Chapter 182: Past Missteps Catg Up

  The water rushed along the low gunwales of the barge as we glided toarvas. All-out war was on the horizon. I was half listening to Adrian expin my duties to the pany when we reached Parvas. He snapped his fio get my attention. “Eryk, focus. That is ohing Delmar did well. You drift off into your mind too often. If you want, I have Linus take your pce.” It wasn’t a threat and more of a question.

  “No. I am fine. You were saying that Octavian’s son rules the city, and we want to keep a low profile when we arrive.” I then summarized the st few minutes of his lecture.

  Adrian nodded, “Yes. Hopefully, there will be enough fusion with all the soldiers and legionnaires passing through, and we get into the portal and to the Capital. Castile wants to report directly to the Legatus Legonis offi the capital rather than send a report through the offi Parvas where other eyes may read it.”

  We thewo more hours reviewing the procedures for requisitioning food and supplies for the pany, colleg payroll to distribute, and filing out equipment rept requests. I fot half of what Adrian was saying ated accepting Delmar’s duties.

  The sail barge turned in the bend of the wide river, and small waves breached the rails, causing curses from the soldiers who had been lounging on the rails. Our men in the bow mao stand quickly but still had their boots soaked. I could see Firth smirking at the soldiers who got the worst of it. He probably could have warhem it was ing but preferred to watch the distress it created for the young soldiers.

  The river was starting to bee crowded with fishing boats, other barges, and even a gray-haired mage crossing to the opposite bank on top of a water spout. The mage was not in legion colors, so he was likely a civilian. The docks came into view, and murmurs of relief came from the pany. A lot of the men thought they were not going to survive this st assig.

  The docks were crowded with soldiers and workers, and the occasional fsh of red of legionnaire’s armor or cloak. Castile was in front of me, and I could sense her nervousness. The bargemen expertly guided our craft to the shelter of the docks. Even before they tied off, the captain of the soldiers was them into ranks.

  Body shields, pilums, and packs were gathered in a noisy and half-hazard fashion. Most of the men looked like they had not even started shavi. Some had excitement in their eyes, but the smart ones had a fear of the reality of the service. Fortunately for them, they were reinf the city so the more experienced soldiers in Parvas could be seo reinforce Macha. We remained on the barge until they were all disembarked.

  Castile left to cheto a small inn nearby with her hood pulled tightly over her head. She didn’t want to be seen nized. Adrian turned on the men. “Wait here. I will report to the city’s Legion Hall a our orders.” He whispered to me, “Keep everyone on board.” Then Adrian disappeared into the press of people and soldiers on the docks.

  Konstantin stepped off a moment ter, and I made to stop him. “Konstantin, everyone o remain aboard.”

  “I don’t feel like shitting over the rails. I only will be a moment.” He gri me and walked away, disappearing into the press as well.

  As he stepped off, Firth cpped me on the back, “You are doing great, Eryk. I am just gonna visit a woman friend of mi the brothel just down the way. Shouldn’t take too long to remake her acquaintance.” He turned and wi the men, “Well, maybe I might have to get reacquainted a few times.” And Firth was gooo. How the hell was I supposed to keep everyone else on the barge?

  Brutus stood and looked ready to leave, too. “Maveith!” I roused the goliath, and his bald head rose from the ded snapped his attention to me. “No one else leaves the barge. If they do, dunk them in the river.”

  Maveith’s rge frame stood with a nod and moved to the rails to bloyone else from leaving. Brutus sat down but did not look happy. I could see the faces of the men eager to get bato the normalcy of a city after the ordeal in the dungeon.

  I turo the docks, pig out the most ho-looking worker I could find, and calling him over. I handed him twe silver s. “Food and ale for the pany from the best tavern nearby.” He looked fused at twenty silver and I thought he might just run off with it. “One is for you, and the other is for the ale and food.” I assumed ten silver was about three weeks’ wages for the man.

  His eyes went rge, and he nodded, accepting the quest. He yelled at another worker, “Pete! I need some help carrying ale and food from Pour Advice. A silver in it for ya.” He wi me.

  The man named Pete dropped the crate he was carrying with a thud on the dock, and they headed off at a brisk walk. My fear that they would run off with the was unfounded as they returned with stacks e bowls of thick steitchers of ale. It took them three trips to get everything fed. I doubted everything they brought ore than three silver in total, but at least I kept everyone else on the barge and somewhat happy. When everyone finished, Pete returhe empty pitchers and bowls to the tavern.

  Adriaurned briefly but went to talk with Castile in the nearby inn first before ing to me. He talked to Castile for over an hour before b the barge te iernoon.

