The Swords of August

We followed a small river downstream for quite a while until we found signs of civilisation. Just fishing traps, nothing grandiose, but it was enough. Not long after that we started picking up more concrete signs of life. Signs, a cobblestone road, even a few people giving us strange and concerned looks.

We kept Larsen behind us, not wanting to cause a panic. So far whatever changes were happening seemed limited to just her eyes, but that was probably enough. I didn't want someone hunting us down in our sleep because they thought she was possessed or something.

Eventually, we reached civilisation, even if was just a small fishing village. From there, we hitched a ride to a proper town, then through a gate to a major city and then over to our Ebonwreath allies' western-most trading outpost. After that, it was just a matter of getting home and giving everyone the good news. We'd come back from the journey tired, but alive, at least… most of us. We'd decided not to recover the bodies, even if it was probably the right thing to do. Irking a man that could reach into our minds and change our humanity seemed unwise, and that was before you factored in the very real threat of him unleashing an endless wave of bugs. I had no desire to get into a fight with a guy who went on about cosmic experiments and presumably, starfaring empires and such. I had enough trouble with fortified sniper positions and sleeping in my spider hole when I deigned to dig one.

I tried not to think about how many men—men I hadn't even known by name—had been cut down in moments while I was rendered helpless. All their vaunted skill, power and experience did them no good. Neither had mine, in that moment. I wasn't sure if any of them had made it out. Leyndal weighed heavily on my mind. We still didn't know what had happened to him.

Those worries were for another day though, when I didn't have meetings to go to and reports to write up. I just prayed the paperwork was minimal to non-existent. I got enough as a team leader, I didn't want to think about how much would be involved in running my own base, or training a whole platoon or god only knew what we'd be doing in the coming days and weeks.

We marched through new front gates to cheers from the parapets and the courtyard behind the gates. They opened with a tortured groan, more from weight than any lack of maintenance I suspected, considering it was all new.

"They rebuilt the front gates?"

I shrugged. "The old ones weren't exactly in good shape."

"I know, but, so fast? These things are massive."

Carver was right. They were bigger than the last ones by probably thirty percent. We passed them by and I headed in the general direction of the Royal Quarter.

"You remember the way to where you stayed?" I asked Larsen.

She nodded. "Thinking of splitting up?"

"Nah, just wondered if those rooms were spacious enough for four. I'm not exactly dying to make the trek out to our little FOB, you know?"

"Four? I guess. Most of the rooms were empty though, I'm sure someone would be happy to lend you one, as long as you cleaned up a bit after you got it."

"Hey! I'm clean."

Her eyebrow arched. "We jumped into a lake. I'm not sure that counts."

"What, you don't think people do that here to clean themselves?"

"Maybe out in the rural towns, but speaking from experience, here they use soap."

Carver interjected before I could reply and we could spiral into a tangent of soap and cleanliness. "Speaking of rebuilding… Do you think the base is still intact?"

Larsen answered first, naturally, since she was the last one to see it.

"I set it to autonomous defence and ordered a one kilometre exclusion zone before I left. It should be fine. Hasn't stopped running as far as I know."

I nodded. I'd half-expected as much, but part of me couldn't help but feel it would be in ruins anyway after leaving it alone for days on end. I suppose we'd find out, but I had little reason to doubt Larsen's conclusion.

We made our way through the city and to the gates of the Royal Quarter. Chen and I hadn't actually set foot inside

"First man to get me a steak can have a block of gold the size of his fist in a week's time!"

I scowled. "Ignore him!" I called out to the men who were looking with undisguised interest at the offer. "Chen, you do know we don't have any gold, right?"

"Sure we don't, but Carver can dig some up in a week, right?"

"That's the not the point. You realise that could go towards something actually important, like the motherboards for drones or something."

"Hey, who says my stomach isn't important?"

"Idiot. I hope you know we're not doing that. You can get your gold yourself, or your steak. Your pick."

"Enough." Larsen's voice cut in. "It's like listening to a bunch of children, I swear. If you want a steak, go and find one yourself."

The banter continued and miraculously, no one was gullible enough to take Chen up on his offer. I called over one of the guards on the ground level and he promptly marched over, setting his halberd down on the stone.

"Need something, my lord?"

"'My Lord'? Since when did I get promoted?"

