Perceived Fate

They woke up sat over the tavern table. Mugs still clasped in their hands, Malum could tell he had one hell of a night. Still, he had done what was needed and now there was no going back.

The quiet life was officially closed off and he couldn’t be happier about it.

The path to immortality was littered with death traps but Malum preferred the known threat of demons which he could also face with his friend, over some merchantry bullocks or political meandering. He was best suited for fighting that was simply a fact.

Still, he would prepare as much as he could.

It didn’t take long before an army runner came to deliver the news of their deployment. It was only a small boy but Malum had to admit that his legs were something else.

The letter he delivered contained news of tehri departure and where they would be expected.

The city of Roosevelt was their destination and with nothing left to do they picked up their supplies and began their journey.

It was going to be the longest he had ever rode, but at least this time he had company and unlike usual Jameson was talkative as they rode.

The sun rose, the sun fell. Time passed as it always did as Malum slowly went towards the hell of hells.

The City of Roosevelt was named after one of the founding fathers of the kingdom. The family was now at the levels of Dukes and the centre of their power was the very city Malum now stood inside.

The walls around were thicker, stronger, and older than those of any city wall he had seen before. The houses protected by these walls were just as impressive.

Stone was used everywhere and no longer where the houses made of cheap wood and the smoke rising from the city was something else entirely and that wasn’t to mention the mountain range surroundings the entire city.

At the centre was the Manor of the city, the house of the Duke, was something else entirely. Glass was used for windows and seven chimneys lined the houses expansive roof.

The gates around were made of metal, and Malum as well as the rest of commoners could only look in envy.

Malum cared little for the little show of wealth, what he wanted was above the golden plated crest hanged on the gate. He wanted pure power and here was where he would begin.

Before they signed in, Malum sold his alchemical goods although he kept many of the more practical ones for his upcoming battles.

Healings balms were going to be a large part of his new strength, he just hoped that his headache would finally phase away.

The constant need of numbing agents was becoming a large and constant expense of both his time and his money but with no solution in sight Malum could only swallow down his anger.

He sold them quickly to a company he had begun to gain some reputation with. It was part of a merchants household by the name of LGS which stood for Louis’ Goods and Services.

They gave him a small bronze emblem which inscribe on was his expertise and credibility. That was a guess, what was on it was numbers but with them rising every time he sold to them he felt he was correct in his prediction.

He thanked the kind man who he had sold to and walked back to where Jameson was setting them up inside of an inn.

“U got rooms?” Malum asked Jameson as he began to sat down.

“Course I have. It was 2 silver for the night.”

Malum flicked over three silvers to the man and told him, “For the beer.”

To that Jameson smiled as he ushered over the innkeeper. They ordered themselves the cheapest they could provide and with it Malum smoothed over the constant pain he was in.

They didn’t continue and kept it to a single one. After they felt a small buzz, and their jokes run dry they walked themselves over to the Mayor office where they signed themselves in.

An office clerk then handed them slips of paper which they looked to see there new deployment location and Malum also received his new rank and clothing.

His rank was the same as a team leader but in the Southern front that equated to team member. With his star, Malum would have to respond to Jameson who was a Team Leader in the Southern front instead of Troop Leader.

It showed the strength of the usual officers expected here, but also showed the lack of expectations of people escaping the hell of hells.

Malum looked at his uniform, this time it was a darker shade of brown. He wandered how many had died in the clothing. He gave them a solemn prayer,

He gave the map to Jameson as he went to go and get changed in the Town Halls bathroom. The smell was better than most, but he still expedited the process.

With his new clothes on and his nose no longer being assaulted, Malum and Jameson set off towards their new deployment. He kept both sword sharp, and tried his best to ignore the pain in his head.

They arrived at the Outpost not to long after. The sun had only fell once which showed Malum just how badly the front was going.

Nobody in the right mind would risk the safety of the city, the amount of money it printed everyday would mean its value was immense.

Resources must have been taken by the cartful into defending the frontlines. Malum looked at over the horizon to see the Baron Sands of the demonic plain, that meant even with those resources they still fell against the beasts.

The walls of the camp were better than some of the towns he had seen. Still wooden, but thicker and stronger than the other walls he had seen. It was dark oak instead of a cheap birch, a denser but far better wood for making walls.

Malum felt the tough surface as he walked inside the camp. The guards saluted Jameson and gave Malum and interested look over.