  Adrialed on the barge beside me, “The Legion Hall is sed. There is no room for us, and there is vast fusion with panies and squads being shifted all across the Empire to respond to threats. The good news is the portal to the Capital is opening at midnight. We should be gone before the t knows we are here. I logged our men and the goliath for the portal.” He looked at the men lounging and taking iory. “Where is Firth, Eryk!” His tone was slightly armed.

  “Konstantin and Firth took off even though I ordered them not to,” I reported tersely.

  “Dragon shit. I told you to keep everyone on board.” His tone softened in uanding. “It ’t be helped now. Hopefully, they return before we march for the portal, and nothing ill-fated es of their absence.” I found being in and sucked, especially when the men didn’t listen to you.

  As night set oy, the docks thinned and quieted. Firth returned, drunk and rambling about the pleasures of the flesh, just before midnight and waking people up. Adria and got Castile, and the pany formed up to march to the portal gate. Castile didn’t seem aware that Konstantin was missing as we moved through the city. She was more ed with the citizens taking note of our movement. Maveith’s size aic appearance drew a lot of stares as well.

  The portal square had several empty carts drawn by mules and a few covered carts with goods as a light misty rain fell. Adrian was to my right and indicated, “Most of the war supplies are fuo the Capital and disturbed through the portals from there. These carts arrived this m, were unloaded, and are now headed back to the Capital to be refilled. I learned of the portal opening by talking to a teamster at the Legion Hall. Parvas is a good distance from Macha, so most of the supplies are provisions. It is as we feared, and famine is sweeping the Empire. You rest assured the soldiers will be fed, though.”

  The dispt mage arrived and looked haggard as if he had been overworked with drawiher. His sunken eyes looked over at us over and frowned on seeing our pany. He talked to one of his legionnaire guards, who jogged to talk to Castile. “Mage Jasper wants to let you know Mage ahat he ot hold the portal long. He suggests you get to the front of the line if you want to ensure your entire pahrough.”

  “Thank Mage Jasper for me,” Castile said with a nod. Adrian ordered the men to the front, and when the portal opened, we were the first ohrough. I was shocked to find Konstantin standing with us when we arrived. When had he rejoined us? When I noticed him, he gave me a small nod and smirked at my surprise.

  The legionnaires guarding the portal in the Capital had doubled from my first visit. I was worried about Maveith, but Castile already had a writ for him ready and passed it to a legionnaire in polished steel red-cquered armor. He read it a few times before nodding. A hand signal from him had the archers surrounding the pit rex the tension on their bs, and we were allowed to leave. I guessed only half of the wagons had passed before the portal closed.

  Castile addressed Adrian and me, “Get the paled in the Eastern Legion Hall while I report to the Legatus Legonis office.” Castile then hurried off, leaving the pany to report our absence.

  We had a loose formation as we moved through the city at night. In a way, our te arrival made it easier to get to the Hall without numerous eyes on us. Maveith’s head was snapping around at the sites as we walked. “It is rger than I imagined. I ’t believe they use so many glowstoo light the city at night; it reminds me of Eternis bae.”

  Mateo chirped from behind us, “Just the upper city, Maveith. The lower city barely has any lighting besides a few oil mps. You o stay away from the alleys down there.”

  Lirkin quipped, “They tried putting glow stones in the lower city, but they were getting stolen faster than they could be repced.” The men then discussed the ihat had occurred some hundred years ago, each stetting more fantastical. Adrian did not make an effort to stop them, so her did I.

  The familiar Legion Hall came into view, and Adrian swore as he looked over the men, “For Pluto’s knife, where are Konstantin and Firth?”

  “It wasn’t my turn to babysit them,” I said reflexively. Adrian did not look amused at my ent, so I shut up.

  roached the desk together, and an old man looked up. Adrian addressed him, “One mage pany with twelve legionnaires and one tracted goliath.”

  The man looked over, surprised, and quickly found Maveith in the group, eyes widening some. He grunted, “Bunk room seven.”

  “Bunk room seve have circuted hot air and would be cold this time of year. Is bunk room two avaible? The one over the kits?” Adrian requested politely.

  The man seemed unhappy but nodded. “It is empty. Fill your roles here,” he said, sliding a piece of paper toward Adrian, and Adrian ha to me.

  “Eryk, get the men aled. Turn in the requisition forms for food and gear. I want everyone equipped and ready for a week on the road by tomorrow in case we o march.” He produced a heavy pouch. “Forty rge dungeon silvers. You may o pay to have any lost gear repced.” Adrian turned ahe Legion Hall before I could ask a question. I guessed he was off to support Castile.

  The eyes of the men looked expetly at me for dire. “Wake the boy attendants for the baths,” I directed the old man, who grunted but left to get them. I ordered the pany, “Bunk room two, but I want everyohed and ed before you settle in for the night!”

