Shaking my head with disapproval as I look over at Cane, who is rolling around in the underbrush, completely flattening each plant with his gargantuan mass.

“Could you stop creating crop circles in Mother’s realm? She’s our new Allah, remember.” Cane snorts out a heavy breath, irritated that I ruined his fun.

“Surely that’s two leaf falls.”

Inspecting my ring, I notice it has morphed into a translucent glass with only a wisp of white mist floating through the centre.

Following the trodden route, that Piia had just taken, I periodically checked the ring’s condition.

Suddenly the remaining wisps disperse, leaving the ring completely transparent.

“Piece of muk. Cane, remind me to go with my gut in the future. Oi Cane.” I shout in alarm. I was so fixated on the ring that I hadn’t realised my other companion had abandoned me. Looking back, I see his large rump sticking out like a walrus bathing in the sun.

I jog back to verbally remind him who the Shepherd of this flock is and usher him on. Laying in his packed nest of flattened ferns, my hippo refuses to budge.

“Come on big guy, we have to catch Piia. It’s a game.” Grabbing hold of his wide jaws, I peer deep into his obsidian eyes. “Game face buddy, if we catch her I’ll let you eat her.” He snorts in my face, unamused, so I scratch behind his ears to win favourite shepherd points. As I watch those ears flutter with joy, I notice the ring has gone translucent with cloudy mist again.

“That sneaky little goat.” I vent in amusement.

Retracing our path back towards our previous camp, the ring’s mist slowly thickens and spreads through the entire band. As I approach a giant fern tree, Piia steps out with her winning grin. “Congratulations smoothskin, you found me.” She praises with an insult, which I note sounds very racist to humans.

“Livingston’s Emporium of hoarded junk wasn’t all muk then.” I bellow with delight at the ring's usefulness.

“We should also test the Ferrum bands.” Piia reaches into her satchel and removes the imp dagger, she holds it high in a downward striking position.

I whip my sword out of its sheath, my grip is very poor due to the bark wrap on my palm.

Cane looks between us, like a child caught in a divorce, confused and frightened.

We glare across the short distance between us, weapons held at the ready.

“I want to see what humans look like on the inside.” Piia flicks the dagger between her hands.

“I’ll grant your last wish when I eat your remains off my blade.” I hold the blade like a crusader ready to strike.

Cane, unable to take the tension, blocks our way and begins honking in disgust.

We break out into laughter, unable to hold the joke any longer.

“Eat me off your blade, I hope you clean it first.” Piia giggles.

“I am certain Mother’s world will still provide many opportunities to test the bands for us.”

A loud crunch causes us to turn our heads in the direction of the mighty Guardian standing less than 15 ft from our party.

We slowly sheath our weapons, I hold my hands up as if the police were about to arrest me. The Guardian lets out a loud gruff of irritation and walks away, disappearing from sight in seconds.

“Rutt me, we should be more careful in the coming times, Mother’s creatures are not the only ones out here.” Piia exhales deeply.

“Bloody ninja bears sneaking around.” I say through trembles. The party shares a look of fear, even Cane is visibly shaking from the close encounter.

“Come on, we should stop lollygagging as my Grandad would say. It means ‘time wasting’ before you ask.”

“I have never spoken to many humans, the elders would say it was difficult to understand their words and accent at times. But even they will not understand your strange words.” She laughs at my foreignness.

Piia has a good point. If I have to enter a human settlement to save Yetta, I will have to consider every interaction and conversation through the guise of a native. Drawing unwanted attention and questions could dismantle our schemes.

“Good point, I will try to dull that down so I don’t appear too foreign. It’s funny, even back home we struggle to understand each other. Accents can change dramatically between cities.”

“How is that funny? It must be a nightmare for trade.”

“Aye, trade in liquor neva seems ta suffa.” I say in a Scottish accent.

Piia stares at me dumbfounded before squealing with delight. “That is funny, was that an accent from a neighbouring settlement?”