Malum looked at them in return and had to admit that they looked strong. Dense muscles, worn hands, and even the way they held their balance spoke highly of their skill. Their hands always resting by their sheath.

They were good, and they were also just guards.

Walking in, the conditions of the camp were as nice as the walls outside. Sacrifices they were but they lived far better than what most would ever be able to.

The people who lived were people who could afford noble titles so the level of treatment was to be expected. Malum felt his head ease at the thought of a comfortable bed but before he could test that he got dragged into the admin hall by his friend.

“Is that you Jamesy?!” A massive man said at the front desk of the hall. The sword on his back looked larger than Malums entire hand, and it made Malum question if the man was superhuman to even lift the thing.

And that was ignoring the fact he called one of the strongest people he knew a pet name.

“Shut your mouth you Ape. I’ve come to save you, yet again, and this is what I get in return?”

The `Ape` looked back at him and laughed, “Save me? I think you mean save u!”

The two men looked at each other and laughed as they pulled each other into a big hug. Words of “Good to see you” and “Who you been old friend” were exchanged.

Malum was thanking the fact that he wouldn’t get be collateral in a large fight before Jameson introduced him to the Ape.

“This is new meat I’ve dragged in. He might look a bit weak but he’s decent and he grows quick as well.”

`Weak, I’m not weak looking!` said Malum in his mind, but not wanting to have his words tested he decided to keep them as thoughts. Against both of these people, he’d accept the words weak.

“Decent you say, well time will tell. Grow strong kid, I don’t like sending of good men. Now I’ll assign you your huts and I assume your gunna have him on your team.”

Jameson nodded, to which the `Ape continued, “Right then the rest will be a one newbie and I’ll give you Carl.”

“Sounds good, see you in the field big guy.”

“Good seeing you Jameson, I’ll be sure to save you when I can.”

Both laughed as Malum followed Jameson out of the hall.

He couldn’t help but ask seeing Jameson’s smile, “You seem good friends.”

Jameson looked at Malum and grinned. “Yeah out here, after a few life or deaths fights together you tend to grow closer. Me and him, we’ve been through to many to count. He’s a good man and one hell of a soldier.”

That was praise if he had ever heard it. To get such compliments from him, he wandered how strong that man really was. Perhaps he had reached the limits of mortal strength, if so Malum would set that as his goal.

He was passed a small wooden token from his friend and it had the number 47 written on it. AS they were walking towards their huts, he assumed it was the referring to the hut which was his.

He and Jameson split of to see their huts and planned to meet after they had done. This left Malum to view his own room by himself.

The small huts lined the Outpost and Malum looked past each one to see if his own was among them. They looked fairly well made, with no big leeks showing in the ceilings and no large cracks in the walls letting in cold air.

He found his near the base of a small gathering of huts. He pushed through the door to see a room which but his standard was pretty nice. The inns he had stayed at where slightly better but considering where he was it was beyond alright.

Clean bed, no leaks, no cold air, peace and quiet, this wasn’t hell; it was heaven.

He laid down on the sack of fur and let himself rest for a bit. The journey had taken its toll on his body and mind, and whilst his headache remained at least now he could sit still.

Not wanting to leave Jameson waiting he left his hut and went to the mess hall where they agreed to meet. Here they ate some pleasant food and chatted about the coming waves.

Digging in to a fresh carrot, Malum asked, “So and I expecting anything above rank 10 to come every wave?”

Replying, Jameson swallowed down some mash, “Yes, every wave you expect to see something around 14. Unlike the waves in the Northern front, these ones are more like armies and each time they bring a commander. Occasionally, you will see the appearance of upper ranking demon. Something around what you got injured by before. In those cases, we bring in our Commander.”

Malum swallowed down his carrot after he heard about such ferocious beasts being even close to a common occurrence. His curiosity made him ask, “how strong are these commanders?”

Jameson grinned through his mouth full of chicken.

“If you me, or Davidson are strong then the commanders are a different league. Each are Nobles and they all are practically superhuman. They say it because of their blood, that noble strength run through their veins. I call bollocks, something to do with alchemy or demons are the reason they are so strong but don’t tell others this. The Kingdom would have us both hanged.”

Malum face turned to a frown. `Cultivation perhaps`. It would mean that the kingdom was stronger he thought, or perhaps mortals could grow beyond normal via other ways.

The standard way of cultivation was exactly that, a standard method. Not the only one, there were several others that perhaps this Kingdom had touched upon, or perhaps they had even found an original method.

