The Wolf Mage

Journey to Anor

After lunch training continued for days, which began to turn into a couple weeks. The cabins became more separate from the other as we began to compete in teams on the obstacle courses. To my great unfortunate luck I did not become any more muscular, and I was still the shortest guy out of all fourteen others. Absolutely pathetic after two weeks of training; however, a chance to prove ourselves did arise. A board with missions for us to take in our free time was introduced. Hunter laid out two forms on the floor of the Beta cabin.

“Alright, we can stay here and train or take a mission” Hunter said. Everyone peered over his shoulder to look at the forms. There was either one to take a patrol job to keep a lookout for trouble in Anor, or coastwatch in Utaya.

“We should go out to Anor, there’s not going to be any trouble to deal with, and we’ll still be paid” Tyler decided.

“Sounds like a bore to me” Brad complained, “We might get attacked over in Utaya from the Ethivo army. We’ll call for backup, but the phones will be down, and we’ll be forced to fight, and when we win-” he started fantasizing.

“Please, get real Bradley” I scolded him sarcastically.

“Fine, we could go to Anor” he finally agreed, “What about you, Erza?” he asked. She shrugged,

“I don’t really have an opinion” she replied.

“Then its settled” Hunter said. We signed our names on the paper, and I took it to Captain Brook’s office. I headed into the office only to find the captain’s desk empty.

“Captain Brooks?” I called. The tall chair spun around revealing not Captain Brooks, but the first lieutenant.

“Yes?” he asked.

“I’m looking for Captain Brooks” I stated. I didn’t smile or frown, and neither did he.

“Captain Brooks was called to Tristand for a few days, and I’m filling in” he replied. Hesitantly I approached the desk, and handed the young lieutenant the form for my cabin’s mission. He looked it over, and glanced up at me.

“You guys think you’re up to a mission?” he asked.

“Yes I do. I think we’re mature enough, and focused enough Dale” I said blandly without any hint of emotion in my voice, or on my face. He frowned,

“That’s lieutenant to you, first lieutenant” he said sternly. I stood firm where I stood at attention.

“We’re approved to go? Sir?” I asked. He sighed, as he leaned back in the chair. Dale took out a red stamp, and labeled the form as approved.

“Thank you, sir” I mumbled. I started to turn away,

“Second private Jeremy” he said. I stopped, and turned around. He stood up from his desk, put a hand on my head. I gulped nervously, afraid for a second he was about to tell me that I couldn't go.

“Remember my rule, don’t get yourself killed” he ordered sternly.

“Er- yes sir” I replied.

“And Jeremy?” he asked, “How well do you know Brad and Erza?” he asked. I frowned,

“I’ve known Brad since we were five, and I know Erza pretty well” I replied. ‘What is he getting at?’ I wondered.

“How well do you know Erza?” he asked, his eyes narrowing.

“I know Erza great” I answered him. He raised an eyebrow curiously when the the door to the office opened.

“What’s up Dale?” Edgar asked.

“I was just approving a mission for Beta cabin, and I was saying how Erza is a great soldier. Isn’t that right Jeremy?” Dale stated.

“Yeah, I know” I said as I left. ‘Erza is a great soldier, great is for girl. He knows’ I realized.

“You’ve trained some bright kids Dale” I heard Edgar say as I left the office. Near the trail leading into town my cabin mates were already waiting for me. I proudly held up the form with our stamp of approval, and we set out for the train. I sat next to Erza, while Brad, Hunter, and Tyler were on the other seat behind us. I leaned against the window, watching the trees go by as the train started to move. I glanced back at Erza, she seemed down.

“Are you okay?” I asked.

“Yeah, I’m good” she replied.

“You said your from Anor aren’t you?” I asked.

“Yeah, I am. There’s one large orphanage there” she reminded me.

“I know you said you didn’t miss it there, but aren’t you a little bit glad to be going back. It is, after all, where you grew up after all?” I asked. Erza sighed,

“Maybe, I don’t know. I guess I was fortunate that I didn’t have parent to miss since I grew up there, but-” she began.

“But I’d like to know why my parents left me” she admitted. She laughed,

“Sorry, I can’t relate to you and Brad” she apologized. I shook my head,

“ I don’t know my parents either” I admitted.

“That’s rough” Erza replied. I looked at her eyes, her deep brown eyes, and I felt my face heat up. I looked back out the window. ‘You idiot, you're supposed to act like she’s a guy’ I scolded myself. ‘Yet, why am I so nervous?!’ I thought. By mid afternoon we reached Anor. We’d camp out on the outskirts of town, and just keep an eye out for the town on the southern border. South of Anor was miles of forest, and then the southern coast. It was a straight shot north through clear waters from the country of Ethivo. If the coast guard from our side, the town Utaya, failed, it would be our job to keep the enemy from proceeding north to Tristand. Tristand was the farthest town to the east, it was the capital of Anova.

We set up hammocks high up in the trees where we could keep watch over a wide area. I stared up at the tree. ‘I’ll be lucky if I don’t fall’ I thought.

“You're not scared of heights Jeremy?” Hunter asked. I shook my head, and noticed Brad was putting his just above the first branch of a tall tree,

“Ha, but I think Brad is!” I announced

“Eh- shut up” he snapped, his ears were bright red.

“Oh course you wouldn’t be, you're closer to the ground short” he shot back. Everyone was laughing. It was quite calm. Maybe Tyler was right that it would be a mission without trouble, and we’d go home paid for our mission. Maybe, just maybe, but I couldn’t be certain. Somewhere, I don’t know where, but I sensed something rumbling, and it had my nerves on edge. Still it seemed calm, but that didn’t make me feel anymore at ease. After all, chaos can arise at any given second.