  The exhausted men moved slowly as they made their way to the baths. I had to go to the ste room and wake the attendants there. They were unhappy at being woken at the te hour, but I had my duties. I had the boys bring the men’s packs to the resupply warehouse. I had my list of equipment that needed repg and what we o get the men’s packs set for a week. My own salvaged armor was in need of adjustments as I was stantly healing chafe marks.

  We went through each pae at a time, repag it with a full kit. I was learning a lot about my fellow legionnaires going through their packs. It was also not a speedy process as I had tue with the attendants about what I would have to pay to repce.

  Generally, any worn or damaged gear was repced without cost, but it a legionnaire lost their gear, they would have it added to their debt. Our pany was already marked from Macha, which is why I thought they were giving me a double hard time. The hours started to stack, and soon, the light of the m showed through the windows.

  When all was said and dohe silver Adrian had given me did not cover all the rept gear, and I had to pull another seven rge silver pieces from my own stores to get the men pletely outfitted. My hand was also cramped from all the paperwork. I had the sleepy boys drop the packs and rept armor pieces off in bunk room two.

  I was going to the bath. Two young boys were ing the room as I entered, and the pany had long siired. I gave the poor ds my armor to and asked for all new undergarments. I had to pay for them, but it would be worth it.

  I fell asleep i soaking tub. A spsh of water in my fae up, and I saw the naked Firth entering the pool. He grinned as he rexed into the lightly steaming water across from me.

  “Where did you wander off to?” I asked, not really wanting to know.

  “o scrat itch,” he said glibly.

  “Didn’t you scratch that it Parvas?” I retorted, shaking my head.

  He shrugged, smiling deviously, “Sometimes, the more you scratch, the more you itch. Is Castile back yet?” I shook my head, no, atled into an awkward silence.

  Konstantin and Adriaered the baths loudly and started stripping, giving the exhausted boy attendants more work. Konstantin’s pack was the only one I had not had access to restock. Wylie had Firth’s pack, and Lu had Adrian’s.

  “We just got back from the Legatus Legonis. Castile is resting across from our bunk room upstairs.” Adrian informed me. Adrian looked distracted and not too happy to see Firth here.

  Firth’s eyes narrowed at Konstantin, “Why were you with Castile?”

  “I was requested to firm Castile’s report on the Shimmering Labyrinth,” Konstantin said pinly as he started scrubbing uhe cold shower. Siletled, and soon after, all four of us were i soaking tub.

  Firth broke the silence, “Do we have new orders then? Or will the men be questioned by the Truthseekers?” I hid my tension at the question.

  Adrian answered, still seemingly distracted, “We have orders but have been granted a week’s rest. There has to be an ating of the runic ons we cimed from Caelora. We are forfeiting the reward for disc the dungeon, but the men will each get to retain their runic ons.” With so many runic ons among the men, I thought the pany might bee the target of First Citizens or other unscrupulous individuals.

  I didn’t ask about other dungeon artifacts from the dungeon and eyed my own paearby. I had packed it myself in the supply room, and at the bottom of it were the summoner’s belt, rings, and robes.

  “What are our orders then?” Firth asked impatiently.

  Adrian capituted, but it was clear he didn’t like Firth, “With only twelve me in the pany and not being able to repce our losses, we are going to be esc a magistrate through the small towns in the Western Empire. He is carrying a tablet reader and will be testing the youth, looking for potential mages.” Firth grunted, seemingly surprised at the easy assig. I was internally relieved as it meant we would be far away from the war.

  Konstantin noted sagely, “It makes sehey are starting the testing cycle months early with the fmes of war heating up. They want to find as many mages as possible to train.”

  An attendaurned with my new clothes, and I rose from the hot tub, my skin suffitly pruned. I dressed and packed my things to find my way to bunk room two. It had thirty beds, but most were unoccupied. I paused, realizing we had lost so many men—so many panions and friends.

  The room was warm and smelled of baked bread from the kits below. I moved as quietly as possible to settle into a free, dense, firaw mattress. It was midm, but I still needed a few hours of sleep, even with the ring of sustenance. I drifted off.

  My bed shook strongly to wake me. Adrian was standing over me in just his underclothes, arm on his face. “Wake up, Eryk. t Cassius Cato, First Citizen Justin Cicero, and First Citizen Boris Ange have required your attenda Cato’s vil in the upper city.” My mind came awake quickly at the urgen Adrian’s voice. “Dress quickly, and I will go wake Castile.”

  I reized the two First Citizens but not the t. This could only be in regard to ohing—the dreamscape amulet.

  ? Chted 2024, 2025 by AlwaysRollsAOne

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