A Soldier's Life

Chapter 42: Growing Pains

Chapter 42

While my squad went to gear up, Konstantin walked over to me. He was surely coming to give me some wisdom, but instead, I pleaded, “Why me?”

He arched his eyebrows in amusement. “Eryk, you showed yourself to be capable multiple times. In the dungeon, surviving Durandus, in the basement against Bartiradians, and then directing the men to a rotation while we explored the sewers.”

“I have only been with Castile for a few weeks. Everyone has logged more time than me,” I argued.

“Eryk, you are in charge of just three men doing our safest patrol route. We are giving you the easiest, most docile pony to ride. If you fall off, then Castile can minimize her losses,” Konstantin explained. “Now you can keep two healing salves and two minor potions in your space. Everything else is coming out. When you get back from patrol, see Delmar, and you can store them again.”

I removed the potion racks, took the four potions out, and put them back into my space. Konstantin then gave me the expected wisdom, “Eryk, keep to the main street and never split the group. Keep all four of you together at all times. Most of the buildings in the area you are exploring are abandoned and empty. The regulars should have swept them all during the day, so do not expect much action. If you find anyone past curfew, just question them, and angrily order them home. A legionnaire yelling at them is usually enough to set fire to their pants.” Konstantin muttered as he walked away, “Although you did fall off your first horse.”

Mateo and Wylie arrived together, followed by Brutus. We headed down through the orchards and past the checkpoints. The city guardsmen were tense as this would be the first night the city was aware the Bartiradian army was marching.

On the main thoroughfare, I ordered, “Brutus to the front. You are best with the spear. Mateo, to the left because you are right-handed. Wylie, you are on the right because you think you always are. I will be in the back, diamond formation, spear’s length apart.”

Wylie retorted, “If you can name one time I was wrong, you can have the last of my griffin jerky, Eryk.”

“Mateo! Come on; we are friends! No, helping the new pack leader here,” Wylie pleaded jokingly.

“Give me the jerky, and I won’t help him,” Mateo laughed, but Wylie pulled a wrapped bundle from under his chest piece, took a piece for himself, and tossed it to Mateo. The bag was circled around the four of us until it was empty. The griffin jerky was one of the best things I had eaten since arriving in the world of Desia.

We reached Veritas Street, and the sun was setting. There was not much daylight left, “Let us head down and stay in the middle of the street.” The curfew required everyone to be inside after sunset. As we walked, civilians hurried home, most carrying bundles with them. The oil street lamps had been lit, but only every other one. It was a way to ration the oil in lieu of the siege.

At sunset, we started stopping people and questioning them. I found myself doing the same thing Konstantin had done when he trained me. After each encounter, I would ask the men questions. I found it was a good way to discover something I may have missed. We walked up and down the our patrol route. At the west gate, seven city guardsmen were stationed at the barred city entry point. The guardsmen could also see us walking the entire route, so if we got into trouble, they could help us. I really was on the kiddie patrol route. And I had no trouble with that at all.

I remained in the back all night but cycled the other three. After a while, checking behind me every thirty steps became a habit. Sometimes, I checked in between as well to make it appear random. That was one thing Konstantin had repeatedly said, ‘on patrol, do not be predictable.’ To go along with that, we did not walk the length of the road back and forth but sometimes turned around and headed back.

On one such quick turn, we caught a man rushing across the street. Wylie sprinted after him and caught him before he reached an alley since he was burdened with a heavy load. It appeared he had a bag heavy with silver cutlery, candlesticks, and two medium mirrors. The mirrors shattered when Wylie tackled him. He was definitely a thief, and we dragged him to the guards at the tower to handle him. That was our only real excitement for my first night as a patrol leader.

As the crack of dawn appeared above the city walls, we headed back to the villa. We had slightly burnt bread and watery oatmeal filled with candied fruit in the kitchen. The whole company was suffering. Wylie chirped, “I hope not all the cart vendors fled the city. If they did, I am going to starve.” He still forced down the food, lathering the bread in a quarter inch of butter. It wasn’t Lysander’s fault. The only thing he knew how to do well was boil and mash potatoes. I admit it was an apt punishment for looting the stores of the citadel.

