Chapter 3
Nik examined his med kit one final time before stuffing it in a large woven sack. He was sitting on the side of a grassy hill with his team, though the other members were a short distance away. The divide was obvious. Like always, Nik held a stern expression.
"What the hell is the point of this mission, again?" Sfen asked. He too was loading resources into a large bag. "After achieving A Rank, I didn't expect us to be wandering the ghettos of Iosa."
This statement puzzled Kleon. “You didn’t expect to have tasks behind enemy lines? You didn’t expect that an elite military team would be exploring Iosan territory? Just what were you expecting, exactly?”
“Now, now,” Ellandio interjected, “the Iosans are not our enemy. We are in peacetime, remember?”
Sfen snorted with amusement. “Yeah, sure. Pramentori and Iosa are great allies! That’s why we’re in disguise right now… sneaking into their territory like bandits.”
“I will admit, I was surprised they sent us four,” said Ellandio.
“Us three, you mean.” added Sfen, sneering in Nik’s general direction. Kleon foresaw a rant coming from Sfen. It would be annoying. “I’m still pissed they put us with little Junior Cadet over there. We made a name for ourselves in the last war; we earned some much-deserved respect! We brought honor to Pramentori.” Sfen lowered his voice, but not so much that Nik couldn’t overhear. “Him? He was still wiping his nose and playing with sticks during the war.”
“It’s all political,” murmured Ellandio. “Ever since the unification, the Palace has been trying to make sure that everyone is happy. Can’t leave out the famed son of Daimon Dunamis!”
“I don’t care if he’s General Dunamis’ kid. He’s still wet behind the ears. Putting him as Captain of our team is downright insulting.”
Kleon remained quiet as Sfen and Ellandio continued to go back and forth. “I heard he’s as skilled with a sword as his father.”
“I’m sure Kleon could break through any blade of Nik’s with a well placed fist.”
“I heard his red magic was unrivaled in the academy.”
“This ain’t the academy.”
“Some say he has the potential to--”
“Enough!” Sfen shouted, forgetting that he was feigning a secret conversation. “I’d rather have a half-brained boar lead us on this mission than him, and nothing you can say will convince me otherwise.”
Nik chose not to speak up. It wasn’t the first time someone had a scathing opinion of him, nor was it his first time hearing of the rumors surrounding his supposed battle prowess. In this situation, he figured it was best to let the three men (all of which were his elder) vent about any frustrations they might have. Truth be told, their angst was valid and understandable, even if it was to Nik’s own detriment.
The four men continued to prepare for their voyage. Clothing, food, armor, and small trinkets were loaded into packs. A light breeze came up the hill, masking the gales that lied ahead. Nik stood up with a heavy sigh and made his way over to the crew.
"Are you almost ready?" he asked.
He's not going to reprimand us? What a pussy. "Sure thing, your Majesty," Sfen said.
"We should get started as fast as possible. It will be a much easier trip if we stay ahead of the storm," explained Nik. "I think we should keep a quick pace and plan to get there in four days. If we stay on course, we will have plenty of shelter and perhaps even a shot at extra supplies."
Ellandio was concerned. "Four days? It's a five-day trek with a mount. We would be lucky to make it in six!"
"And are we supposed to be carrying you on this endeavor, your Highness?" asked Sfen.
"It won't be that bad. We are travelling light for a reason. Buck up.” Nik studied the faces of his team as they finished their preparations. As if their conversation hadn’t made it obvious, their grimaces and disdainful visages truly drove the point home. Even the ever-cheerful Ellandio had a cloudy demeanor. Nik wouldn’t act on it, however.
“Is driving through the desert as fast as possible the right way to gather intel on the insurgents?” Ellandio asked, genuinely curious. “The guerillas are probably close to the border, so the deeper we go, the less likely we might stumble upon a few of them.”
“And there probably won’t be any connections to the insurgency in the Iosan capital,” added Sfen. “Those crazy rogues are their own faction. Dying tribes, desperate for the niceties of Pramentori, lashing out like hungry children. The core of Iosa still holds a little civility. Going to the capital is pointless.”
Nik nodded. “I would have agreed with you, but the Palace believes that there is something larger going on. They are being vague, but it sounds they are acting on rumors out of Iosa about preparations. War preparations.”
Sfen snorted in disbelief. “They want another war? Man, those curveys really like to get whipped. What a sad fetish for a nation to have.”
Kleon concurred, any major conflict between the two neighbors would be one-sided and brief. “How stupid.”
“So what are we supposed to discover, that Iosa’s top brass is secretly directing the guerillas? They wouldn’t be that foolish, not yet,” noted Ellandio.
“Iosan idiocy knows no bounds…”
“That’s why we’re just going to gather information. We’ll keep our ears and eyes open, and hopefully be able to deny any suspicions the Palace might have. To be honest with you men, I don’t believe we’ll uncover anything. So the sooner we get to Iosa, the sooner we get called home.” Nik crossed his arms. He was anxious to embark.
Kleon stood up. He too was ready. “Enough talk.”
Sfen sighed. “Kleon’s right. We’re gonna have plenty of time to chit chat on this forsaken journey. I’m already sick of you all…” He rose with Ellandio. Everyone grabbed their packs, which were now full and heavy, and slung them over their backs. Ellandio wiggled and squirmed. Longer journeys were always worse for him and his small frame. Nik walked a couple feet down the hill and gazed out over the horizon. Dark clouds dominated the skyline, emanating a deep purple aura. An endless sea of dirt and rock lay before them. Strong winds kicked up sand. It created hazy red blobs of fog that were constantly morphing, hiding terrain and revealing new scenes with each passing moment. It was a lifeless, desolate landscape.
Nik exhaled and closed his eyes. “Let’s go.”
