The ride back to Ilus was silent except for the murmurs of the wounded. Ignus and Mirradon dragged stretchers the mages had been able to form out of stone, filled with the wounded.

Petor had stabilized all of them and got many back on their feet. Others he’d kept in the stretchers, forcing them to recover so fast would work against them.

The rest were made to march. Petor and Valter walking behind them. Petor had told Valter of Desari’s information, the two of them sinking into thought.

The trainees cut a sorry sight, their gear stained with sweat, blood, dust and burn marks. They looked drained, the adrenaline long gone and the thoughts and memories coming in.

The guards moved aside as they walked into the city. Valter waved off the healers that rushed up. The trainees with their heads low as they marched to the training grounds.

People stopped and stared at them, whispers behind hands. The rumors would fly.

The gates to the training grounds opened, a severe looking Galleck and some of the training staff standing off to the side.

The other training cadres were lined up in formation their expressions shifting in slight twitches of confusion, others in understanding. The marching trainees looked like they wanted to crawl inside themselves, teeth gritted in embarrassment shifting to anger.

Ignus led them to the front of the training squares.

“Halt!” Valter called out, the group shambling to a stop, dead on center with everyone else, right infont of the rest of those they were training with.

Ignus and Mirradon kept moving.

“Make sure the other trainees see the wounded,” Valter said to Petor out the corner of his mouth.

Petor gave a slight nod and quickly moved around the trainees.

Valter turned and walked over to the training staff, having a quick discussion. Petor moved between Mirradon and Ignus, leading them around the remaining training Cadres.

“It seems that we have been too relaxed in our training!” Valter’s voice cut through the training grounds without any enhancement. His disappointment and anger held back by a thin veneer of civility.

A tension ran through everyone, straightening their spines, worry and apprehension like a physical wave through the ranks.

“Beginning next week you will head to the dungeons. You will live in the field, after you complete a dungeon you will have an after action review, then you will train on your weaknesses and fight another. Then when you can learn to fight together and under the command of your officers, under the command of others. Then you will have passed basic training.” All one could hear was Petor’s procession moving through the ranks.

“Today there were wounded, tomorrow there will be dead. You fight here knowing that your life is forfeit. That your death will bring a better tomorrow for the people of Dragon Falls.” Valter looked through the ranks. “I suggest that you pay great attention to your fighting and healing classes. Failure will mean your death, or the death of the person beside you.”

Valter turned to Galleck.

“All leave is cancelled, training officers take command of your groups. Trainees, dis-missed!” Galleck’s voice cut through the space.

Petor walked up the side of the training square, the officers moving to their own squares, jaws tight.

He moved to the healers on the side of the training square undoing the stretchers.

They quickly picked up the wounded and carted them away.

Petor checked Ingus’ saddle and gear before jumping up onto Mirradon’s back. Valter stalked over, getting a foot into Ignus’ stirrup before swinging himself over, wheeling Ignus to the side. Petor followed as they cantered towards the entrance.

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“Sure they can handle the dungeons?” Petor asked.

“The academics have been trying to hold back the training program. This gives me the push I needed to get them into the heart of the fighting. Those that started earlier will get harder dungeons, those who started sooner get the weaker ones.”

Petor picked up the pace, Ignus matched Mirradon.

“They know how to use spells or weapons luckily. This will force them to learn from one another, survival will break their pride,” Valter said.

“And if there are newer trainees without the skills?” Petor asked.

“Those will be the easiest as they don’t have bad habits yet. They’ll be put into different training units to start.”

They rode through the city towards the heart of Ilus.

***

The room was dour as the doors opened ahead of Petor and Valter.

Ilus’ council was there; Zedna representing the teachers, Jana the administration of now all the cities, Penrik overseeing Research and Ikor overseeing Infrastructure.

Though the main attention was focused on Egrin, Desari and the old leaders of the council.

Mya was already there and off to the side.

The doors closed behind them, runes lighting up across the door and the room.

