Memoirs of a Fallen God

Chapter 25

Jeer came walking up from the ruin of the fort, Rove half a step behind. He took a long gaze at where we were splayed about the fire. He snorted. “Well ain’t you four just about the saddest excuse for a squad I ever set eyes on.”

We didn’t even bother protesting. We were too tired. Besides, it was probably true.

He glanced over his shoulder, toward the smoking heap where the fort had once been, where, even now, the Wizardborn still no doubt scoured through the ashes for hints of foul play.He turned back to us and shrugged. “Well, sorry as you may be...seeing as how you all just had your first taste of battle, and, seeing as how I am the best damned sergeant I’ve ever even heard tell of, I was thinking of letting you join Rove here on a jaunt to Corum tomorrow.”

Four sets of eyes went from weary boredom to enthusiastic interest in half a heartbeat. Corum was a town, maybe closer to a small city, perhaps half a day out from the fort. Closet settlement deserving the name. A visit was a rare thing; the townsfolk didn’t want soldiers wandering about wholesale, apparently. But with Rove leading us, we’d have the run of the town.

None of us had ever been there, of course, since recruits and regulars were strictly prohibited from visiting unless under the direct supervision of a superior officer, but we’d certainly heard stories aplenty. 

“I thought nobody got to go to town without an order from…you know, a proper officer…” Saintly said, though it was clear he was excited at the prospect. By “a proper officer” he meant a captain or above. Someone who’d gone through officer training, whatever that meant. Jeer, as a mere sergeant, couldn’t order us to the town on his own initiative. For all his know how and experience, he still didn’t rank anything much at all in the scheme of the Imperial Army. Though I suppose that was how he wanted it.

“Well look at you. Been paying attention after all.” He slapped his hand on Saint’s shoulder. “As chance has it, with the quartermaster’s office and most of the stores burned down to nothing, the good captain we met earlier ordered me to see to some of the resupplying. And I choose you fine specimens to do the work for me, while I sit here and toast my toes over this fine fire. We call that delegation, my fine lads.” The big man grinned. “You’ll have to report in with the city regiment, and you’ll be responsible for a bit of heavy lifting, but I figure we can spare you for a half day or so to see the sights.” 

Corum had a bit of a reputation, you see. Before the war it had been a modest sized town, but with the advent of a nearby fort and the officer corps such a fort implied, it had taken on a certain mythical quality for the regular soldiers assigned to the fort. Recruits around the campfire spoke of it wistfully. Of girls, mostly. Lots of girls. And gambling, if such was your particular poison. Booze and redgum, too, of course. Any wonder such a destination lit a fire in the bellies of a group of healthy young men?

While our collective minds began wandering down the path of the possibilities such an outing might allow, Jeer plucked me from my reverie with a heavy hand on my shoulder. “Telth. A word?” 

I hopped up from my spot around the fire and followed him toward the makeshift mess. There was no sign of the good spirits of a few moments before on Jeer’s face, now. “Look. I don’t know what a wizardborn can or can’t tell just by looking at you, but with one so near, I think it best you lay low until the squad heads off tomorrow. Not sure if he’ll stay in the camp or not, but either way, no reason to take chances. Could be he’ll hear our tale from that captain and come to ask a few questions…best you not be here if he does. Find a hole to hide in and stay there. Rove and these three’ll be leaving come first light. Meet them up on the road. I’ll let them know you’re off doing some unpleasant work for me so they don’t go asking questions. Better safe than sorry, eh?”