A few days had passed, the guards are much more relaxed now, and she isn't showing that much distrust now. Eventually, they let me move around the room, but just in case, they were very careful, nothing I could use as a weapon was left on site, not even a spoon, these guys do know how to look after themselves after all. As soon as I felt capable I started to search for a way to get out, but since they had my weapons I couldn't do much, I desperately need to know where I am and what they're planning to do with me. Anyway since I knew they didn't have anything on me, besides appearing in the middle of the night armed to the teeth, I just keep on joking and fooling around, yet I learned the lesson last time, that was… well… awkward, I mean what’s the big deal? It was just a joke, a bad one, but not more than that right? Yet she kept on giving me those looks like if I were a worm on a pile of rotten trash or something, however, they've treated me well, what's more, she's even kept her word about not question me, to this point I had more questions on my about them that all the ones she could have about me, yet she has kept a cool heal and never made a mistake, not even turn her back to me, never underestimating me even when I was wounded, a very weird thing, yet as a result of my innocent joke, she keeps calling me...

—Hey, jerk! Are you awake?

"I think they got the right idea when they took even the spoons…"

—Yeah, of course, no one could sleep with all that noise that you make, who would think that such a small thing could be so annoying?

“Damn she's noisy I could hear her from afar, she screams orders to everyone that cross her way, I could simply know that she's coming in my direction by the volume of those screams… so I better let her know, right?”

—Good!! that's the idea!!!

"Gods, what's wrong with this one now?"

Very well, if she refuses to go for it let's try a different approach, let push a little more…

—You even awake the guards with all that nonsense!!

"Well, I’m sure that took them with the guard low…"

“I'm sure that if I pay enough attention I could hear their hearts pounding, she looks like the kind of person that can put them through hell for that...“

“Poor guys, she'll make them pass a hard time later… “

“I almost feel bad about them… “

“Almost.”

—Mm mm, really…?

—Yeah, I could hear them snoring from here…

—I see…

"There's that acid smile she put on the other day, I guess my first instinct was right about it..."

—OK, anyway, how are you feeling, moron?

—Was that moron part necessary?

—Absolutely, it's necessary to address people properly, you know?

—Really…

I did my best imitation of her grin…

—Then how should I call, you, I have several ideas…

—Keep pushing me…

“Gosh, she's tough…”

—Or what? You'll stare me to death?

—Mm mm, Or I could simply tie you down again, maybe on the lady’s bathroom this time, so you feel comfortable…

"I take back the smart part, she's an idiot if she thinks I couldn't beat her with my bare hands…"

—So, you came here to dance?

I asked her with all the killing intent I could gather…

—Maybe, are you gonna do something? or you just going to stand there like a tree?

"Well, well, someone woke up with the wrong foot today, good, I was getting bored…"

I prepared myself for a fight, "I better not the mistake of underestimating her, I got to give all I got", I looked at her eyes, she looked back at me lowing her pose, and then just like that…

—Look at that, you're even ready to go all in throwing punches, hahaha, I must say you may have some courage, after all, jerk, that tells me that you're feeling way better, in that case, I think you may want to come with me…

“Wait! what? ...”

She turned around without expecting an answer and started to walk towards the door…

“What the hell was that? she was just trying to see if I was feeling better? damn her, she's crazier than a goat…”

“Well, there's no point in staying here, after all, maybe I could get a better idea of where I am and how to get out of here, I'm grateful to her for saving my life, but I don't have the time for this”

…

—Hey Garret, what do you think she's doing in there? That idiot said that we were sleeping.

—I don't think that she'll fall for it, I hope… but, anyway, they have been quiet for a couple of minutes, that's weird. Go and check it out, James.

I said with a worried face.

—What!? Why me!?

—You're the newest recruit.

—And you're an idiot if she caught me doing that, I better kill myself now…

“O, WOW, it was a better reaction than what I was expecting”

—Guess you're a coward…

—You know Garret; you don't seem to appreciate much your teeth…

—HAHAHA! Sure whatever... you sure know how to bark young puppy!

—Stop playing cool, old dog, you're not scaring me…

—Old dog!!... You… I'll beat that cocky attitude of yours outta your skull…

The door opened without a sound…

She was staring at us, and we were so surprised that we couldn't even move…

And something even weirder, he was right behind her…

…

—Hey, nurse?

