A faint, golden fog hung around the air. The legionaries were overpowered by the metallic taste and smell of ichor the moment they entered Lidantium. Their boots fell upon the ground with a sickening squelch; the entire city had been covered in a messy network of root-like flesh. They pulsed with life, small lights of intense violet hues ran through them, carried by similar chain reactions the soldiers had seen in their Collegium studies. Nerves. Mostly of human origin. Several soldiers were ordered to collect samples to bring back to the Magisterium. The Magister Bellaxus closely examined one of them in his scarred hand. Daimon attacks were always messy but living nerves made of their victims? What was the purpose of this? Dying without ever knowing was the worst thing for any Tirran, let alone a human.

The Soothers at the centre of each cohort were working their hardest. Strong, sustained spells to calm the mind were necessary to hold the legion together, but this left the Soothers vulnerable. With their eyes closed, constantly looking into Roya to cast their calming spells, they were heavily guarded by several layers of soldiers. Along the edges of the legion were soldiers surveying their surroundings: one’s eyes were open to Tirra and the one after them open to Roya and so on. After 60 chronocycles, these soldiers switched positions with those further in to rest their eyes and reserve their Focus.

The exception to this was the 13th. The 1st and 13th cohort had merged, with the Draekslanni covering the edges of the head. They were allowed no reprieve. They were the essential eyes of the legion, as the Tribunus had put it, but Laevinus had yet to test their effectiveness.

As they passed through the streets, Adonis felt a strong sensation behind his eyes the moment he set them upon an alleyway. His eyes flashed with a series of bright blue symbols and a rod of ice formed in his hand. The rod flew straight into the alleyway and split into eight spears.

A strangled equine cry rang throughout the streets.

The march stopped and all turned their attention to the alley. The Draekslanni were the first to act, hurling spells Fragments of twisted stone and wood were thrown at the soldiers only to be smashed into many small fragments by the legion’s magical shields. Creatures charged toward them out of the alley, their own shields pierced with ice spears. A wall of golden shielding held the monsters in place before they could reach the head of the legion. They were hoofed things; once-Monoceri that had been twisted and nerve-scarred by the Daimons possessing them. Magic began to glow from their warped horns. Quickly, the soldiers summoned their blades of Brightsilver and severed the horns. Their shields fell apart and the soldiers wasted no time striking them through the head. At last, the creatures fell dead.

The Monoceri collectively threw their heads up, the whites of their eyes showing. They refused to move after the whole ordeal. It took some time before their riders could calm them. In that time the soldiers examined the Daimons. The dead steeds had been possessed by Minoridaimons, fresh ones that hadn't yet grown used to their vessels to access knowledge of resisting the combined restraint spell. Laevinus then ordered the Last Rites to be performed on the slain Monoceri. Tribunus Pavonikos and a few of the Duxii placed their hands over the eyes of the dead. With a flash of light, the eyes of the dead were burned out and the essences within were released to Paradis.

“...May they become one with Magus forever in the Eternal Library…”

The Monoceri eventually calmed and lowered their heads reverently. They took a moment before Laevinus closed his eyes again.

“Keep moving,” Laevinus said.

So they moved onwards. Besides the Daimon Nerves, there was nothing worthy of study around here. The legion encountered more of the same creatures in small numbers. Monoceri, dogs, cats and vermin came at them. The Magister Bellaxus seemed pleased by the quick reaction of the Draekslanni. It seemed a waste that more of them hadn’t been deployed. Were it not for the Magisterium’s fears that they were more susceptible to Daimonic possession because of their Matiasma - their ability to see into the realm of chaos that was Kaeva - perhaps many more lives would have been saved.

On the next change, Rufinus and Valerian had finally rejoined Adonis on the edge.

“Miss us, Ado?”

Adonis acknowledged Rufinus with a small nod. The rim of his hat was angled to keep his face shaded past the bridge of his nose to conceal the tiredness in his eyes but nothing got past Valerian; he was particularly receptive to how others felt which is why he was made a Soother. Valerian glanced at his friend’s supply belt - he was down to one vial of Focus potion.

“Y-you’re exhausted,” Valerian said, passing along his own vial, “Here.”

Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

“Thanks.”

He took a swig of the teal fluid. Bittersweetness touched his tongue and rejuvenated him. He exhaled and in a few blinks his eyes felt awake.

