The days turned into months which turned into seasons that seemed to pass quickly. Snow covered the tops of the distant mountains and their passes were soon not passable. Life around the Keep fell into a normal routine. He continued to work where he was needed and his debt to the king grew less as he began to put his boyhood behind him and started to move into becoming a young man. He became closer to Master Pierce and the other men of the Keep except Ferret and Mouse whom he tried to avoid like the plague.

His dreams began to lessen about his family and while he still missed them they weren’t on his mind as often as they had been. Painin felt bad about that as if he was somehow disrespecting their memory. He found himself still thinking of Kobi often and hoped that she had escaped the raiders. His dreams about her however had begun to change and become of more of an intimate nature which left him feeling flustered and embarrassed often.

Commander Novik had sent word with some of the patrols that ranged in that direction, but there had been no word back so far. Not even the merchants that traveled from that way had any new information except that the Raiders had finally been pushed back into the sea. The King of course had taken full credit for it even going so far as to call it a great victory.

As spring slowly crept back, pushing winter away, the Keep became a hotspot of activity as they prepared to go into the mountain pass and purge the monsters that lived there. It was a yearly activity that they go forth and cull the numbers of the monsters that lived in the pass after they had spent the winter months regaining their numbers. It was not unheard of for some of the men to get hurt or even killed, but being contained inside the keep, it gave them a chance to blow the dust off their skills.

Commander Novik himself would lead the men during the purge as he did every year. He broke the news to Painin that he wouldn’t be taking part in the attack even as his valet.

“I’m sorry lad. Accidents do happen during these yearly purges and men still get injured and even die.” He said placing a hand on his shoulder.

“I understand. I will go and tend to Master Pierce’s needs now sir.”

The Battle Mage was in his room looking over a large book and mumbling under his breath with his ever-present cup in his hand. Painin entered the room and quietly began to straighten up some of the items on the nearest table. Closing the book with a sigh he slowly rubbed his temples with his eyes closed.

“Did you bring your travel pack?” Master Pierce asked without opening his eyes.

“I am not allowed to go on the spring purge.”

“Ah, to hell with the boring old purge. You are coming with me down to Hiserik to recharge the magical wards around the town.”

“Come with you to Hiserik Master?”

“Yes. Hiserik. Trade town down along the southern border of the wastes along the coast.” He paused to take a sip from his cup. “Not very much to do there aside from harvesting salt, but hey what do you expect from a trade town? Now go and pack a bag so we can get going on this grade adventure!” He pushed Painin out the door and into the hall.

Painin did not have much to put inside his pack aside from a change of clothes so he went down to the guard hall where those not on duty were preparing for their trip. Corporal Marki pointed him in the direction of the supply room where he handed him a knife, sword, and an iron-capped staff. Painin choose a scabbard and sheath for the blades and hung them on his belt. He walked over to the kitchen and after a conversation with one of the cooks took some dried meat and bread which went into his pack.

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Master Pierce stood in the courtyard of the keep talking to two of the guards while they check over the horses and cinched down straps holding supplies. Painin acknowledged the men and moved to stand with them.

“Novik seems to think that we need guards to help us find our way. So Kemp and Svening here are going to ride with us and keep us out of trouble. Now if we have everything I suggest we get moving so that we can get some distance today.”

With that, he mounted his horse and took a drink from his flask motioning the others to also mount up. The guardsmen each mounted their horses with practiced ease and even managed to hold onto the reins of the pack horse. Painin managed to mount his horse a chestnut mare if in a less than graceful manner. The horse danced under him as if it could sense his unease of being on the beast and he guided the horse after the others as they started to ride out.

The Keep behind them they rode through Wildrest at a slow pace passing through the market on their way out. They headed south making sure to keep the mountains on their left side as they rode at a nice and easy pace. Everyone was quiet as they rode and Painin struggled to get a hang of riding the horse. His father had tried to get him to ride back on the farm but he had just never fully gotten the hang of it, his sister however had taken to the horse like she was born to it.

They rode until the sun began to get low in the west before deciding to make camp for the evening. The guardsmen went about unpacking the basics of the campsite and setting up while Master Pierce set about making a fire by reciting a cantrip over a small pile of wood. The fire flared up upon finishing the spell and burned with a greenish hue to it. Kemp eyed the green fire with a look like one would give a snake they didn’t trust.

“The fire will act just like a real fire except the only difference is it was born of magic and will last until I dispel it.” Said Master Pierce trying to put Kemp at ease while explaining to everyone.

Svening shrugged his shoulders and placed a large flat rock next to the fire that he washed off with a bit of their water and filled a pot with ground-up coffee and more water and waited for it to boil. They all ate from their rations which mostly consisted of dried meat and hard bread. Master Pierce nibbled on some flatbread from his bag and drank from his ever-present cup while the guardsmen filled their cups with the bubbling black liquid. Painin refused their offer to share and drank from his skin of water before settling down before the fire to watch the flickering green light.

Kemp went about tending to the horses and made short work of hobbling them and giving them room to forage on top of providing them with some food and water from the pack horse. Returning to the fire he passed Master Pierce as he walked around the perimeter of the campsite slowly spilling dark powder onto the ground and chanting to himself. Once the circle of power was completed it flared with a purple light and then disappeared. Both Kemp and Svening looked at him with questioning looks as he returned to the fire after refilling his cup.

“Demons Bane ground up makes a powerful circle of protection that should keep anything short of an actual Pit Fiend out of the area. It also makes a nice tea when brewed correctly.” The Battle Mage said allowing some of the fine powder to fall from his fingertips.

“Well, magic or not we will take turns keeping watch through the night.” Said Kemp motioning to himself and Svening.

“As you wish good sir. I however will be sleeping like a baby.” Said the Mage resting his back against his saddle and with a wave of his hand and some arcane words summoned a floating yellow eyeball next to him. He turned to the floating eye that looked like a giant cat’s eye and said something in an unknown language to it. It slowly blinked before floating off outside of the light of the fire.

“Oh yes, that definitely won’t give me nightmares tonight.” Said Painin as he put his head on his saddle and pulled a horse blanket over his head and stared at the course weave before his eyes and tried not to think about the scary glowing eyeball floating off around the desert outside the camp.