(1)
Two days later, Roran, Kell, and Nul went to visit Carrick again. They made the entire trip via indoor corridors, working their way through the city like ants. At one point the corridor descended below the ground to traverse under a few streets. Even out of sight, Kell kept glancing around, her eyes peeled for Timara.
She relaxed when they arrived at Carrick's apartment. He greeted them the same as last time, with a scowl and a wary glance.
"Get inside. At least you're not arriving at the crack of dawn this time."
"You do realize we're more likely to be spotted coming and going during the day like this."
"At least if I get executed for treason, it will be after a good night's sleep. Do I need to bother making tea?"
"Only if you care about being a good host."
"Then no. Sit down and let's get this over with."
The four of them sat around Carrick's dining table. Somehow, another layer of dust had already developed since their last visit. Carrick didn't bother collecting his tomes, he simply pulled out a single notebook and left it closed in front of him.
"So, aside from people going out of their way to kill you, any developments?"
"We have a few leads on potential crowns," said Roran. "We may even be able to find the knowledge Nul needs to design the necessary focus marking."
Carrick nodded. "Go on."
"There are spirits that wander the world called remnants. We can use these as crowns. They won't be as powerful as the King's, but we won't be stuck on the side of a mountain."
"I'm impressed. I didn't think you would make any progress on that front." He shrugged. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised anymore, you seem to come out on top no matter what you do. So, what's next?"
"Next we go find the knowledge Nul needs, then make one of these remnants agree to work with us."
"And where exactly will you be looking?"
"Uhlara," said Nul.
Carrick frowned. "That's going to be tricky. They think they're currently at war with the King's Empire."
"Aren't they?" asked Roran.
"Only so much as a mouse can be at war with a lion. Tell me, how are you planning to get there? Uhlara is on the other side of the continent."
"Well," began Kell, "this is the part we were hoping you could help us with. We were hoping to catch a ride with the army."
Carrick blinked at her. "They're not a caravan, they won't take people along for the ride, even if you pay them."
"That's not what we had in mind," said Roran. "With the recent assault, we thought there might be some missions heading out to Uhlara. If we went on one of those missions, we could get close to—or maybe even inside—Uhlara."
"Yes..." said Carrick, speaking slowly as if to a child. "But you would have to join the army before they would let you do that."
Roran, Kell, and Nul all stared at him.
"Which you three are smart enough not to do..."
A long, thin silence stretched between them. Carrick's eyes widened and he looked from Roran, to Nul, then finally to Kell.
"No," he said softly. "No, you know better."
"It would be the easiest way to get across the continent," said Nul.
"It would get us out of town so tensions could cool," said Roran.
Kell didn't say anything, she just stared at Carrick, her expression soft.
"Kell, no. You know better," Carrick said. Then, his voice rising, "You know better!"
"Carrick, please. This is the easiest way to achieve our goals."
"You know better!" Carrick shouted. "You know what those people do, what they expect of Champions."
"We wouldn't be a part of an assault force," said Kell. "There are other missions, other options."
"You still have to obey the officers. You don't get a choice."
"We would," said Kell. "Me and Nul, the army would kill to have us workwith them. We could pick what mission we went on."
"Like what? What missions are happening in Uhlara right now? You don't know, do you? They won't tell people like you."
"But they'll tell you, you can see what missions need Champions. You could sign us up-"
"No, absolutely not. I will not play any part in this stupidity."
"It's the best option we have," said Kell. "We can avoid the worst missions if you help us, but only if you help us."
"No, I'm not doing this again."
"It's not the same thing," said Kell, her voice rising to match Carrick's.
"You don't understand, you don't know what it's like," said Carrick. "The things they make you do, it changes you. Linara...She...they made her...she didn't."
"I'm not your dead wife!" Kell snapped.
"No, you're half her age and twice as stupid. You have no idea what it is you're getting yourself into."
"So help us!"
"I refuse. Enough of this nonsense, we're done here."
"Carrick!"
"Enough, out! Get out of my home."
"Carrick please," said Roran.
"Out!" Carrick pointed to the door. "I'm done with this, get out."
The three rose and headed for the door. As they left, Carrick slammed it behind them.
"Well that didn't go well," said Kell.
