Another soldier story, and more - Short Fantasy Story (Part 10)

As we approached the barracks, everything seemed washed out, as if the colors were dying under the constant rays of the sun. From afar we could discern the outline of the fort, but the heat created a ditch that did not allow us to notice the details. One thing is for sure, our flag fluttered to us. When we were about three kilometers from the gates, we were met by a troop of seven horsemen, uniforms made of the same vain colors, perhaps to better fit the landscape. They were made the same as ours, only the colors were different.

'' Hi friends, we've been waiting for you for days! And it was time for you to arrive, although I must admit that we were expecting you earlier, I am glad to see you. Didn't have any problems traveling? Bo, well, that's you, hahahah, where are you old man? I haven't seen you since we were stuck in those marshes on the western borders together. '' Obviously it was one of the commanders, but the lack of that strict soldier's address was very strange. And he knew our commander.

'' Saris, the fox of the desert, and I thought you would be here. '' And after a few short salutations, the rest of the horsemen approached us, exchanged welcome words, and then gave us to drink water and eat.

They all acted more or less the same, there was not much diversity in military life wherever they served their time in the military, but they seemed somehow more outrageous than I would have expected. Although none of them were more than five years older, they seemed to see a lot. But all in all, we talked about common things, with no mention of the real reason why we're here, or the mention of the enemy. The captains stood out, probably to reconcile the reports and see what we could do next. After half an hour we were already riding towards the barracks, and by the way we were chatting. They have been stationed at this place for the last two years, and their last reinforcement arrived more than six months ago. Although they did not suffer losses due to the frequent attacks of the tribes, they did not define to us what the frequency would mean.

Eleor got into a conversation with another mage very quickly. That worried look on his face only got worse. When we were at the gates, he approached me.

'' We will now proceed a little more intensely to remove the blockade. There is one library here that is said to have books that are not stored anywhere else. Maybe there I can find a solution to your problem. But still tell no one, not even magicians, at least until we see if they are one of those who are realists or are enthusiasts. However, with their experience, and a little bit of other education in recent years, I think I'm your only chance. And don't carve anything, not even a slice. The magic here is kind of weird, probably because of the influence of the southern power centers.'' He was afraid that something unintended could happen. '

The captain led us to an empty building, made of some yellow-red stone. The basic setting of the whole camp was the same as in our barracks. That's the way it is all over the country. The idea is to allow soldiers, in whatever barracks they find themselves, to know the land.

We had the rest of the day off, to rest from the on the road and borrow those new uniforms. When we were only halfway to the warehouse, we heard trumpets. Not ours, but somehow much more penetrating. And then a kind of organized chaos erupted in the yard, which can only be seen in military barracks. The commanders had their own detachments, under full war gear. And we got better at running faster to get to our barracks, but the captain told us we had to miss the fight this time. It seems like an ordinary robbery squad, nothing more. But we still climbed onto the sidewalks under arms, to watch.

And so, I saw my first battle.

Souce