Mahon followed Jorik inside Ravatoris’ lair. The Last Green’s tent was at least ten times bigger than Mahon’s own, and yet it was still for Ravatoris only. The noble had multiple tents stuck together that gave an impression of having multiple rooms.

They entered the office part of the tents complex, and Mahon realized that there was even a desk inside. Ravatoris was sitting behind his desk, and multiple documents had already found their way onto it.

As always, the noble barely glanced at Mahon and directly addressed Jorik instead.

“I guess you know why you’re here?” Ravatoris started.

“A mission, I presume.” Jorik answered unfazed.

“Yes. But not any mission. You’ve ignored direct orders and tried things behind our back. This mission will also be your punishment. It’s harder than the usual ones Rym planned to give to the students, but that’s what you reap from your insolent behavior.”

Ravatoris was speaking in a calm tone, almost like a father instructing his child, but there was no trace of any love in his eyes. Instead, he had trouble hiding a wicked smile. Mahon knew perfectly that the noble was more than happy to give them their punishment.

Given his attitude, Mahon expected a full week cleaning the camp latrines or something equivalent. He held back a sigh. Let’s get this over and move on.

“You’ll be given a small unit, and you’ll be tasked to scout on the fourth wall.” Ravatoris said with the same pleased face.

“Scout?” Jorik asked with surprise.

Mahon also glanced at Ravatoris with a puzzling look. Scouting was the most dangerous thing one could do on the Walls, but for Mahon and Jorik, who were two men of the field with good fighting ability, it was more a deliverance than a punishment.

What is going on?

“Didn’t you hear what I said?” Ravatoris answered in a bored tone. “Here is your mission order.” He handed a paper over his desk, and Jorik moved closer to grab it.

He read the short mission order before raising his head back to his half-brother. He then gave the paper to Mahon without a word.

The mission was pretty simple. They had to leave for two days and map an area where there were supposed to be few movements of Amentiae’s troops. Apparently, the closest Amentiae army was located further west, and they had to make sure they hadn’t moved back yet.

“Shouldn’t we patrol the fifth wall, though?” Mahon pointed out the part of the text where the number had been crossed out and re-written at fourth.

“Are you discussing orders again, commoner? There is no Amentiae in the zone. Their armies moved away. What difference does it make you go to the fifth or the fourth, then? Are you too afraid to follow orders? You want me to treat you for insubordination? We won’t be lenient a second time. You better execute this mission by the book, or you’ll both lose your heads.”

So that’s how it is…

Mahon exchanged a look with Jorik and said nothing. The silence lasted for a few seconds before Ravatoris leaned back in his chair, pleased.

“Good. Now go do your mission and come back only when you’ve got the necessary information. I don’t need to remind you of what would happen if you fail such a simple mission. Your patrol is already waiting for you. Get your pack ready. You leave now.”

He then waved to dismiss them and returned to another paper on his desk while completely ignoring them.

Mahon and Jorik exited the tent side to side and walked back in the direction of their own tents.

“He is trying to intimidate us.” Jorik said once they were out of earshot. “What do you want to do?”

Mahon eyed Jorik with a surprised look. “You’re considering going against his orders?”

“Myself, no. Fifth or fourth doesn’t make much of a difference if the Amentiae aren’t here. He just wants us to be too scared to do it and have another good reason to harm us. But I have no idea what you want to do. You could just want to leave the camp right now for all I know.”

“Uh, yeah...” The last time Mahon had spoken with the noble, he had intended to create a music group with Zac. The plan was now obviously in jeopardy, and Mahon realized Jorik didn’t know if he still planned to leave school. “I’ll come.”

“You’re staying at school?” Jorik asked, and Mahon almost heard a hint of hope in the noble’s voice.

“No, I’m tired of you all. I think I’ll stay at the camp and become a simple soldier.”

“If you leave now to join the army, you’ll be back to First Blue.”

“I don’t care.”

Jorik shrugged. “Whatever. Let’s meet here in fifteen minutes with our bag ready, then.”

They split and Mahon walked to his First Yellow tent. It wasn’t a tent made for scouting. It was too big and too impractical. It was a tent for those who stayed long in the same spot and needed some comfort. He’d have to leave it there.