"Uh, since the King got word of your victory. Someone, I don't rightly know who, made it back with a report. Your return has been eagerly awaited and I heard mention of you being called that by the King."

"If he's a Lord, what does that make me?" Larsen's eyes narrowed.

The man stumbled back a bit. "Uh… I haven't heard mention of anything officially, but I expect there will be a ceremony at some point. I… I'm afraid I couldn't say." He sounded apologetic.

I clapped him on the shoulder, and he jumped. "Nevermind that. Could you see about some food for us? It doesn't have to be anything fancy. We've been living on rations for too long."

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His hesitation turned into action, and he grinned. "I know the feeling. I'll send word." He ran off, yelling to another guard as he made his way to wherever they made food. I assumed there was a mess hall equivalent somewhere nearby.

It didn't take long until he returned, but this time he brought more than just four trays of food and extra helpers to carry them, plus someone in .

"My Lord, you and your brothers-in-arms are summoned to see the King. He has need of your report, and… I assume, he can feed you."

"Does this mean we brought these all the way here for nothing?" One of the porters asked. He armoured, but looked rather young. I figured the guard who'd run off had grabbed a couple of lowly privates to help him.

"We can take these with us, correct?"

The messenger opened his mouth to reply, then closed it again for a moment. "I do not believe there is a rule against it, no."

"Carefully worded." Chen chuckled. "Lead the way, would you?"

He nodded and led us out into the streets. We looked rather odd, carrying trays of food as we ate, but no one paid us much attention regardless. Thankfully, chips and sandwiches were easy enough to eat, though I had to clasp my helmet to my armour to actually eat it properly.

We arrived at the Royal Palace, having already passed the perimeter wall with the scribe's permission. The entryway was a modest double-door affair, both of them open and inviting us in.

I pulsed my sonar on and off, just for a peek. It led the way into a long, wide corridor with richly carpeted floors and glowing crystal chandeliers. Our guide stopped at an unmarked door halfway down the corridor and knocked.

"Sire? The Terrans are here." He spoke into the room, opening the door and stepping aside to let us in.

"Huh. I was half-expecting 'Otherworlders' or sky-people or something." I heard Carver mutter.

I thanked him and walked into a modest meeting room, with the King already seated, Marden Valebrook. I was hoping since we weren't subjects I wouldn't have to call him sire. It just sounded odd to me.

He looked as young as I remembered him, but three times as haggard. To my surprise, Leyndal was already seated beside him, sipping on something that looked suspiciously like a beer.

"You got more of those?" Chen asked.

Leyndal leaned over and heaved a box of seven similar bottles onto the long table. "Help yourself."

"I've already gotten Leyndal's side of the story, but I assume that we have nothing to fear from the Vitaru?"

"They're taken care of, though not without casualties."

"It would've been naive to assume such an undertaking was risk-free, but you've accomplished… miracles, in weeks. I was expecting months, perhaps years."

"We aren't lacking for firepower, and no one wanted to tangle with us too much."

Marden's face split into a grin. "I have reports that you entered a tournament hosted in the Empire. Is that really true? You fought a dragon?"

I mirrored his expression. "It wasn't a real dragon, I don't think. Some kind of weaker cousin, I think. I did enter the tournament though, would've won it if someone hadn't gotten lost."

I tossed a smirk over at Carver and he shook his head at me, taking a long pull from his beer.

"So, I assume you want a proper report?" Larsen asked.

"In good time, yes. Unless there's anything world-ending I need to know about?"

I let that sit for a moment. "Nothing world-ending, but… it is important. It can wait however."

"Excellent! I'm unsure if you've heard but I managed to finagle a Lordship for you four out of the noblemen." His lips twisted into a caricature of a man who'd eaten lemons for breakfast. "They're not happy, of course, but you did us a great service and have asked little in return for what as far as I'm concerned, are miracles."

"They're not going to hold a grudge, will they?" Carver asked.

The monarch just laughed, far too loud to be decorous, though I got the sense he wasn't the most kingly King around, not that I really had a lot of examples to point to.

"A grudge? You haven't met many noblemen, I take it?"

Carver shook his head and Marden just waved his hand. "I expect it won't be an issue immediately, but you should keep in mind that not everyone will be favourable toward your new status. The people love it though."

"The people? How much do they know… about all this?"