—What is it, Jerk?

—Are all your army men like these love birds? It's weird enough that you aloud that, even more, while they're on duty….

The face of the guards turned to him and was expressing all the anger they felt, I'm sure that if I wasn't here, they had killed him by now, or at least tried to…

—Hey, jerk, I'm supposed to get you alive to meet the council, don't push your luck with these guys, or you may find that they're not as comprehensive as I am…

“But… he's right, after all, what the hell they think that they're doing??!!”

I turned my head slowly towards them on propose, it felt like if I was drawing a sword out, guess that they got it, they face of anger melted in front of my eyes, leaving behind one of pure fear… they deserve it, for let this jerk mock of me because of them.

"I'll teach you both…"

—You two!!, What the hell are you doing!!

—So- so- sorry ma'am, we were…

—I don't care!!, both of you will be a month on the night shift of the outpost guard!!!

"And now, let's give them a real scare…"

—And I will be watching you two, and if got you sleeping on your post, your grandsons will become men before I any of you get out of the hole I'll put you in!!, now, put the chains on the jerk and then get the hell out of my sight!!!

Both of them immediately started to obey that order, but then Garret realized what I was saying.

—Sorry, ma'am, we can't let you take this man without an escort.

“Was this guy listening to me, or he thinks that because he's older he can tell me what I can or can't do…”

—Are you questioning my order, soldier?!!

—No ma'am…, but you must be careful we don't know…

—Funny, I don't remember me ordering you to express your opinion!! And what makes you think I can't handle this poor excuse of a man by myself!!

Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

—Hey, what the hell I did?!!

—You shut up!!

“I don't get paid enough for this job …”

“And that moron kept that smart ass smile on his face all this time… even when I was screaming at him, maybe he doesn't realize yet what my position is, what would make him stupid, or he doesn't care at all, what would make him an even bigger stupid…”

Anyway, the younger soldier finally finished putting the chains on the guest while all this circus continued, and luckily for them Garret finally got that big mouth of him shut, I knew that he was just worried, but this guy was wounded, and chained, there's no way I would lose if he tried something…

—You are finally done with that?!!, fine, it looks like at least you can do something right. I'm taking him, alone, any objections?

I said this looking at Garret, he just looked down and move his head slowly from side to side, good, so he gets it, finally.

"Gods he's slow…"

—I can't hear you!!

—No, ma'am!!—They replied at once.

I knew this was hard for them, but they need to learn their place if they can't trust me here, how they could ever trust me on the battlefield?

—Then go to the barracks and start preparing to move to the outpost, you'll start there tomorrow!!

Then I just turned around and, grabbing the chains started to walk in the direction of the Council hall.

…

Garret looked at me after she walked away.

—This is your fault!!

—I know, I know, sorry, fossil, let's just be grateful that she didn't put us on guard duty tonight… … Wait!! Did you just call me fossil!!!

…

We walked for a while, although, walking might give the wrong idea here, she was almost dragging me around, somehow I managed to keep myself on foot until we reached that house, it looked old, very old, it had vines growing on one side that make It look like if it had been there for ages, and the air around it was way colder, my hair raised like if static electricity where on the air even when I didn't saw any sign of that kind of technology on this place so far, and then I saw on it, on the moldy stones around the house, I didn't recognize the pattern at first glance, they looked more like art than an alphabet, nothing to do with the ones I was used to, but there was no doubt, engraved runes, and only meant one thing.

—Magic guardians? Here?

I have to say that I was impressed, not that I've never seen any of these things, but here? Why?

—So, you can feel them, mm, I guess you're not that idiot after all.

I was too surprised to reply to her insult...

Magic guardians are incredibly effective means of protection, there was no way around those things, they could judge your intentions and even if you weren't aggressive they would never let you go through the zone they guard, and those things could be used to guard anything, form houses, like this one, to camps or cities, the applications were many, but to summon them, you'll need to be very proficient on magic, and no any magic, arcane one, the most dangerous and deadly…

She watched me for a couple of seconds, she knew how this thing worked.

And then, casually, she pushed me through the barrier…

I wasn't expecting that, so I landed on my face on the other side, I knew why she did it, she was trying to determine if I was a threat to her people, but the result was that I wasn't happy about my current status, I could say without question that the floor wasn't as clean as you might think at a first glance, and with my hands tied I didn't have any means to put face away of the dirt…

She walked very slowly, and then she pulled my head up while giving me the brighter of the smiles.