"Are you surprised?" asked Nul. "After what happened with his wife?"
"I'm not his wife," Kell said again.
"But you remind him of her," said Sarah, appearing behind Kell. Kell whirled, pointing her spear at Sarah's throat. Sarah didn't so much as flinch. "He's still grieving. He's afraid that the same thing will happen to you, that you'll go to war and part of you won't come back."
Kell sighed, lowering her spear. "I don't know what I have to leave behind. I've killed plenty and risked my life more times than I can count. Fighting a few soldiers that aren't even etched shouldn't be a problem."
"It's more than that. Fighting in a war isn't the same as fighting in the arena. It changes people."
"As if the arena hasn't already changed me."
"So what now?" asked Roran.
"Give him time," said Sarah. "He'll come around, he just needs to process his emotions first."
"We can always go straight to the army," said Nul. "If we're lucky they might be willing to work with us."
Kell shrugged. "Sure, I don't have any better ideas."
"It's worth a shot," said Roran.
(2)
After getting directions from Sarah, the three headed back towards the King's Arena. One of the primary administrative offices for the army was nestled into a black and gold brick building only a few streets away from the behemoth arena. Kell led the way into the building, her spear bouncing on her shoulder and a grin on her face.
The interior was bright and gaudy. Crimson tapestries hung on the walls and paintings of the King's and their Generals decorated the walls. A pair of soldiers stood on either side of the door. Their eyes immediately locked onto Kell's spear and they stood a little taller, their hands moving to rest on their swords. At a desk sat a receptionist with slicked back hair and a crisp red uniform. He did a double take when he saw Kell and Nul waltz in the front door. Rising to his feet he clasped his hands and gave them a big smile.
"Hello, what can I do for the illustrious Living Storm?"
"You can start by never calling me that again," said Kell.
"As you wish. What brings you here today?"
"I can only think of one reason people like us would come to a place like this, we're thinking of doing a run with the army."
"Excellent!" The receptionist's grin widened, showing bright teeth and pink gums. He eyed first Kell, then Nul. "The army would be grateful to have the blessing of your particular talents." His eyes lingered on Nul for a second longer.
Scowling, Nul said, "I'm not doing any etching for the army."
"We can sort out the details later. I'll call in an officer and you two can chat with him in a private room."
"There's three of us," said Kell, jerking a thumb over her shoulder at Roran.
The receptionist gave Roran a once over, his smile faltering for a second. "Oh, is he your assistant?"
"Fresh title, he's part of our team."
"As you say, just a moment." The receptionist departed, heading down a brightly lit hallway.
"I don't think he likes me," said Roran.
"They've been after us for a while," said Nul. "You're going to be in our shadow for this one, sorry."
Roran shrugged. "I don't mind, it's better to be underestimated. Besides, a shadow isn't a bad place to be."
"Is your girlfriend here with us?" asked Kell.
"I don't wander too far from Roran," said Sarah, appearing beside her.
Kell swore and put a hand to her chest. "You have got to stop doing that, I'm going to stab you one of these days."
At the door, the two soldiers eyed Kell, giving her a strange look.
"Stabbing me wouldn't do anything," said Sarah. "And it's best not to talk to me directly. Only you three can see me, well comprehend me, you don't really see me in the first place."
Kell grunted and turned away.
Speaking under his breath, Roran asked, "Is there anything in this place we should be aware of?"
"There's a room behind that tapestry with a few more soldiers. Behind that painting is a passageway to the officer's lounge. There are secret passageways and storerooms throughout this entire building. At the first sign of trouble, an entire battalion can pour into the lobby in minutes."
Pulling their collar up to hide their lips, Nul asked, "Why are they so paranoid."
"Fear. The Champions that sign on with the army normally aren't accustomed to following orders. They're wild, chaotic, and powerful."
"They're like me," muttered Kell.
"Exactly, if you went wild, there are very few soldiers capable of fighting you head-on, so it's best to have contingencies in place."
"How do you know all this?" asked Nul.
"Both me and my predecessor spent a fair amount of time around warzones and dealing with armies. You pick up a lot of information when you're semi-omnipotent."
