Chapter 11: Book 1-05.3: Crossroads

Virgil Soren Davar, Knight-Captain and head of Faron’s Crossing’s militia, scratched the back of his head when he saw the team Inquisitor Gorlyn put together.

“This is practically a reunion,” he finally said. They were in the Watchtower, in a conference room where Sarra Gorlyn sat at the head of the table. Spread across the table was a map of the Tidelands. A wildly inaccurate map by now, judging by the date sigil in one corner.

Two men and a woman were already with Inquisitor Gorlyn. The other woman had fiery red hair, of the same height as Sarra, though she had put on a bit of weight. Both of the men had dark hair, though their eyes had different shades. The shorter man also had a bit of paunch around his waist. The taller man, though not as tall as Virgil, was trim and fit, and his moustache was carefully trimmed and waxed to a point.

“Virgil,” Balliol Muryh, the moustachioed man, greeted warmly.

“Amiri, Craig,” Virgil nodded at the other two, “Balliol.”

“Hmmph,” Amiri grunted, “took you long enough to get here.”

“Ease off, Amiri,” Craig Zorin said, “Virgil has his duties.”

“Unlike the two of you, who’ve gone to seed,” Balliol said drolly.

“You lay off,” Amiri growled. “There’s a reason why we left the service.”

“We all did,” Virgil interjected before Amiri and Balliol could bicker. The two had never gotten along, and in truth, he had never been part of Virgil’s squad in the past. “Let us focus on the mission now, please. Inquisitor, I believe we are owed an explanation?”

“Right,” Sarra straightened and knuckled the small of her back. She had bags under her eyes as well. “I’ve called upon all of you to embark on a journey into the Tidelands. Along the borders, there have been disturbing signs of reduced Wyldling activity.”

“Ah, a Wave.” Balliol nodded, “However, Faron’s Crossing should have adequate defences to protect the countryside. The Watchtower also acts as a beacon, attracting Wyldlings for leagues around.”

It was what made defending against the Wyldlings much easier. The mindless ones will follow the call, but the ones who have developed, or rather re-developed their consciousness may resist.

“You think it's a Chaos Lord?” Virgil asked quietly.

“That’s what the signs indicate,” Sarra nodded. “The Shallows has gained a uniform hue. There is a strong Will present in the Tidelands. It could be an evolved Wyldling, a Chaos Lord, or something worse.”

“What could be worse?” Amiri spat out.

Craig grunted. “Who knows. Within the Chaos, anything can come.”

“And so you called for us.”

“Indeed, you’re the only Knight-Captain around here.”

“You’re of the same rank,” Virgil interrupted.

“And if there were more of us, I’d call for more help.” Sarra sighed. “But from the signs, and from what my own Facet tells me, we won’t have time to call for help.”

“Not enough time to go through the red tape, you mean,” Craig grunted.

Sarra didn’t reply but she didn’t have to.

“This is the latest map of the Tidelands encompassing most of the Shallows. But our target is probably in the Mid Marches, or perhaps in the Depths,” Sarra continued.

“I’m not sure we can survive the Depths,” Balliol said, “Not for more than a few minutes anyway.”

“We’ll first make sure it isn’t in the Mid Marches. Once we go deep enough, it should be obvious.” Sarra pointed at certain areas of the map. “Here are where the collection of hues is the most uniform. We can start looking here.”

Virgil suppressed a yawn. It took an hour of arguing before they decided how they would investigate the Tidelands and which points of interest they would visit.

Sarra finalized their route with some input from Virgil after he headed up to the peak of the tower and looked at the tree line. The haze drifting up from the Shallows made any reconnaissance unreliable but, with Virgil’s Facet, he was able to see the hues Sarra talked about.

Normally, the air above and within the Shallows was painted with different colours from reds all the way to blues. The colours themselves were faint, barely perceptible without enhanced sight. But the haze rose from the ground, the trees, and the very air of the Tidelands, ripe with the power of untapped Chaos.

The air at the moment was distinctly greenish as if the leaves of the twisted forest rose high up in the air. When there were fewer hues, it meant something was shaping the Chaos. It could be benevolent; for all they knew, it was an artefact from the times of the God-Kings lost in the Chaotic Sea and only now washing up the shores of Rumiga.

It could be a dweller from beyond, trapped in the Tidelands, or it could be a Wyldling grown old and wily. From the signs, it was probably the last reason, since older Wyldlings gathered their kind before attempting to rush into Rumiga, to kill and devour as they could.

Kill the Chaos Lord and the horde disperses back into a smattering of individuals. He’d done it before, though he had taken the shot when the Chaos Lord had left the Shallows and was well into the plane.

“Caution is the name of the game,” Virgil reiterated when he returned to the conference room, “We should also be thorough.”

“I don’t think that needs to be said,” Balliol said wryly, but then he added, “however, some people need the reminder.”

“Say that to my face!” Amiri yelled.

“Was I referring to you?” Balliol said with a raised eyebrow.

Amiri growled wordlessly, while the air around her head glowed.