Mahon grabbed his few clothes and hastily prepared a bag for two days. He clipped his spear on his back, after verifying the sharpness of the edge. He wasn’t yet proficient enough with earth magic to release the earth clips at a moment’s notice, but given five seconds, he could set his spear free.

Then he turned to the sword still laying on the ground. Zac’s sword. Jorik had packed the two weapons from Mahon’s stuff when he had been unconscious, as he hadn’t realized Mahon had gifted the sword to Zac. Mahon put on the belt with the sword attached as he felt a pinch in his heart. It would be a shame not to use such a good sword, though.

He then hesitated a bit over his harmonica. Contrary to the sword, he had no good reason to bring it with him. And yet, he slipped it in his side pocket. The instrument was small and light enough not to impede his motions, and even if he didn’t plan to play a song on the battlefield, the simple fact that he had it eased him. He found the instrument's presence reassuring, as if Zac was still with him.

Mahon finished packing his stuff and was back at the meeting point five minutes in advance. He took some time to double check that he had everything he needed. When he was done, he tightened his belt and leather armor. He made sure his spear had no leeway and didn’t hinder his moves.

Jorik arrived in the meantime, and the two men asked each other routine questions to make sure they hadn’t forgotten anything. When they were finally satisfied, they left together to grab further furniture for the mission.

They stopped in front of a big tent beside numerous carts with different kinds of supplies. Following a soldier’s gesture, they entered inside and met with an officer sitting behind a simple wooden desk.

Mahon handed him the mission’s orders, and the man took it without a word. He read through it, and Mahon saw the man’s face lighten with surprise as he raised his head to them.

“You’re going to the fourth wall?”

“Yes.” Jorik answered. “Is there a problem?”

“No, not really. It’s unusual for a student's first mission to go this far, but I guess if the Amentiae are away, it should be fine… You must really be something to have such a difficult mission handed to you. But here I am, blabbering again. I’m sorry. We’ll give you the necessary supplies for the mission.”

The officer gestured for the nearby soldiers. “Get them two individual scouting tents, and enough to eat for three days.” The soldiers immediately left for the carts while he smiled at the two students. “I know you’re leaving for two days, but it’s best to be cautious. I heard the Amentiae are surprisingly energetic as of late. Best-case scenario, you have an extra meal to enjoy when you come back.” He explained with the same gentle smile.

Jorik smiled back politely at the man, and Mahon nodded while they waited in silence for the soldiers to come back. The intendant had confirmed what they had guessed from Ravatoris’ behavior that the noble wanted to scare them off with a hard mission, but Mahon and Jorik weren’t as easily swayed.

A minute later, the soldiers came back with the necessary equipment and food. Mahon and Jorik packed everything in their own bag and headed for their next stop before the beginning of the mission. Their own unit.

When Mahon walked through the seventh wall door, the contrast was flagrant between this and the field with all the tents and soldiers they came from. As soon as they passed the seventh wall and onto the sixth, the mood changed.

The sixth wall was the one the closest to the battlefield, and the field between it and the seventh was similar to the ones of the higher numbered walls. They were trenches and small wooden bridges to navigate the field.

Mahon could smell the scent of war. The soldiers they saw showed serious faces. They all had armor on and weapons at hand’s reach. They were not wandering around leisurely and they all seemed to have a purpose, given how they were walking straight with a focused look.

Strangely, the atmosphere put Mahon at ease. He was back in known territory.

Stressed soldiers. Amentiae. Scouting. It’s like I’m back home.

He soon reached the area where their soldiers were supposed to be, and indeed, a loose group of two dozen soldiers were waiting there in silence. They raised their heads at the students when they approached.

“Hello, everyone. I’m Jorik.” The First Black introduced himself immediately in a sharp tone. He was back to business. “This is Mahon, my second. We’ll take the lead of this scouting operation for the next two days. Do you know of the scouting mission yet?”

The soldiers grumbled, but most of them shook their heads. Among the group, one raised his hand.

“Yes?” Jorik pointed to the man with the raised arm.

“Why are you leading us on a scouting mission? You’re just students.”

“Thanks for sharing your concern.” Jorik answered. “But you don’t need to worry about it. Mahon had extensive knowledge of the Amentiae, and we’re both from the top of the Pine Hill Officer Institute. And trained into scouting.”