Adrian gave me all the potions to store in my space to extend their shelf life. I would have to pull them again before the squads went on night patrol. Adrian said Castile’s squad found two of the Bartaridans hiding in an attic. Both were killed by Castille and the men with her, but if they had all split up into pairs, it was going to make finding them all extremely difficult. It was obvious Castille wanted the threat of the air mage to be dealt with soon by her efforts.

The lower city patrol was another part of our punishment, but it was not as bad as it sounded. Each unit had to make a zig-zag trip through the lower city, about a four-mile route. After being on our feet all night, it would not be too much fun, but it would only take about two hours. I volunteered my squad for the first route. Mateo grumbled discontentment, but it would allow us to get continuous sleep and edible food in the city for the rest of the day.

The patrol went quickly, and we got mystery meat pies from a vendor. Brutus was sure it was horse meat, but Mateo argued it was a rat. Since the chunks of meat were so large, I ruled in favor of Brutus. It was still better than what Lysander was preparing for lunch. I actually think it was a conspiracy, as there was no way someone could be that bad at cooking. Mateo warned me not to complain, or I would end up helping Lysander do the cooking.

When we got back, I reported to Delmar so he could send the next squad out. I retreated to my room and secured the door. I got comfortable on my bed and pulled out my four essences. It had been long enough that I could assimilate another one.

They felt solid in my hands as I rolled them. I had the large one, which was an affinity for one of the magics. The dark purple major essence of strength and two minor essences, one dark yellow dexterity and one dark orange one of power. I knew I was going to try the magic affinity essence even before I pulled them all out. I sent the other three back and held the ball.

Black and gray swirls flowed around the surface of the brown ball. It gave the ball life while it emitted a strong glow. Holding it, I could feel the power within, yearning to be consumed. I dropped it into my mouth and felt a warmth spread from the ball throughout my body.

At first, it was euphoric, but then my muscles spasmed. I rolled in the fetal position and shoved my griffin feather pillow into my face as I started screaming in real pain. It felt like I was being pulled apart. No, something was trying to fill me, and there was no room—so it was making room.

I started swearing violently into the pillow as my body started sweating uncontrollably. My muscles clenched, and it was too painful to move significantly. I was helpless as I tried to ride out whatever was happening. I thought about screaming for help but kept the pillow over my face. I was starting to feel fairly certain my heart would explode as I could hear it pounding in my ears at a tempo well beyond a safe limit.

My bladder released without me being able to hold back. I managed to keep my bowels contained, at least. Minutes passed, and I finally started to feel the pressure alleviating. I rolled out of bed and dragged the bedding to the floor to try and save the mattress from the urine. My clothes were drenched in sweat. It looked like I had saved the mattress—no wet spots. The cold stone floor also felt very nice on my heated body. I curled into a ball and passed out.

I woke late in the day with a thirst I had never experienced before. I drank the large canteen, filled it from my space, and drank it again before my thirst satiated. I stripped and put on clean, dry clothes, then bundled the filthy urine-stench clothes and blanket into a roll. I would be slightly embarrassed having them washed, but it needed to be done. I also smelled beyond ripe. I almost could not stand my own smell. It almost matched Castile and the others emerging from the sewers.

I sat at the desk as I pondered my life choices. I think I understood what had happened. It had been simple when I thought about it. The magic affinity, whatever it had been, was one I had not had. I had an effectual zero in the attribute. So, the essence had made a space for itself on my aether core. Even now, I could feel the change when I used my limited aether manipulation skills. The expansion of my core still felt raw, and my aether core was healing itself with the new addition.

I really wanted to know what I had gained by racing to a tablet, but we could only travel in groups when we left the villa, and it would get back to Castile that I had used a tablet. I would have to wait. I definitely needed to get to the baths. I opened the door and eventually found Lucian, Linus, and Benito would go to the upper city baths with me. After they caught a whiff of me, they kept their distance from me as we walked. I was looking forward to getting clean once again.