“Vessali has appeared at the Crystaline Dominion. He’s been going from one place to another using his power to put down fights and break through any barriers they might have to waging a fight against us,” Desari said.

“When did he arrive?” Valter asked.

“We think within the last few days.”

“What has he focused on doing?” Valter continued.

“He’s slaughtered his way through groups that were against the Crystaline Dominion. My brother is a blunt blade.”

“The effects?” Valter asked.

“It has cleared a lot of the Crystaline Dominion’s issues, for now. Though they were at impasses for a reason, most of them were against groups that they were in equal power to.”

“With Vessali stirring everything up, it means they can’t say they won’t fight for him. He’s helping them after all. He’s also pissing off everyone else off at him and the Dominion. He can say he was solving their problems and they’ve won there, but to hold onto it they’re going to need more power, more support,” Torin Blacksteel the former leader of the Molten Fist and now the leader of Trinity’s military forces.

“So then they’re waiting on the Geraxi Empire’s moves before they attack,” Valter said.

Torin nodded in agreement.

“The sooner we send some students back to their home nations it will reveal that the Geraxi Empire are moving their forces to attack us. The increase in pressure could hold them back,” Zedna said.

“Could,” Egrin said. “By the information we have, the Geraxi Empire has lost a lot of land, they have not lost people. They’ve got a strong fighting force and their positions have been reinforced heavily. There is also the fact that the other nations have to look into the future if there is a Geraxi Empire on their doorstep. We aren’t in the material plane anymore, we can offer little in the way of clear help.”

“It also tips our hand,” Desari said.

“We’re going to need to talk to this trader leader of yours sooner rather than later,” Olva, one of Sarnai’s advisors and her representative. “The Nether Forge and Ilus have great abilities to make impressive gear. Though our requirement for raw resources is great.”

The Four horsemen looked at one another.

“It will take me another day to finish off the remaining armor and gear,” Valter said.

“My stuff is already done,” Mya grimaced and looked away. She’d been so excited to make Epic grade gear for them all, but it was just too damn expensive.

“You have done much for us without compensation.” Egrin said. “Desari has talked to me a bit on the subject.” He took out bolts of material and held them out to Mya. “We’ll compensate you on the cost of the materials and these are a gift as well.”

“Thank you, with these I can make Petor and Valter Gambesons and beef up Desari and my own armor too.” Mya looked into Egrin’s eyes. “Thank you.”

“Thank you Mya. I can’t say that I’m not invested in protecting you all,” Egrin looked at Desari. She glared at him and crossed her arms. He turned back, his voice becoming solemn. “It is the least we can do, giving you some protection against the world when you have done the same for us.”

“We’ll commission the ammunition, powder and potions you require as well,” Jana said.

“The students have loved making the powder,” Penrik said dryly. “More than a few singed eyebrows.”

“Except for two barrels of the Zephyr’s Embrace, the air potion that increases the force that wind applies upon a fabric,” Zedna said. “Though I am sure that the students will be very pleased with your terms to pay for their ingredients and time. They’re racing one another to make as much as possible.”

“I might be interested in that as well,” Olva said.

Ikor scratched his head. “We uhh thought you might. It was a bit of a blindside for us. The sails on the new ships are enchanted and treated with such potions. As long as the material of your sails is untreated we can use Zephyr’s embrace on it.”

Olva scratched down a note.

“How long will the gear take you?” Valter asked.

“A day to put everything together,” Mya said.

“Standard rates for your work?” Valter continued.

She’d made their head coverings at cost and it wasn’t easy to make high level gear.

“That’s fair,” Mya nodded.

“Lets us leave well ahead of schedule,” Desari said.

“I have a request.” Valter raised a hand, turning all heads to him. “The use of a scrying room.”

Desari stiffened. The last time they’d done a scrying, it had led them to charging across a plane and then the abyssal realm to reach out to Limos.

“Agreed,” Egrin nodded. “We’ll have that setup for you.”

“Just the four horsemen,” Valter added, it wasn’t a question.

“Of course,” Egrin said.

Valter gave a clipped nod.

Just what will we learn this time?