The receptionist returned with an officer in tow. The officer's uniform was trimmed in gold and a few medals gleamed on his chest. The sight made Roran's stomach turn, memories of Millgrove's occupation were still fresh in his mind. He clenched his teeth and kept his mouth firmly shut.
"Hello, I'm Captain Tremain, it's a pleasure to meet you."
The Captain shook hands with Kell. He offered a hand to Nul but they shook their head and stepped back. "Sorry, not a touching person."
Unperturbed, the captain moved on to Roran. "I'm afraid I don't recognize you."
Roran shook his hand and said, "I'm a fresh title, Roran Aurandale."
"Oh right, you conquered the Crucible, Roran the Reaper, right?"
Swallowing a mouthful of bile, Roran said, "Yeah, that's me."
"It's a pleasure to meet you. Taking down Duran the Living Boulder is quite impressive for someone so young." Stepping back, the captain addressed all three of them. "Shall we move somewhere more comfortable?"
Kell nodded and the captain led the three of them out of the lobby and down a brightly lit hallway. The walls were covered in more tapestries and several paintings depicting old battles and wars. A common element between all of the visuals was the inclusion of a King. In every painting and mural was one of the three Kings, standing over the army with a halo of light surrounding them. Roran wondered how many secret passageways and hidden guards they passed as they walked.
"Here we are." The Captain opened a door and gestured for them to step inside. The room was small and cozy. A large coffee table sat in the center holding a few stacks of paper, a pitcher of water and some glasses, and a couple of intricate pens. On one side of the table was a plush chair and on the other was a long couch with enough room for all three of them to sit together. "Please take a seat."
While Roran, Kell, and Nul settled onto the couch, the captain sat in his chair and leaned forward, an elbow on his knee and a gleam in his eyes. "So, I hear you want to work with the army?"
"We were thinking of going on a mission, as a team of course."
"Of course. Any particular reason?"
"We wanted to get out of town for a while, go see some new sights, maybe take a ride on one of the flying ships."
Captain Tremain arched an eyebrow. "Is that the only reason?"
Kell glanced at Nul and Roran. "Well, we were...That is to say..."
The captain frowned, slowly looking at each of them.
Leaning forward, Roran said, "No, it's not the only reason. We have a few reasons we want to get out of town and we need the military's help."
Kell's eyes went wide and Nul scowled at Roran, confused.
"I'm listening," said Captain Tremain.
"The main reason is that I'm weak," said Roran. "I conquered the Crucible, but I barely survived my first bout in the King's Arena. Etched Champions are still too strong for me to fight. Both of my sponsors thought it would be a good idea to get me out of the arena for a while, so I had more time to get used to my new focus markings."
"I see. Well I can certainly appreciate that, the first time I fought someone with focus markings was terrifying. Are there any other reasons you want to leave town for a little while?"
"Kell pissed off a bunch of Champions and we're trying to avoid a blood match," said Nul, deadpan.
"Oi!"
"It's true."
"It is a little true," said Roran.
"It's not my fault," said Kell, folding her arms and grumbling to herself.
Captain Tremain laughed. "I see, well you certainly wouldn't be the first Champion to go on a mission or two while tensions cooled off back home. I know Champions can be a little hot headed from time to time. Well, I think your team would be able to provide ample support to some of our troops on the front lines." He reached for the stack of paper, passing a page to each of them. "Let's get these signed first, then we can figure out the details."
Roran took the paper and the Captain handed him a pen.
"Per tradition these have to be signed in blood," said the captain. "Don't worry, the pens are razor sharp and hardly hurt at all, just a quick jab and you're good to go, like this." Captain Tremain demonstrated for them, jabbing himself in the finger with a pen.
Roran eyed the pen, holding it up towards his finger. As he was about to prick himself, Sarah appeared behind Captain Tremain.
"Don't sign those! It will give the army ownership of you."
(3)
All three of them paused, staring at Sarah. Captain Tremain faltered under their unified gaze.
"Is something wrong? There's not a ghost standing behind me is there?" He turned around, looked directly at Sarah, then turned back, still puzzled.
"Sorry," said Roran, "There was a fly. We've been a little jumpy since we were attacked in the street."
The captain raised an eyebrow. "Right..."
"What does the term 'Military Asset' mean?" asked Nul.
