Spiritbound [Spirit Magic, Military, Progression] (Book 1 Complete)

The faint magic lanterns bloomed beneath the setting sun. In the streets, countless families walked by, enjoying their evening without a care in the world. Yet Tucker found himself lost in the comforting atmosphere. He walked on the rigid stone tiles with quiet steps, carefully navigating through the crowds while heading to the tavern. The fresh smell of bread floating in the air, the sizzle of skewers over the grill. Even the laughter and happiness that echoed in his ears.

He stared at his trembling hand, slowly closing it into a tight fist while gazing at his hip where his sword used to be. Even though days had passed, what had been a living hell for him remained deeply ingrained in his memories. Was it trauma or just the aftereffects of the long and grueling battles?

His eyes drifted from lantern to lantern, wandering the path aimlessly, before a wobbling figure caught his attention. Tucker narrowed his eyes, examining the man with messy crimson hair pacing back and forth in front of an old brick building. Green vines climbed along the side of one wall, inching towards the windows on the second floor. The wooden billboard just above the entrance reflected the light from the lanterns. But Tucker could see the words "Lousy Tavern" as clear as day.

"Are you going in?" Tucker asked.

Ray glanced up at him, steadying his steps. "Of course, I was waiting for you."

"You…" Tucker narrowed his eyes, catching a whiff of the lingering scent of whiskey. "How much did you drink?"

"What a question, my dear commander! That's like asking how much bread I've eaten in my life."

Tucker glanced at the bottle of whiskey in Ray's hand and sighed. "Just… don't go overboard."

"Me? I would never."

I feel like that's a lie, but today's supposed to be a day of celebration, so it'll probably be alright…

Tucker pushed the unease to the back of his head and grabbed onto the silver doorknob. With a soft jiggle, the door opened, allowing light to seep out of the room and into the streets. He held it open and gestured for Ray to enter. His friend wobbled through the door, stumbling along the way while keeping his head up high.

I wonder if we're the first ones here.

He gently closed the door behind him as a soft chime rang in his ears. As he turned around, an array of familiar faces entered his sight. His eyes widened in shock. From the side, he could see Captain Maystone and Morgan waving at him, Wilfred and the men from the Twenty-Eighth raising their glasses, and his men from the Thirty-First spread out to the side. Liam and Jones were chatting away with the knights of renown that had fought beside them, and Eric, who left early, was making his rounds to those he trained.

"Didn't expect to see Eric here as well. Liam must have hunted him down or something," Ray said.

"It's a surprise, but Pathfinder is also here. She's with her medics," Tucker added.

"Wait… are we the last ones?" Ray tilted his head. "I swore they told me it was six. Is it not six?"

"How would I know… you're the one who delivered the message."

"True, true, I did do that, but why the hell are we the last ones here? I swear I showed up a bit early, too, so I wouldn't be late."

"Was that why you didn't go in? Because you were scared of entering alone?"

Ray quickly scoffed. "Of course not. Why would someone like me, a man who marched through hell and back, be embarrassed about entering a party?"

"I never said embarrassed, though…"

Tucker let out a subtle chuckle while ignoring the piercing glare from Ray. He glanced to the side and saw the two captains gesturing at him to join them.

"I'm going to speak to the captains." Tucker held the side of his head, feeling a small pain pulse. "I feel like I shouldn't need to say this, but try not to cause any problems. And for the love of God, don't drink so much. You've already had your fill of alcohol for the day."

"Don't worry, Commander, I know my limits very well, and I'll play within them."

"That's exactly what I'm worried about." Tucker scratched the back of his head, running his fingers through his long brown hair. He watched as Ray swayed over to Liam and Jones. Bright cheers loudly erupted at their corner as the men raised their glass mugs high into the air. Foam danced along the rims of their drinks as a loud clink filled their ears. Only to be drowned out by the rolling laughter.

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I shouldn't try to stop him from having fun.

Tucker hid his worried smile and sat down on the empty wooden chair. He pulled his chair closer to the table as Brian and Max grinned. It was odd seeing them without their plated armor and helms, but even for knights of their caliber. They had to show some restraint in the capital.

Brian wore a simple outfit: a white-collared shirt and slick black pants made of silk. He brushed his slightly long blonde hair aside and stared at Max with his azure eyes.

"I told you to dress a bit more professionally," Brian said. "You can't just show up with your sleeves ripped off your white shirt."

Max shrugged. "It's part of the Sword Master's principles."

"Bullshit, there's no such thing as ripped sleeves in the Sword Master's principles!"

"But there is…" Max straightened his arm, revealing the muscles along the back of his upper arm. Slowly, every fiber tightened into a solid ridge. "It's called discipline."