Malum would keep a look out but for now he continued to ask more questions about the threats he would face. After they ate, he continued to hone his strength by sparring with his friend and whilst the beatdown wasn’t pretty, he learned much more than expected.

As moany as he was as a Troop Leader, he was one hell of a teacher. Perhaps it was the way he shouted at him that got it through his head. Whatever it was, it was effective and in the two days before the wave, Malum was happy that he had grown to his strongest right before they were sent off.

“Meet Carl and Horus, your new team members.” Said an admin officer. Leading in one battered veteran and one decent built youth.

“Is that Jameson is see, old man I see you’ve been dragged back here. Good to see you, whose this fella you’ve got with you?” Although he held many scares, the built tanned dude seemed to have no issue with speaking casually.

“Hey Carl, this is Malum a decent fighter I’ve brought from Hillside. Good to meet you, Horus I’m your Team Leader.” He shook the newbies hand and Malum saw how the two tested each other’s strength.

Jameson won, but Horus lasted longer than Malum had expected.

“Pleased to meet ya!” Horsu replied. His complexion was slightly darker than most which made Malum guess he wasn’t from this part of the Kingdom.

`Gues they took sacrifices from everywhere.` Malum thought, as he looked at the newbie. His weapon as that of the sword, and Carl wore a large axe on his back.

Jameson used a thin sword made of a strangely strong material. When it should have snapped against the counterforce it instead managed to hold strong. It looked light as well, Malum was pretty envious of the weapon and had asked around for anything similar but found nothing.

He guessed it was some legacy item from his Noble background. Obtained via chance by an ancestor. It left questions but Malum wasn’t going to ask them as it seemed a sensitive topic for the Fallen Noble.

After introduction, they got a rundown of general strategy. Unlike the North, the South was forced to always be defensive. The waves were so strong that anything else was suicide but the meeting did include several mentions on strategy and some new information on higher sequence demonic weakness’.

It soon ended and after a few prayed they were sent off. With nothing else to do the Team Leader began to discuss their strategy.

“We were assigned to Section B, this is an area is one with two chokepoints between two cliffs edge and steep hill on the in-between. Two rivers slow down these areas which provides the obvious team layout. 4 defensible zones which will be ordered via strength.

Because of the areas terrain, expect small beasts as the chokepoints tend to dissuade larger demons from entering the area although it also acts as a funnel for the weaker beasts so expect more of less strong units.

Use your weapon wisely, making sure it doesn’t blunt to much. Wear light armour for extra stamina because the biggest obstacle of this area is endurance.”

Malum nearly laughed in happiness and the grin he saw on Jameson face as he looked over to him confirmed that the happiness was shared between the two.

“4 areas needing constant attention means no rest breaks, 24 hours of non-stop fighting. I’ll let Carl finish off with anything extra.”

Carl gave a nod to Jameson as he said, “This area is both one of the worst and the best. Weak means that your unlikely to see a higher sequence beast that you stand no chance against, but the amount of them has seen many of our greatest fall to minor injuries.”

He held out bandages, “keep your supplies close to yourself as the time to apply them will come in short bursts that you’ll need to use wisely, and even then sometimes they just don’t come so always keep emergency ones in your pockets or even on the floor.

That’s about it really, food and drink apply to that as well. Especially drink, but that’s all pretty obvious.”

His face turned from a serious tone, to a playful one.

“Now do any of our newbies have any dating experience?”

`Sorry?` Malum questioned in his head. He looked to Jameson to see if he could explain this change in persona but his face showed no surprise and even a hint of a smile.

Carl was disappointed to hear of Malums lack of good stories but found a treasure trove in Horus. Turns out before being conscripted he had slept with a Noble’s daughter, then he got conscripted the next day.

Coincidence? Malum and everyone else on the team would bet that it wasn’t.

Then he heard more stories of Horus’ previous wives and girlfriends, for a man who was 24 he had experienced far to much success in his love life and Carl was there to complain about it.

“if only I wasn’t stuck here I could bathing in my charm.”

Malum couldn’t decide if he was joking because he seemed serious about it and yet whenever Malum looked to Jameson about he was smiling the entire time. Was it a joke? Was it not?

So he stopped thinking about it, and just laughed it away. Soon they would arrive at their destination so perhaps some last moments of relief would do him well or the marathon he was about to endure.