"Well, since you wouldn't be a part of the army, you wouldn't be viewed as a soldier. Instead you would be seen as an asset that helps with specific tasks."
"Like a siege weapon," said Kell.
"That's one way of looking at it," said the Captain. "This way you don't have to go through months of training and start at the bottom as a recruit."
"What about this clause?" aske Roran, holding up the contract and pointing. "Should we fail to perform our duties, we would be barred from the King's Arena for up to twelve months?"
Captain Tremain let out an uncomfortable laugh. "That's just an insurance policy. As I'm sure you know, some of the local Champions lose track of themselves. This is just a way to ensure they honor their commitments to the military in exchange for the various types of compensation we provide. We don't just offer money, we can provide you with-"
"It's how you ensure Champions do as they're told," said Nul.
"We just want to make sure the Champions we work with complete the tasks that are assigned to them."
"What sort of tasks would you be asking for our help with?" asked Nul.
"That depends on your talents. Given how diverse each Champion is, we tailor their involvement to make the most of their skills. For someone like Kell here, we would probably ask that she support our troops in ground combat. For you, we'd likely ask you to provide long range support. I suppose the siege weapon metaphor is rather appropriate in your case. For Roran...we uh...we would figure something out."
"Would we get a say in what missions we participated in?" asked Roran.
Captain Tremain's smile faltered. "Of course, we wouldn't force someone to fight against their will. Although, for people like you three, fighting a few uncivilized war mongers shouldn't be anything to worry about."
"Would we get a say in where we fought?" asked Kell.
"Possibly, it really depends on which officers you are assigned to."
"Are there any missions occurring in Uhlara?" asked Nul.
Frowning, Captain Tremain said, "I can't discuss active military operations. Is there any particular reason you would want to go to Uhlara?"
All three of them hesitated. Behind Captain Tremain, Sarah dropped her face into her hands and shook her head. "You three couldn't be more suspicious if you tried!"
"We were just discussing areas that would be nice to visit while we were away from the city and we had Uhlara in mind," said Kell.
Leaning back in his chair, Captain Tremain said, "The army is not a vacation service for Champions. While we are happy to work with Champions to ensure they fit in comfortably with their unit, we do expect them to go where they're needed and to provide the necessary support in the area, whether that's here on the Eastern side of the continent, or the west."
Folding his hands in his lap, Captain Tremain went on. "Now, I would be happy to discuss the specifics with you, however, for the sake of our troops and our active agents, I must insist that you first agree to work with the military in an official capacity and sign the contracts."
"Don't sign them!" said Sarah.
"Can we have some time to think it over?" asked Roran.
Captain Tremain sighed. "Of course, you can have all the time you like."
"Would it be alright if I took a copy with me?" Roran asked, holding up the contract.
"My apologies, we try not to let those out into the public. It's best if the general public doesn't have to concern themselves with military matters. You understand."
"Of course," said Roran.
"Excellent. Well, I shall escort you back out of the building. Please feel free to come back if you change your minds; however, I feel obliged to remind you that we are interested in serious inquiries only. While we give Champions a lot of freedom in their involvement with the military, we do expect that they treat us with professionalism and perform their tasks as requested. We do pay you after all."
"Right, of course," said Roran.
Captain Tremain escorted them out of the building and out onto the street. Exhausted from the awkward conversation, the three of them made their way home.
Falling onto the couch, Kell said, "Well that was a waste of time."
"We learned a lot," said Roran.
"Yeah, nothing useful though. You could have learned all that from your girlfriend while I got drunk and Nul worked on new designs for us."
"Where should we go from here?" Nul asked, looking from Kell to Roran.
"I'm out of ideas," said Kell.
"I could ask my father for more information, maybe he knows of another way to get to Uhlara."
"You could always walk," said Karyn, coming out of Kell's room. "It's a long way, but we have money and time. It's not like the Kings are going anywhere."
"It would take more than a month," said Sarah, appearing at Roran's side. "Possibly longer."
"Anyone have anything better to do?" asked Kell.
"It would give us more time to teach Roran how to use the focus markings," said Nul.
"It would be a fun adventure!" said Karyn.