Tucker and Brian stared at the black-haired man, their eyes dull where the light had been lost. They met the crimson gaze filled with belief and conviction while searching for a reason that couldn't be found.

"Alright… moving on…" Brian held onto an empty glass cup and set it before Tucker. "Commander, it's an honour to have you with us tonight. We didn't think you would make it with how busy you are."

"Busy?" Tucker repeated before softly chuckling. "I suppose that's true, and cut it out with the formalities. I was only the acting commander in the last moments of the bastion. After everything we've been through, I hope you guys can treat me as a friend instead of a superior."

Brian and Max glanced at each other before smiling.

"We can do that," Max replied, stepping closer while holding a jug filled with an amber liquid. He slowly poured the beer into Tucker's glass. "So… Command—I mean…"

"Just call me Tucker; keep it simple," he said.

"Tucker, it is. So what are you going to do now?"

"What am I going to do now…?" Tucker gazed at the foam, watching as it slowly fizzled down in seconds. "I don't have anything set in stone yet, but I have a couple of ideas. I would need permission from those in the Order before I can really do anything, though. What about you guys? I'm assuming you've probably been called back to duty."

"We have," Brian replied. "Funny, isn't it? After that nightmare, we're only given a few days to sleep it off before being sent out again."

"It could be worse," Max pointed out. "They could have sent us out the next day."

Brian burst out into laughter. "True! They could have done that, and thank God they didn't! If they did, you would have bashed their heads in!"

Max nodded. "I won't deny it; I would be quite… upset, to say the least."

"Well, it's a good thing they didn't then," said Tucker. "If you guys are going to the front lines, do you know what you'll be doing?"

"We're not going to another bastion if that's what you're asking," Max replied.

"We aren't exactly at liberty to say what we'll be doing… to be honest," Brian added. "But we'll be moving with our full knight orders."

Tucker raised a brow. "Both the Hearthfire and Lionheart knights are moving out?"

Max nodded. "We don't know the full details ourselves, but it's a joint operation and we aren't the only knight order a part of it. We'll also be moving with the Sword Saint himself, an eight-star user, which could be a blessing or a curse."

"Hopefully a blessing, but to walk alongside a man who has reached their eighth aura star is a bit… frightening…" Brian said. "There's no telling what horrific battle we'll be forced to take part in."

"A man like you shouldn't be scared. You're a six-star aura user now," Max declared. "Maybe in this lifetime you'll reach the seventh star."

"Ha! We both know that would be a miracle. Most six-star aura users die before reaching that point, and there are only a few seven-star aura users in the world."

Tucker sank into silence, bitterly smiling as the two captains made lighthearted jokes about their upcoming fate. The sheer pressure exerted by an eight-star aura user was enough to crush those below three stars—hell, even four-star users as well if their reserves ran dry. When someone of that caliber steps onto the battlefield, the very air snapped beneath their presence, and armies would immediately retreat at sight.

But for someone to reach that level was nearly impossible. The only ones who had reached that level were the Sword Saint and the rulers of each nation. And if Brian and Max needed to march with the Sword Saint… then that meant…

"Wait… you… You guys aren't going to be coming back, are you?" Tucker asked.

Both of them answered with weak smiles as their eyes drifted toward the cheerful tavern around them. Their sighs carried the weight of resignation. They were fully aware of the danger awaiting them. If the Sword Saint himself was stepping onto the battlefield, it meant only one thing. Thousands of lives would die in the days ahead. A being who could sunder mountains with a single swing and blanket entire cities within his domain was now in play.

Max lifted his glass, watching the ice swirl with the amber liquid. "We're probably in grave danger, aren't we?"

"Indeed, my dear friend, I would say so…" Brian replied.

"Isn't there anything you guys could do to get out of it?" Tucker asked.

"Even if there were, I wouldn't do it," Max replied. "Not without good reason."

Brian leaned back with a warm smile as the wooden chair creaked. "The same goes for me. I would be lying if I said I wasn't scared of dying. But if there's one thing that I realized after meeting you, Tucker, it's that even the smallest force can make a great difference."

Tucker slowly closed his eyes while slouching forward. He softly said, "So that's it then? From one hell to another."

"Sadly, yes," Max replied.

Sensing the sour atmosphere, Brian jokingly said, "Well, let's hope it's at least cozier in the next one."

The three of them chuckled before falling silent. After a moment, Tucker opened his mouth. "Since you guys told me something that should've probably stayed a secret, I suppose it's my turn as well."

"Do tell," Max said.

Both of the captains turned to Tucker, curious as to what he was going to say. It wasn't something Tucker planned to hide since he would need approval from the Administrators. But one way or another, he was going to make it happen. For all the friends they had lost in the war, and the innocent lives that suffered by their cruelty.

"I plan to hunt the Emerald Tower."