Marden leaned in conspiratorially. "They may not know all the details, but they saw you defending their homes, their lives, with abilities not even magekind can match. The people will support you, no matter what the nobility do."

"I assume there will be a ceremony, or something?"

"Do you wish for there to be one?" He smiled. "We could postpone one for several weeks, or make up some suitable excuse not to have one. I do know that it would be the event of the year, if not the decade, so perhaps think on it."

"You know… maybe it's not a bad idea."

"Do we get free food?" Chen asked.

"Ample food will be provided, though… I was actually thinking of the land you're to be granted. I can't give you anything outrageous, even considering the support you have. I am only King because they allow me to be King."

"I assume you mean the nobles and not the commoners?"

"Well, both, to be sure, but in this instance I mean the noblemen. They're… a vindictive bunch. I think I have something that'll suit your needs, however. The area you've begun constructing your fortress in officially belongs to the Crown, but it's undesirable since its far from any defenses and has little appeal for anyone of noble blood."

"Except us."

He nodded. "Since the land there is uninteresting to most who could claim it, I've awarded you the land there."

"How much exactly?"

"All of it."

"How much is 'all of it'?"

"Well… everything to the north and east all the way up to the border."

"How big is that?" I couldn't click my fingers at Carver, but he had the answer for me anyway.

"Must be… about four-hundred thousand square kilometres."

My mind could barely stretch to imagine that. It was as big as some states and countries, bigger even.

"You're sure we can have that much?"

"What am I going to do with it? No one wants to live there. Besides, maybe with you around people will think twice about that."

I looked over at Larsen and Carver. They both nodded and Carver reached out and grasped at the air in front of his helmet, 'throwing' it to me.

My own HUD 'caught' the data and displayed a map of the area, highlighting the section of land we were to be given, or had been given, I suppose.

"We'll need quite a lot of space if we're going to expand our operations and it won't hurt to have defense in depth if we need to defend ourselves."

"I guess… well, what now?" I turned to the King.

"Well, I suspect you all need a good night's rest, some sleep and good food. In the morning though, I think I'd like that report, and to have you all sit in on the planning for your lordship ceremony, or ladyship, as the case may be." He inclined his head to Larsen.

I looked around at everyone, and when no one raised an issue I nodded. "Sounds good to me. We still have to go over everything that happened ourselves. We've got bits and pieces, but it'll be easier to lay things out in a proper after-action together. I assume Leyndal will be there?"

"Naturally, if I can get out of bed." He let out a weak chuckle.

"I know the feeling. Do you have lodging set up for us? I think we were gambling on being able to pinch a few rooms from you in the Palace if you didn't need them, but anywhere with a bed would do at this point."

Marden grinned. "You realise that I've had no less than twelve separate establishments petition me to host you for the night, no? Not to worry, though. As soon as I received word of your return I had the palace staff make up rooms for each of you, adjacent rooms, of course."

"Thank you. Will that be all, or did you have anything else you needed to discuss?"

"Nothing that can't wait, though… there is one thing. Do you all remember that cultist, Davian?"

"Yes, why? If I recall, he's in the wind." I frowned.

"He was spotted crossing the northern checkpoint into Porjar. Coincidentally, that happens to be the very direction of your fortress. You may encounter him in future, perhaps not, but I thought I'd warn you before he paid you a visit."

"Thanks for the heads up."

Larsen cleared her throat. "Speaking of that… why are you here briefing us? I thought you had people for that."

"Oh, I do, but it's not everyday I get to sit with people who aren't obnoxious old fools, or rarer still, deserving of their title and deed. More than that though, Lilith is on assignment and while I could've sent someone else—one of her juniors, perhaps, or her assistant—I felt it best to handle matters myself."

"Any excuse to get out of a meeting, eh?" Chen chuckled.

"Precisely." Marden's eyes twinkled. "I won't keep you any longer. One of the servants can show you the way."

"Thank you for the hospitality. I have to say, this is far warmer a welcome than we sometimes get."

"Oh? I'm glad to hear that. Now that the fighting is over, I'm hoping you'll be able to enjoy yourselves without fighting a war every week."

I laughed. "You have no idea how right you are, but I think you're wrong about that."

"Oh?"

A feral grin swept across my features. "It's not over, and we're just getting started."