"It will take a couple of months or longer," said Sarah, exasperated. "You'd have to cross the entire continent on foot. As far as you know, the Uhlaran Kingdom won't even be there by the time you get there. The King's Army could have invaded and destroyed the entire place by then."
"Is that a possibility?" asked Roran.
"Yes, the officers have plans to invade and conquer Uhlara depending on how the situation evolves over the next two months. I saw drawings and contingency plans in their planning room."
"What, did you go snooping while we were talking to Captain Smiles?" asked Kell.
"Again, semi-omnipotent. We were near their plans so I 'saw' them."
"You're pretty convenient," said Kell.
"Gee, thanks," Sarah deadpanned.
"Pretty too," said Roran with a wink.
Sarah flushed and pulled up her hood. "Either way," she said, changing the topic, "walking there isn't a feasible option."
"So what?"
"So go answer the door," said Sarah.
"What?"
In response, someone knocked on the door. Karyn dutifully answered it. On the other side of the door was a courier holding a letter and a scroll case.
"I have a delivery for Kell."
"She's here, I can take it," said Karyn. "Thank you."
Closing the door, Karyn held up the letter and scroll case. Looking at Sarah, she asked, "What is it?"
"Read it."
"It's addressed to you," said Karyn as she handed the letter to Kell.
Kell used the tip of her spear to slice the envelope open and shook out a letter. She read it aloud:
Kell,
I talked to some friends and made some deals. This should be exactly what you're looking for. I still think it's a terrible idea and resent you for asking me to do this. I hope you all die horribly and I never have to see you again.
In the meantime, I'll keep looking for the designs Nul requested. Keep me updated and let me know when you return.
Carrick
Taking the letter, Karyn frowned. "I hope you all die...Keep me updated?"
"Yup, sounds like Carrick. What did he send us?"
Taking the scroll case, Nul pulled out a length of paper covered in filigree and embossed with gold. Skimming through it, they said, "It's a military assignment. We'll be sent into Uhlara for reconnaissance and sabotage."
Grinning, Kell said, "I knew Carrick would come through. He always does."
"There's a time and a location," Nul went on, "It looks like we have our first meeting with our new commander tomorrow night."
(4)
Roran waved the smoke out of his face as he entered the tavern. It was a ramshackle place at the base of Balaki, not too far from his father's neighborhood. The place had a handful of occupants and a large fire roaring in the hearth. Several of the patrons were smoking a variety of substances, giving the place an acrid scent.
With no idea what their contact looked like, the three found an open table and waited, leaving a seat open.
"We're on time," said Nul. "Think they'll know who we are?"
"They'll know us," said Kell. "They're probably scoping us out as we speak. Roran, go get us a round of drinks. If anyone tries to chat you up, give them the cold shoulder."
Roran did as he was told, heading to the counter and flagging down the bartender. While he was waiting for their drinks, someone sidled up to him.
"You don't look like one of the regulars," he said.
"I'm not," said Roran.
"What are you doing here?"
Roran gestured at the bartender. "Getting drinks."
"Any particular reason you're drinking at this bar."
Roran shrugged.
"You don't talk much, do you kid."
"So I'm told."
The bartender returned with three mugs of ale and slid them to Roran. As he was about to head back to the table, the stranger grabbed his arm, stopping him.
"Why are you running off so quickly?"
The stranger turned Roran so they were facing each other. He was taller than Roran and rugged, with long hair and the beginnings of a beard. He had a broad smile and yellow teeth. His free hand rested on his hip, just above a dagger.
"My friends are waiting," said Roran.
"So let them wait, good friends should be patient. I just want to ask you a few questions."
"You already did."
"Look kid, no need to be a smartass. I've done awful things to grown men for showing me less disrespect than you have. I could tie your scrawny ass in a knot if I wanted to."
"No you couldn't."
"Wanna bet?"
Roran shrugged. "Sure, how much are you willing to offer. Personally, I'll bet my life that you won't even lay a finger on me."
"You're awfully cocky. What makes you think I won't snap your neck right here and now, what makes you think I can't drag you outside and beat you to a pulp." The man went to shove Roran. "What makes you think-"
His hand stopped before it could reach Roran's shoulder, another hand encircling his wrist.
"You might be able to snap my neck," said Roran, "But you can't snap hers."
