Perceived Fate

`Worry really is horrid.` Malum thought as he and the rest of the Troop, including the Leader, was stood in formation as they waited to receive one of the higher ups.

That Baron kid the Leader had spoken off before. He was going to give some pep talk, and a rundown of his general defensive strategy.

It sounded about as boring as it actually was.

The Kid looked 14 at best, and whilst his suit looked great everything else about him screamed immature and dumb.

He didn’t even stand up for the address, he had ordered one of the guards on duty to fetch him a chair.

An hour later, and everyone woke up again to the Leader voice.

“Wakey, wakey troop! We’ve received our orders and our now making our way towards Southern Section number 17 so get your bags we march in twenty. Your swords are at the gate and... Nope that’s it...”

Was this really some war veteran. Malum wandered if he was some senile grandfather.

“Well off you go then!”

Running back, Malum noticed the Baron had some complaints about the Troop Leader words. Everyone else in the camp acted subservient to the Noble but the Troop Leader didn’t change a single bit. He even looked to argue back.

Considering that the Baron was of the 3-star rank of Lieutenant then this kind of insubordination could get him killed yet the Troop Leader didn’t seem to fear this pushback.

Thoughts of his Leader’s origin went round again in Malums head. No answer stuck out however so he and the group returned to the dormitory they had once arrived in.

Looking around, memories of the place came to his head.

Once Gerald returned from one of his showers at night, and because he thought it would be extremely funny he brought a bucket of water with him. Needless to say, waking up to a cold shower had everyone in the dormitory running after him with murderous intent.

Another time, Alicia and Jake were having a serious lovers quarrel when Jerome spoke up to say a few words his parents used to get over their conflict. It worked and the two soon got married.

Another time the group was just getting to know each other and Gerald had suggested a game of truth or dare. The truths told, and dangers completed were to be taken to the grave by all who had played.

Malum didn’t want to get closer to these people. He hated the fact that they would likely die in the coming few months. They were funny, good-hearted, amazing people that he didn’t want to see die.

All he could do was try his best. That’s all he could do even though he wished he could do so much more.

He breathed out a big sigh and continued to pack the memories he had made.

The march there wasn’t anything special, just more of the Dao’s endless beauty. Nobody had the heart to look around, instead most talked between each other or simply starred into the ground.

Depression onset a few people. Malum couldn’t say he was surprised.

He felt it as well. That feeling of despair, the weight on his heart.

It made everything seem bleak, even when beauty was in plain view.

They marched on regardless, becoming a coward now seemed like pointless decision. They already had done all the training, might as well give hell a shot.

The Troop Leader was surprisingly chatty. Mentioning more of his experiences in the front lines. Seemed Gerald pessimistic opinion was indeed closer although Jake did get the rotation between two Troops correct.

It was more of a fence then a wall. After all it got moved nearly every wave and it was a far more feasible cost to the kingdom then some mighty wall.

Instead the kingdom was rich in villagers, so it choose to use those instead. It made an annoying amount of logical sense but that didn’t mean it was moral. That childish naivety was slowly peeling away as he found the world was more and more disappointing.

Life continued anyway. And arriving at the outpost, Malum looked at his new home.

It wasn’t nearly as large as the encampment, but it held wooden walls that Malum thought looked somewhat stable.

Entering through a gate, Malum watched as the Leader disappeared into one of the buildings as another Troop Leader came out of the same hut.

“Welcome fresh blood, good to see some new faces it been far to long. My name is Sun but you can call me Sunny. If an officials here my name is Troop Leader Sun.

There are 3 buildings you care about here and that is the food hall to your left, the dorms up that path, and the equipment store to your right. In times out of waves we usually visit the nearby city to collect resources but obviously someone’s got to protect the Line so as you’re the newbies that privilege is yours.”

A moan from the crowd managed to get the good news out of the situation. “You can use your points for money to get pretty much anything delivered back by those going on the trip. As we all suffering together, we don’t even take any fee.”

That was good news, that meant new foods, new bedding, and anything other luxury they could want was available.

He next pointed to the building he just exited from. It was the nicest of the surrounds shacks as it looked like it didn’t leek.

“This is the administration building where you can check those very points. You should also see the conversion rates to the goods in the nearby city. Many come here saying that they wouldn’t buy a thing but please do. Moral is so much more important than you think so don’t keep yourself depressed.”

Malum didn’t completely agree with that. It did seem somewhat true but it also accounted for his interest in recruits remaining here. It wasn’t right or wrong, it was grey.

He continued on with his speech and went on and on about teamwork and unity. Unlike their Leader this one actually felt like a Leader or at least he spoke like one.

He ended his spiel once their Troop Leader returned and after dismissing them, they got to exploring.

Everything was like the encampment but worse. The benches in the mess hall more crooked, the beds in the dorms more creaky, the showers somehow colder.

Since they arrived early, they had a few hours before sundown and with their time Malums squad decided to do some extra training. Many others choose to enjoy some traded goods from the store but Malum cared about one thing and one thing only, survival.

Alicia and Jake at first wanted to join the Troop but Gerald and Jerome had sided with Malum. Ever since the demon hunt, Malum had noticed Gerald enthusiasm towards fighting had increased and with it he had grown to be a better fighter.

Whatever had happened when he was fighting that snake, seemed to have really changed the way he thought about fighting. Now he enjoyed it, like it was a hunt. It wasn’t anything bad, at least in Malums opinion, he just found the change to be interesting.

Jerome usually voted on Malums side. Ever since he had joined the group, Malum had noticed Jerome tended to copy whatever he did and he rarely ever argued against him. Perhaps he was just a good subordinate and Gerald and Jake had messed up his idea of normal.

A few good hours of sparring led to pitch darkness where the group then shuffled back to their dorms. The wave would come the next day and from what they had been told the first Troop would show them how it was done.

His heart rate grew to new levels, no sleep managed to find Malum.