“It's unfair what they're doing to you and the rest of the Draekslanni,” Rufinus said, passing along one of his own vials.

“It’s necessary,” Adonis replied.

“They should at least let you rest.”

“The entire legion can’t stop for the few of us. I'll live,” Adonis said. “It’s the others you should be worried about.”

He led their eyes to several points on the edge. The other Draekslanni soldiers were starting to tire. A few weren't as lucky as Adonis - they didn't have considerate friends like him or the others so they went mostly unnoticed among the ranks. Rufinus and Valerian had passed the message around the ranks to notify the others to pass along any spare Focus potions to them.

They swept through the district. There were more or less the same kind of Minoridaimons that inhabited the Monoceri from earlier and little else worthy of study. Things seemed too easy. Despite the Magister Bellxus’ resolute demeanour and the calming spells of the 1st Cohort’s Soothers, Pavonikos could sense that this place was getting to him. He opened his mouth to address it but something in one of those fleshy towers caught Tribunus Pavonikos’ eye.

“What is it?” asked Laevinus.

Through a wide wound in the tower, he saw a part of a shimmering shield meant for human eyes only.

“There’s a Haven Shield in there. Should we investigate it?”

Laevinus closed his eyes, seeing what Pavonikos was seeing. He opened his eyes, looking in that spot again, face unreadable.

“Magister, what if it’s a survivor? We have to help them.”

“Be careful, Tribunus,” Laevinus said sternly, “Do not make the mistake of rushing in blindly.”

Laevinus closed his eyes once more, his voice could be heard by Adonis and his fellow Draekslanni.

“Cast your eyes to this tower.”

With his command, they were shown what he was seeing. They turned their heads to the tower. Adonis winced and so too did the others. There were some Daimonic presences moving around the structure - Minoridaimons. It seemed like nothing that a small group of soldiers couldn’t handle on their own, but you could never be too sure with Daimons. The soldiers relayed what they had seen back to the Magister. He took a moment to consider. He could spare no more than a few men to search the building, but who would he send?

“Duxus Tullus Gallus Caparius,” Gallus heard in his head, “You are to lead some of your soldiers into that building. Take no more than three Draekslanni and fifteen others. Eliminate the Daimons and search for survivors. Should you find any, get them out of the city.”

Duxus Gallus faced Laevinus and bowed, “It shall be done, Magister Bellaxus.”

Laevinus could sense the slightest bit of agitation in the Duxus’ mind, though he meant what he said.

Laevinus made his decision heard to the rest of the legion, “Tribunus Pavonikos shall lead the rest of the 13th in their Duxus’ absence. We will assemble together again at the Scholar’s District.”

The Scholar’s district was the iris of most Ludcetan cities. From where the legion was situated, Laevinus had the option to lead his soldiers through the tunnel bridges or through the Crafts district to get to there. Since the tunnel bridges had darkened - Everburn torches extinguished and skylights covered in nerves - their safest and most Focus-efficient route would be through the Crafts district.

Adonis and Rufinus were among the three and fifteen that were picked out to join the search and rescue squad. Valerian looked on apprehensively as his friends parted from the rest of the cohort. He wanted to speak out, but when he turned to the Magister Bellaxus and the Duxus, his words cowered to some part of his mind. Rufinus gave him a reassuring smile whilst Adonis simply nodded.

“We’ll be back, Val. Don’t worry about us.”

But he couldn’t help but worry. The last thing he wanted was to be separated from his friends but there was little else he could say or do. He could only hope that Magus guided them safely.

Of the two other Draekslanni picked out, there was one woman who appeared deeply troubled by Gallus’ decision. Adonis saw her glare at the Duxus. Gallus must have felt her gaze, for he whipped his head towards her. For a moment they held their gaze. It seemed that Gallus was silently goading her into saying what she was thinking. Wisely, she said nothing and with a deep breath she joined the rest of the party. Adonis may have not personally known everyone in the 13th Cohort - his aloof disposition made him poor at making new friends - but he was sure he had never seen the rose-haired, lapis-eyed woman before. Yet, he remained silent. She didn’t seem like an enemy but he made a mental note to keep an eye on her.

As Gallus led his search and rescue party into the ruined tower of flesh, the legion continued their march towards the Crafts district.