Kell grinned and squeezed the man's wrist. He hissed in pain as his wrist made a popping sound. Kell forcibly lowered the man's hand down to his side.
"I was wondering what was taking you so long," Kell said, taking a mug from Roran. "Who's your friend?"
"Dunno yet," said Roran. "He seems interested in seeing how easy it is to intimidate me though."
Nul appeared on the other side of the man. "I take it you're Captain Lindell?"
When he didn't respond, Kell squeezed tighter.
The man gasped and said, "No, I'm Commander Orlas."
"He's our guy," said Nul and Kell released him.
"Cool, if you're done playing games maybe we can sit down and talk like normal people." Kell took a sip of her drink and wrinkled her nose. "Ale? Why did you get ale?"
"We're always drinking wine, so I thought I would try something different."
"Doesn't mean you need to drink piss." Kell returned to the counter to exchange her drink while the others sat down at the table.
"So, Commander Orlas, did we pass your test?" asked Nul. "Short as it was."
"Mostly," he said. "I just wanted to see if your friend was skittish or not."
"He conquered the Crucible, defeating veteran Champions along the way. He's not going to let some drunk get the best of him at a bar."
Orlas shrugged. "I'm not up to date on Crucible gossip. All I knew was that you two had a new kid tagging along. I wanted to size him up for myself."
"Well you saw him," said Kell, sitting down. "Are you happy?"
"I'm never happy. How much do you know about your new assignment?"
"Just that we'll be going into Uhlara to work in the shadows."
"Yeah, that about sums it up. I have to say, whoever signed you up for this mission either really likes you or really hates you."
"It's a bit of both," said Kell. "So, the mission?"
"The mission is simple. You'll be a three man team. We'll give you a list of objectives and a ride to the Uhlaran border. Your goal is to complete as many of the objectives as possible before we pull you back out of the country. How you accomplish that, and what you do outside of it, is your own business."
"It will be just the three of us?" asked Nul.
"Yup, that's why I wanted to feel out your buddy. If you get into trouble, you'll be on your own. No reinforcements, no assistance, nothing. You're responsible for yourselves."
"I think we're amenable to that," said Kell. She exchanged glances with Roran and Nul. "Any objections?"
"Works for me," said Nul.
"I have no objections," said Roran.
Turning back to Orlas, Kell said, "There you have it. Shall we discuss details?"
"Not so fast, I'm still not convinced your friend is up to the task."
"What can I do to convince you?" asked Roran.
"I don't know, start with a sales pitch. I know nothing about your time in the Crucible or why you're with these two lunatics. Who are you that I should be willing to send you into enemy territory with no reinforcements up and no escape?"
Sighing, Roran leaned forward on the table and looked the commander directly in the eye. "I slew four Champions in direct combat. I killed Gress the Unkillable with a broken sword; I killed Duran the Living Boulder, a man twice my size and covered in armor, with a spear and some conviction; I killed Jorgen the Iron Monk by outsmarting and outmenuevering him; and I killed the Cruel Swordsman Morena in even combat after being attacked by a King's Hound. I'm Roran the Reaper, death walks in my shadow."
Commander Orlas shuddered, goosebumps rippling across his flesh. He sat up straight and rolled his shoulders. Roran kept staring at him. Another wave of shivers worked their way through Orlas. He shifted again, rubbing the back of his neck. Roran kept staring, his gaze cold.
"Alright, fine kid, you win."
Roran smiled and sat back. Orlas let out an immediate sigh of relief, as if an unseen weight had been lifted from him.
"Okay," said Orlas, "I'm willing to take you three along. The next thing I need is your signed contracts."
"I've got them here," said Nul, spreading them out on the table.
"Excellent, they do need to be signed in blood, as per tradition."
"That's fine," said Kell, and she pulled out a handful of pens. "I picked up these blood pens earlier today."
Jabbing her finger, Kell leaned over her and signed the contract, scrawling her name out in fresh blood. Roran followed suit, though he jabbed his wrist to wet the pen. Nul, completely covered in clothing, took the pen and opened their mouth, jabbing it into the inside of their cheek. Roran, Kell, and Orlas all winced. Nul signed their name and all three contracts were slid over to Orlas.
"Alright, glad to have you three onboard. We leave in a week."