“You… devil…”

—Looks like you're clean and that you're not a criminal after all.

—You know, I might re-think that last part, I kinda hate the people that use my face as a broom…

She smiled at that sentence, man, she's really crazy…

—Well, whatever, it's time that you answer some questions.

"I was about to say the same…"

My head was spinning, not only because of its recent use as a cleaning accessory; if these guys were powerful enough to protect their buildings with this kind of magic they may be useful after all, I need to learn more about them…

"Who knows, maybe I was lucky to end up here... That will be a first."

I let her lead me into the house without protest, there were two guards at the door, but that was more for bragging than for protection, those magical guardians won't fall easily, so I don't see any other reason to have them here. The interior of the building was more spacious than what you could say from the outside; magical amplification, the whole building was affected by it, it was three, no, four times bigger than it should.

"I don't know who this guy is, but is very powerful."

Leaving the size aside, the place was beautiful, the huge hall was lighted by a perpetual magical light floating in the middle of the ceiling, like a small star hovering us, and the paint on the roof represented a pure blue sky, filled with clouds, where angels and fairies were looking down to us with wide smiles, dancing, eating, enjoying life, watching over us like if the world was still as calm and peaceful as on the ancient tales, the eyes of those celestial entities seemed to follow us while walking toward the massive table on the center of the hall, just under the mini star.

A man with aristocratic clothes was seated on the center chair, on both sides I counted five chairs, on his left was an empty one, just at his side, weird, this was the council of this place and I don't think any member of it was to miss the chance to be here and interrogate me, unless…

She walked me to the front of the table, and then with a fast, but not disrespectful greeting the man on the center chair made a gesture indicating her to sit on his side, on his left…

very close to him…

"So, she's very important, how's this woman anyway?"

I was standing in front of the most powerful persons in this village, guess that that makes me kinda important too, very well, let's act as such…

—Hello, my name is Galvin Rosehold, Duke and mayor of this village—Said the aristocrat on the center chair.

“A duke? In this place? ... ... Well, what the hell, who am I to judge?”

I respectfully lowed my head.

—It's a pleasure, my name is Alden, lieutenant of the 27th company “Hellhound”.

As I presented myself I looked at the woman that was in charge of me so far, the surprised look on her face was something I'll not forget soon.

When she noted that I was looking at her she made a small smug and waved her hand slightly, like saying: Who cares, you're still a jerk.

Without noticing this the Duke continued.

—I have not known that such a company exists in our country, could you, please, tell us where you came from and what are you doing here?

—Where I come from is a very long history, the reason for me being here is simpler, I came here while escaping from enemy forces, yet I was followed and had to battle in difficult conditions and I'm afraid I'm the only one left of the forces that traveled here with me…

She reacted to that.

—Are you telling me that there may be others, like you? —She said in emphasizing the last part.

I didn't answer her question immediately.

“And what she meant by like you?"

—Excuse my niece's manners, lieutenant, and please answer the question.

"So that was it, she's his niece, that explains a lot… and create a lot of questions..."

I guess that the fact I said forces that traveled with me made it sound like an army or something, even then the only one that was crazy enough to do the things we had to was...

“Damn you, idiot…”

—There's a low possibility, yes.

"I said that but the truth was..."

—But there was only one man with me, and during the fight to escape, he… sacrificed himself to aloud me to get away from there… so I don't think that it would be the case.

Those words cut their way out of my throat, like if I was spiting broken glass, but that was the truth, and I had to face it...

“Dammit...”

Their faces relaxed a bit…

“I wish I could feel relaxed too, these people have no idea…”

—However, I can assure you that some of my foes will be roaming near the place that I was found, where was that place by the way?

hat sentence floated on the room for some time, perhaps they were expecting me to elaborate about that foes part, but I wasn't ready to give away important information without getting anything back…

She looked to the Duke, her grandfather, as if she were asking for his permission, then he did a very small head movement giving her his consent to speak.

—My name is Elissa Rosehold, Captain of the 3rt army of the infantry of the Rosehold's army, a patrol found you five kilometers away of the east outpost, near the Forest of Sorrows.

This was my time to be surprised, a Captain?

"Well, she was bossy enough, that's for sure…"

She looked at me with a triumphant smile.

