessness and more, day in and day out. Nothing gets done. The Imperial divisions have sat on their arses, doing nothing! And the consequences are now clear; You need lady Justitia’s might to get any of the locals to cooperate! Made all the worse with the news that just came in.”

The baroness’ face froze in horror. “Y-you don’t mean to say…”

“Yes, that.” The general shied his head away. “They’ve grown bold enough to strike. And hard, too.”

“How hard do y-”

“How hard? How hard? Does ‘they ambushed a raiding party as they were about to arrest two cultists, resulting in said party being wiped out and the couple escaping’ give you an idea? They found the bodies early this morning. Now we have to explain to five families how their loved ones ended up finding an early grave!” Sanctullator threw his pen across the room out of frustration.

“But… what are we going to do? We are not prepared to deal with an insurgency, not with the rookies and freeloader divisions we have... how will we hope to finish our mission like this?”

“Besides rapidly training what troops we do have here, my lady... as much as I hate having say this, given the poor reception such a measure is likely to receive amongst the populace, I don’t see any option other than to reign in the autonomy of the Lokahn territory. There's no other path in sight towards striking down those monsters, and the cultists worshipping them…”

* * *

“I… didn’t think it would be that simple, to just waltz into the court and back out.”

“Told you so, Will,” Eric replied. “Life isn’t that complicated, really. You shouldn’t be so nervous, Will.”

“You know,” Victor interrupted, “I didn’t think Imperial officials could be that friendly.”

William turned his head.“Huh? What makes you say that?”

Victor sighed, which Eric took as his cue to answer in his stead. “Oh, I can tell you why. Ever had a bad run in with some soldiers?” William shook his head. “Well, Vic and I have. Years of them, that is.”

“Err, ‘years’?”

“Yes, years,” said Victor, having taken his time to channel his inner resentment. “We both lived in Riverside for the longest time. There’s a military garrison there. Trust me when I say that most of them are bastards. They always come from some foreign corner of the world, and don’t care about this country, nor about you. They’re rowdy, they intimidate people, even break your property, all for their own entertainment. Every week something new happened involving them. And no matter how much we complained about it to officials, nothing was ever done.”

Victor clenched his fist, as memories of yesterday boiled in his veins. “Even on the carriage ride here, I had a soldier mock me because my father was missing. He sounded like a regular Lohkanian too. That’s just the type of people that join the army.”

“I didn’t know that. Sorry, I shouldn’t have said anything about it,” said William.

“Wait....” Eric stopped dead in his tracks, seeing something that caught his eye. “You see what’s happening over there on Orchard Square?” He pointed in the direction of a massive crowd, which had gathered around the square’s bulletin board. Outstretched arms pointed to a paper which dwarfed all the other bulletins posted.

The company ran to the commotion and pushed their way through the masses. Dozens of voices spoke aloud and overlapped one another all around. It was a chaotic atmosphere, a mixture of fear and confusion, with a tinge of happiness hidden therein. Having made their way to the front, their curiosity would turn similar. Unbeknownst to them or any of the others in the crowd at the time, this bulletin would be a prelude for the events that were to unfold:

‘DRAGON SIGHTINGS TURN TO ATTACKS IN THE OCCIDENTIS MOUNTAINS! FIVE GUARDSMEN DEAD, TWO CIVILIANS CONFIRMED MISSING!’