The little speech actually got some spirit back into the soldiers’ bodies. The Pine Hill Officer Institute had a very good reputation, and if both Mahon and Jorik were from the top of it, there was actually a good chance that they were better than the usual First White or First Green to lead such a mission.

Mahon and Jorik spent a bit of time trying to understand the abilities of their subordinates, but they weren’t that interesting. Half of them were First Blue, and the other half First Red. Only one was First White, and the woman was supposed to take the lead of the mission before Jorik and Mahon came.

The morale wasn’t high, and from what Mahon had understood of his conversation with the soldier last night, they had been picked randomly or had been punished for their misbehavior. For the latter, it was similar to Mahon’s own situation in that they both got to do the mission as punishment. The others had just been unlucky enough to draw the short stick and got the scouting mission instead of the cleaning latrines one.

Mahon quickly learned that none of the soldiers had gone into a scouting mission yet. They were all novice in this, and the soldiers had heard more horrifying stories than Mahon and Jorik regarding the battlefield. They were all shaken at the thought of their mission, but Jorik took his time to explain everything and ease them.

After a few discussions and explaining their mission’s purpose, Jorik managed to make the group a bit more united. At least, most seemed glad they had a competent leader and two better fighters among their rank.

Once the briefing and acquaintances were done, the group of twenty-eight soldiers left for the sixth wall door. For the duration of the mission, Mahon acted as Jorik’s duo and second in command, and he was sent forward to show the mission order to the guards at the door and open it for the group.

“Can you open the door, please? We’ve got a scouting mission.” He asked a guard while pointing to his arriving group.

The man laughed it off while shaking his head.

“Open the door? You’re new here? Oh, wait, the badge. You’re a student, right?”

Mahon nodded while looking at the easy-going guard. It hadn’t expected a problem even before the mission started.

“Let me explain it, then. We don’t open the door for simple scouting missions. You’ve got to climb up the wall and use the ladders to move down on the other side. We can’t risk opening the door with the Amentiae lurking around, you know.”

That actually makes sense.

“Same thing on the way back?” He asked for confirmation.

“Yes. We’ll lower the ladders once we see you. If you’re being chased by Amentiae or whatever, which I don’t wish you of course, but we never know, we’ll send units to help you and maybe even open the lower doors to send more warriors. It’s not because the doors are closed that we’re not with you.”

“I see. We’re going then, thank you.”

“No problem.” The man waved at him. “Good luck with your first mission!”

Mahon nodded and came back to his group to share the instructions. Jorik acquiesced and led them to the nearby stairs. They climbed up atop the wall, and there, a soldier intercepted them.

“Scouting mission?” He asked, and Mahon gave him the mission order.

The soldier didn’t even glance at the paper before giving it back to Mahon.

“Go over there.” He pointed to a nearby spot before going back to his previous bored posture.

Mahon led the group to the assigned spot where a few other soldiers were already throwing rope ladders over the wall. When he approached the other side of the wide wall, Mahon could finally see what was beyond, and he stopped for an instant.

A calm plain stretched as far as the eye could see. A lot of small groves of trees sprouted here and there, their leaves flickering with the wind. The ground was strangely striped, as if a multitude of little canals had once brought water here, but they were all dried out now.

Far on the horizon, Mahon could spot part of a gigantic structure, akin to the wall he was standing in. It was kilometers ahead of them, farther away than any of the previous walls, but even with the distance Mahon saw how destroyed the wall was.

Some parts were still standing, like threatening towers in the otherwise peaceful plain, and others were just completely flat, or formed a pile of rubble. In some areas, the vegetation has claimed back his rights and the creamery stone was sprinkled with green points. The wall emitted an aura completely different from the plain. It reeked of countless fights, deaths and close calls. And it wasn’t even their final destination, since they would have to reach the wall after this one.

According to the map, though, the distance between the fifth and the fourth wasn’t as big as between the sixth and fifth, but it was still a couple kilometers further into the Amentiae’s territory.

A gentle tap on his shoulder brought him back to the present moment, and Jorik gestured for him that it was his turn to go down. One last time, Mahon made sure his backpack, sword and spear were tightly tied to him, and he grabbed the loose rope ladder.

Without hesitation, he passed over the parapet and started his descent.