Since I was being interrogated I couldn't do any weird gestures so I just did a small shrug.

—Captain—I said, tasting how rare it felt to call her like that— How far from that location we are at this moment? if I might ask.

Again, she waited to have the consent of the Duke to disclosure the information.

—Currently, we are ten kilometers away from that outpost, Lieutenant, why?

She put again some emphasis on the Lieutenant, but I ignored her this time, I didn't have the mental strength to deal with that too, so I'll let it go, for now.

—This may seem a little rushed to all of you, but I need to ask if the magician that creates the spells that protect this place is present in this town.

I ignored her question on propose, my reasons were justified, even if they don't see it at the time, I must know if that person is in this room and if he or she would help me, I don't have time to be playing around with them, but unexpectedly...

—I don't see any reason for sharing such information with you— said the Duke.

“This could only mean two things, or that person isn't here or it doesn't suppose to be here since I passed the magical guardians and therefore they must be sure that I had no animosity against them.”

—I will say this to you, Duke, and the council, since I believe that is relevant to make this conversation progress, that person is necessary, otherwise, you might be exposed to a life or death situation.

—Are you threatening us, lieutenant?!—Screamed a man at the right of the Duke without present himself, I don't blame him, that did sound like a threat.

—No, I'm not, but my enemies will not be as gentle as I am, they will destroy this place, and kill you all, just because I was here.

—That sounds like something hard to believe, we have enough forces to resist nearly anything why should we…

The Duke cut him off with a gesture and an intense gaze of reproach.

—The Logistic Intendant Hubert is right; we have forces to face that threat if it comes to that— Said with confidence the Duke, introducing the man to me, as if he was pointing him the lack of courtesy of not introduce himself before speak, it may be my imagination but I think these two don't get along very well.

— Duke, Intendant, let me be clear about it, the danger that you're facing here is most likely like nothing you have seen before, I'm glad that your people were wise enough to put an outpost near that fairy ring.

The answer to my sentence was once more a surprise to me, this wasn't going to be an easy talk…

—… Fairy… ring? —Said the Duke with the most bizarre face I have seen in my life, either he thought I was crazy now, or he'll believe it soon.

—I want to do one more question before answer that, how you people call you kind, and how far your history record goes?

This was a very simple yet effective way to discern if this country was from a known faction and if that the case what relations it has with mine since most of them named themselves after the stars where their home planet orbited according to the Stars Chart and also allowed me to know if I were on a colony or in a more advanced planet, all of it hidden behind a very innocent question that didn't seem important at all.

—We call ourselves humans, and our history goes records back to a millennium, why do you ask such a question?

This time was me the one putting the complicated face, that’s what I get for thinking that I’ll get lucky at least once.

“Humans? A millennium? … these people know nothing about the war? Wait a minute if they're not part of any known faction how they can speak my language? … damn, why I always get stuck in this kind of situation?”

“If I weren't chained I would probably do a facepalm right now.”

—Council—I said taking a deep breath— your world was one of many on this universe and others, that are interconnected by what we call Fairy Rings, those are like gates, to connect distant points on the space-time continuum, as a result of the exploration of them, a long time ago, my people, reached to the conclusion that they were created by the race we know as Celestials, all our information about this race indicate that it is currently extinct, and the knowledge of their technology is very limited, therefore, there's not much besides what I said about the functions of the fairy rings, except that they seem to be affected by the astral configuration of each world.

“That statement was way more than they could handle, I know it, but it couldn't be helped…”

—I'll repeat my question, can you tell me where I can find the person that creates the spells that protect this house, please?

—That person is dead. —Said Elissa without expecting approval, no one even looked at her, everyone was too busy processing the bomb I just dropped to react to that.

—That's … unfortunate, no one else with this kind of knowledge it's alive in this country?

“There's still hope, maybe...”

—No, sadly he was the only one that knew that kind of magic, no one else is proficient in that, not only in our country but in our world, as far as we know…

—Captain Elissa, how many magic users do you have between your troops?

I was aware of the magnitude of the question I was asking; this was strategic knowledge, yet I have to know, maybe…

—In my troops, there's no one proficient in such art, on this world, the magic had disappeared more than one hundred years ago.

I was staring at her, while I felt a cold sweat form on my forehead...

"This can't be happening... not again..."