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“Peace, Amiri,” Virgil said, “let us focus on what we must do. I for one would prefer a simple and quiet life.”

“Then let us ready ourselves,” Sarra declared. “We’ll leave in two hours.”

Virgil had already packed everything he needed inside a backpack. Rations and water were the bulk of his supplies, as well as spare weapons. He had his main Plasma Bolter, the same one he used during Yuriko’s Atavism Ritual. He had a back-up pistol, one that shot solid bullets already infused with his Animus, instead of a Plasma Lancet. As long as the bullets were in the jade cartridge, his power wouldn’t fade from them for at least a few days. At his side was a side-blade, along with a compressed rod that could expand to as much as three paces long. Several combat knives were tucked into his forceweave clothing, as well as a bunch of ration bars and a collector flask to condense water out of the air.

Still, just because he was already packed didn’t mean he had nothing left to do. He sought out his son, Marron, who at this time should either be in the communal office or inspecting his militiamen. Virgil decided to check the office first.

He found Marron at his desk writing routine reports alongside a couple of other squad leaders. He stood by the door, observing. Marron was frowning as he wrote and he eventually crumpled up the paper and tossed it to the bin.

He caught sight of Virgil and gave a small start. "Da--Commander! May I help you?"

Virgil nodded at the door and left. Marron quickly followed.

"Son," he said as soon as they had some privacy, "our departure will be in an hour. I have a bit of an ill feeling about this mission."

"Da," Marron said levelly, "I understand, but don't worry, I won't let anything happen to my little sis."

Virgil gave him a sidelong glance, "Don't hover."

Marron snorted. "I'll keep my distance."

"It's not just that."

"You and your team are the solution, Da. Nothing we can do here except hold the fort."

"Prepare for our failure," Virgil said quietly.

"I'll be happy if they go to waste," Marron replied just as quietly. "Good fortune."

"Good fortune and may the Ancestors watch over us."

After leaving his son, Virgil walked up to the commander’s suite, his office in the Watchtower that he barely used. His second-in-command, Vice-Commander Theo Stuart was behind a desk, drinking tea out of a mug. Virgil could smell the brandy the other man used to flavour his beverage.

“This early?”

Theo looked up at him and shrugged, “It’s not as if I can’t burn the alcohol out with Animus.”

“Make sure you do it immediately after then.”

“Yes, sir.” Theo nodded. Virgil knew that Theo wouldn’t do it so quickly, but he’d never known the man to let drink cloud his thoughts. “I really don’t think this is wise,” Theo continued.

Virgil shrugged. “Inquisitor Gorlyn has the authority to force this. Anyway, it would be better if we can stop this before it becomes a problem.”

“And if you fail?”

“Then you’d have to step up,” Virgil said lightly.

“I’d rather not. But good fortune.” Theo stood up and saluted Virgil, who returned it solemnly. The two of them never really saw eye to eye. Theo was a bit too much of a politician, but Virgil believed the other man had the right heart.

Virgil waved goodbye. He’d only come up here to pick up some tea leaves and spices he kept in his desk. One can never have enough salt when going on rough terrain. It was also one of the few spices that seemed to resist being corrupted or changed by the Tidelands, though exposure to the Chaos Sea beyond the Depths would still affect it. Besides, the dry rations they all had needed everything they could bring to make it palatable.

The five of them left the Watchtower via a troop transporter that brought them nearly the entire way to the line. Virgil had left instructions for his shuttle to be brought back home, leaving the jade key with Marron who whistled as he pocketed it. While there were special ships that could be used in the Tidelands, and even out to the Chaos Sea, doing so would run counter to their purpose.

The ships travelled through the Chaos by defining it, and in doing so, removing any other influence any other being had over that area. It would also stick out like a sore thumb to the denizens. Besides, it would take dozens of specially trained personnel to pilot such a ship--people they didn’t have.

Even up close, the line was opaque. It was as if a painter drew a line across the land where one side was the grassy land around the Watchtower and on the other side, a splash of different coloured paint over more concrete shapes.

Virgil took a deep breath and summoned his Animus, allowing it to seep into his clothes and gear. Then, he walked up to the border between the Shallows and Rumiga. The others were right beside him and Sarra extended a tendril of light, Animus tethers, and attached it to Virgil’s back. She did the same for Craig, Balliol, and Amiri.

“The first step is always the hardest, but every journey begins with that single step,” Virgil recited, “Steel your minds, for it will be tested. Fall not into temptation for it will lead you away.”

“Keep your heart into the land for it will protect you. Keep your home in your heart and it will lead you back,” Sarra continued, followed immediately by the other three.

Now all five recited.

“Think not of your fears, your nightmares, or your dreams for in the Chaos, they will come true. Think only of the Sun and the Moon for they hold the Chaos at bay. Do not falter or waver, think only of the goal. Know where you want to go and the path will be before you.

“Glory to the Empress, may she forever hold the peace.”

As one, the five of them took one step across the divide. The air rippled and waves seemed to run across the line. They crossed the threshold amidst the ripples and, when the border stilled, it was as if nothing had happened.

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