“Not super close, but famous in the isles I grew up in.”

“That is a great talent of mimicry, you must show the younglings with an act.”

“I could put on a show, that is actually why I learnt to do accents. Doing drama shows at schools and for the local community.”

“We should begin our trek, but please tell of this drama.”

We both bank back on route, having lost time today with the shop and testing our new items we set a steady pace while I explain the nuances of acting.

The forest foliage and canopy swayed with a steady wind that whipped the humidity away and left us feeling cool. The fresh smells of nature were a delight that calmed my spirit and fueled my smile.

We eventually fall into silence as my lack of fitness shows and I focus on the journey. Trudging through the forest, I access my inventory space and pull out the Daemon infantry manual. Considering the Guardian is watching our back and the terrain mellowing to a fairly flat path, some light research would pass the time.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

With Piia leading the way, I skim the pages and find my topic of choice.

Basics of Chaotic Will

Chaotic Will is bestowed upon worthy individuals by Omnia Chaoticus. Thus thou shalt fully embrace his practice and enact his following with respect to his teachings. The gift of Omnia’s power comes with a price, requiring a sacrifice of your person as a sign of pure faith. In the failure of venerating with the cost of flesh, thou shalt not feel Omnia’s gaze leaving one weak and without ability. For power is the Will of Omnia Chaoticus and to simply believe is not enough.

“Any nice benefits to joining the Daemon military?” Piia asks.

I almost walk into her, not realising she has stopped.

“Just getting started, to be honest, lots of weird ramblings about their God, Omnia Chaoticus.”

“Omnia. Well do not let me distract you, the more knowledge we bring to the Voice, the easier it will be to convince the tribe to migrate further afield.” She turns away and continues to lead.

It’s difficult to discern whether I’m reading the scripture of pagan muk or facts. Am I sacrificing myself to this Omnia to draw upon his power to ignite my magic? I did it before without even knowing his name or that he exists. Would the Christian God ignore the silent prayers of people who don’t attend church or bear his cross?

I have never been interested in deciphering religion or debating philosophy. I also have limited options in this world when it comes to surviving every life threatening situation, which is a daily occurrence at this stage.

I’ll keep reading to help our case with the tribe like Piia said. I don’t intend to start thanking this God of Chaos or following his ways. I’ll just do what is necessary.

Omnia Chacoticus’s select few are elites amongst his ranks and known as ‘Chosen’. Testing for Chosen requires a brief audition with your immediate Opio. Results can vary across races, with the intensity of faith empowering the abilities offered.

Chosen are placed in separate castes to master their specific discipline from experienced and trained veterans. Do not confuse the reward of Spirit from slaying enemies of Order with the gifts of the Chosen. See chapter ‘Basic of Spirit Empowerment’ for more information.

Chosen castes

* Brotherhood of Disorder

* Mayhem’s Disciples

* Callers of Hell

After it is established which castes you are in, the testing Opio will transfer you to the closest Caste facility for immediate re-evaluation and training.

If currently deployed on active duty then your testing Opio will; contact a veteran of your Caste within the Cohort and organise basic training and lessons until your deployment is over. Training in the field should not take away from your immediate duties as a Chosen, you are Omnia’s elites and capable of working harder.

For more information on the Chosen Castes, please talk to a Caste Veteran or seek out their individual welcome guides.

Well, the title wasn’t exaggerating, it is extremely basic. Online food recipes contain more in depth information than this.

I noted two pieces of text that leapt out at me. The first was that Chaotic Will users are separated into different schools, depending on their abilities. Therefore the Daemons have guides and trainers to help them improve and advance in their specific field.

If only I had read this information earlier, I could have searched their castra for a specific Caste book. All things considered, we had to bail on that camp fast. Also, I am not sure what book or Caste I fall into. Scanning back over the ‘Basics of Chaotic Will’, I notice small emblems or symbols affixed to each Caste’s title.

