[Elliot Springs][Session 3 - Level 1][Part 2]

Elliot picked up the corpse of the blight and continued to walk down the street, following the lamp light while reading some of the signs. They were hard to read, but he gathered that magic items and general goods could be bought in various stores.

The scent of burning embers and melting metals lingered in the air. “A blacksmith of some sort must be nearby,” he muttered to himself, looking around to see if anybody followed him from the tavern as he neared his destination.

Then he was there, the barracks. A guard stationed outside watched as Elliot approached.

The guard stood far taller than Elliot, adorned with silver scaled armor and gleaming scales. A dragonborn, just like the guard that fought with Elliot in the woods a few hours ago. The guard walked up to Elliot, saying nothing, and tried putting his hands on the corpse to help carry it.

“Who are you taking this one to?” The guard looked over the wood blight’s corpse.

“Barg, I think. Bunch of these things were in the woods. Some attacked myself, Melisandre, Moindan, some guards, and Hircine. Figured it would be of import to let someone know that these creatures attacked in an area so close to the main road.” Elliot shouldered the creature, then the guard pulled his hands away with a sour expression.

“So you lived, and my brother didn’t,” the guard snarled, exhaling cold fog. “Neither you or Hircine are real warriors.

“Your brother fought until the end.” Elliot said respectfully.

”Barg’s quarters are this way.” The guard turned around and silently led the way through errant corridors. He stepped to the side of a door, motioning to it with his snout, only giving a simple, unhelpful gesture.

“Could you knock for me?” Elliot whispered as he changed his grip on the corpse. The unevenly distributed weight and his fatigue caused it to gradually slip a little as they’d walked.

The guard sighed before pounding a fist on the door. “Barg, the farm kid is here with a blight—a dead one,” the guard called out.

Behind the door, a loud cacophony of many small metal items clanged and clattered, almost as if being swept off a desk. Heavy thuds echoed from inside the room.

A booming voice rang out, clear as day through the shut door, "One of the shrub things, huh? Does he look like a good soldier?” The door flew open as the last question finished. Barg appeared to be a very tall, muscular orc, although considerably hunched, with large polished tusks and a very formal outfit.

“He’s short,” the dragonborn guard replied as he brought an open hand to his chin and then held out a fist.

Barg did the same, and they bumped first.

“From silver to bronze,” they both say in unison.

“You can head back to your post, Sherkov,” Barg said, prompting the guard to turn and leave. The orc turned towards Elliot. “Well, what's your name, kid?”

“Elliot Springs.” The kid in question stood as straight as he could while still carrying the corpse.

“You do this on your own?” The orc looked over the corpse.

“I had help. We took down fifteen or so.” Elliot adjusted the corpse in his grip again. “Could be a danger to others having so many of these things turn up.”

“The army can look into it. For now, good job on the kill. We could use more powerful youngins like you in the army. Whaddya say?” Barg leaned closer to Elliot.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

“Well, that’s actually what I came here to sign up for, but first, I wanted to see about this corpse,” Elliot said, repositioning the body again.

“Oh, did you want the reward?” He scratched his stubbly chin. “If so, I’m going to have to send you to the commander. Let me give you the enlistment papers first before I forget.” Barg went back into his office, opened a filing cabinet, and drew a multi-page contract out. He handed it to Elliot, who carefully tucked it into his pack.

The quick glance Elliot got of the office showed coins scattered across the room. “So where would I be deployed?” Elliot asked as Barg started to lead him away from the office and down another corridor.

“The front lines, of course. Although, we would let you train up at one of the forts in our great provinces before shipping you off,” Barg replied as the two started to pass more and more soldiers, recruits, and officers on their stroll through the halls.

“You said the front line? Do you mean to say that our army is deployed?” Elliot watched Barg as the orc carefully thought over his words.

“Yes, but not directly. If you are enlisted, then you will be assigned to one of our allied nations where you will be supporting their troops and their defensive lines. No war you will be a part of will be on our soil,” Barg explained.

“That makes sense. I can do my best to protect others,” Elliot said with new determination.

“That is amazing to hear, kid. Here we are. Have fun in there, ‘cause he is far more blunt than I am.” The Orc turned and left quickly.

“Okay then.” Elliot faced a door with a plaque on it that read “Commander Starrin”.

He knocked on the door with five quick raps of his knuckle. After a second of no response, he knocked twice more. Elliot became aware of the silence in the hall around him. Elliot turned to see several soldiers staring at him, or at the door, waiting for it to open. There was a loud thud from inside the office that caused Elliot to jump and face the closed door.

A few soldiers, probably with a keen intuition and a desire to remain alive, silently slipped away down side hallways and out of view.

Elliot saw a soldier near him stiffen and stand at attention, his hands clasped behind his back. Elliot straightened his stance and faced the door, keeping his hands on the corpse draped over his shoulder.

The door slowly opened.

But there was no one in the doorway.

Elliot readjusted the corpse for the thousandth time. He heard a cough that drew his attention towards the ground. The figure before Elliot was shorter than Diana, maybe shorter than the woman running the tavern, and had wrinkled gray tinted skin, sharp teeth like an animal, and bloodshot eyes full of rage.

“Why are you not saluting?” the Derro yelled

Elliot reckoned he’d just met commander Starrin. "I am holding a corpse, sir, the corpse of a plant monster I killed in the woods. I’m here to report that over 15 of them attacked myself and others near the road. I felt this would be a very big problem for everyone, especially in regards to trade and the safety of this city's citizens… Sir," Elliot tacked on at the end, hoping the commander would stop yelling.

"How did you deal with the creature?" The Derro crossed his arms.

"I stabbed one through the brain and shot a few others,” Elliot answered, shrugging. He coughed awkwardly when the corpse nearly tilted off his shoulders and to the ground. “I believe lighting one corpse on fire warded them off from attacking me all at once."

"Hm, interesting. So you aren't one of mine. What do you plan to achieve by coming to me with this?" Starrin clicked his tongue against his teeth.

"I was coming here to enlist. I was under the impression that the army protects its citizens… Sir.” Elliot had never spoken so formally in his life and had no idea if he was adhering to proper protocol.

"Yes, so why come to me and not Sergeant Barg?" Starrin asked with some hostility.

"I did go to him, and he brought me to you. Said you would be the one to talk to about the corpse and the plant monsters I killed. A possible bounty on them… Sir." Elliot started to feel like he was talking in circles.

“You know I’m fucking with you, right? Hircine was already here. I’ve got a bag with 36 gold in it for you and a recommendation for the same unit that got me to the high commanding position I’m in now. Most kids don’t have the skill or the gonads to save guardsmen of the provinces.” Starrin smiled wickedly.

“This is more than generous sir.” Elliot set the body down against the wall and took the pouch of gold. Elliot tapped his foot against the corpse. “And what do you want with this?”

"Well, they make for good firewood when it's cold out.” He grabbed the corpse and threw it into his office before sticking his hand out for a hand shake.

"Thanks for the opportunity, Sir," Elliot said.

"Good luck, kid.” As he walked back into his office, the door slammed shut, and all the soldiers behind Elliot took a breath of relief.