Brotherhood of Disorder’s symbol was instantly recognisable being branded to my right palm, except my brand is slightly rotated from how I had grabbed the pommel. I need to add the Brotherhood's manual to my shopping list. I look up to Piia, still leading the way with an eager bounce in her step. I ponder the second, more alarming, information I had gathered from the book.

“Hey Piia.”

“Yes Seth.” She says without stopping her march.

“This book is a manual for a recruit or fresh soldier in their army. I have scanned through most of the chapter titles and it covers a huge variety of useful topics, situations or common problems.”

“Okay, so we can learn from this book ourselves. We could take these teachings to my people.”

“Well, yes some of it would be useful for your tribe. But the point I was trying to make is that all this catalogued information is very ‘organised’.” I try not to influence her conclusion, hoping she will come to the same result as me.

“Daemons may be cruel, but they are smart thinking monsters. You described military tactics before we entered their castra, all those people spread across the land would require organisation, would it not?”

“For a successful military, then of course. I think my point also takes into question the fact that these highly aggressive Daemons, who you mentioned before were renowned for civil war, are now working together in an effective military.”

Piia stops and turns to look at me, her frown deep and unsettled.

“None of this, the manual, the military, the covenant of Daemons races commanding each other. None of it is very chaotic.” She concludes.

“Exactly. Am I wrong in thinking their affiliation with their particular gods would reflect in their cultural behaviour? Or is it not so ‘black and white’?”

“Whether Order or Chaos, they are both the enemies of my tribe. We have always been taught to fear Chaos through story and lesson, however Order has shown me first hand evils that I will never forget or forgive.”

I guess I was reading into the names too much, similar to back home where the Church of Satan is considered unholy and wicked.

“Does the military book give any indication about the Daemon’s goal or where more castras are now?” Piia enquiries.

“I’ll have a look now, a map would be useful.” I am selfishly browsing for ways to improve and understand my abilities, while Piia is considering the whole picture and the danger her people are in. I need to sort my priorities out.

I awkwardly, with my wounded hand still inflexible and bark wrapped, flick through the book.

Hoping to find a large map or army base placements. The Daemons may be capable of military action but they haven't invented a table of contents for their literature.

I come up with nothing substantial, no maps, barely any names of cities or states and no overall plan for their invasion. This is supposed to be a very easy guide for first day recruits. Rummaging through the pages for the fourth time, I find another chapter that will help, mostly me.

Basics of Spirit Empowerment

Omnia Chaoticus unsheathed the weapon that is the Daemonic legions and points our combined strength at the weakness of Order. Upon striking down the enemy we release their souls in honour of Omnia, from which our great lord will empower and reward you.

Kneel in the blood of your victim and absorb their Spirit through contact of flesh. The flashing light and feeling of nausea is an indication of a successful Spirit transfer. Empowering oneself is a simple ritual known as the ‘Victors Prayer’.

Pray to Omnia and offer the souls of your victims to him. The regular soldiers of the Daemonic Legions can be gifted stronger attributes, mastered skills, talents and in rare cases, a soulbound item crafted by Omnia himself in recognition of your success.

For the Chosen, empowerment works the same, however they will also have their abilities and powers randomly selected and empowered.

To initiate the Victors Prayer form the sign of respect to Omnia by interlocking your forelimbs behind your torso and exposing your neck high to the sky, opening your chest to submit in his presence. Then beg for his gaze to lift you up from weakness.

A diagram showing a four eyed ram-headed Daemon kneeling over a human, with their arms crossed behind their back as described in the passage above.

This ritual of empowerment method, that Omnia’s followers use, is strikingly similar to Orders prayer. Simply put, kneel, beg for empowerment and offer the spirit of your enemies. The main differences were hand positioning and which God's name you use in the process.

The chapter ended with the diagram, so I gained little from it. Better start being useful and find a map of castra locations in this book. If I do find any pages containing even a lick of cartography, will we know our position relative to any landmarks that are displayed?

“Hey Piia…” I look up to one of Silva’s wonders.