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Halen grimaced in the saddle, discreetly rubbing his sore rear end for the umpteenth time since they had left the city proper. The Loupi and Ikati in their party seemed content on their mounts, quietly chatting with each other as they travelled towards the mountain path Halen had entered the kingdom from. But Halen had always found them uncomfortable, the skittish animals were usually mistrustful of him and he returned the sentiment.

Feeling his rear come crashing down uncomfortably again, he took a moment to examine their party in an attempt to ignore the dull throbbing. Dominic and Ajax rode stallions near the head of the party, the king's was a chestnut beast while the guard's was as black as his own fur. Behind the two sat Asher, the mage guild leader he had met some days earlier atop his own white mare. Examining the man out of court finery revealed a lean build, that while he was almost Dominics height, he was far outstripped in terms of muscle. Several bags hung from the side of his mount, and Halen could spy several enchanted objects and notebooks.

Next to the court mage was a younger male Ikati on a calm tan gelding. Asher had introduced him as Ishmael, his apprentice. Unlike Ajax, Ishmael was a Hu, his form was naturally somewhat muscular and thicker built, with starting orange fur intermixed with black stripes which faded towards white near his neck. He seemed pleasant enough from their brief introduction but he noticed the man sending him the occasional glance.

Behind him rode Aaron and Veri, the guards that had first found him and escorted him to meet with Dominic the first time, they sat on matching chestnut geldings. They were playfully bickering back and forth, sending the occasional glance forward towards the rest of the party. Both were dressed as they were when he first met, but he spied thick cloaks in their bags.

He was broken from his musings when his horse, a black stallion impacted his rear again. He grumbled under his breath about how he despised riding them, and a huff from the creature in question showed that their feelings about each other were quite similar.

The staccato beat of hooves on the road quickened behind him, and suddenly Aaron was right next to him. "I take it that you and most horses don't get along." The Loupi quipped as his own gelding made a huff and tossed its head. Aaron laid a hand on his horse and it calmed almost instantly. Then he reached over and did the same for the black stallion Halen rode. While the great charger refused to relax totally, it calmed by several degrees and Hale found the ride far more comfortable. "Sometimes, you just need the right mindset." Aaron continued. "Appreciate the horse for the work it's doing. If you shift and squirm, it knows you're unhappy, and it takes insult. You're too tense. Lean back a tiny bit and try to unclench your shoulders."

Doing as ordered, Halen found the ride somewhat more comfortable but still less than pleasant. Looking at the grinning Loupi he thanked the man. "Thank you. I've never had much use for horses, and they seem to dislike me as much as I do them." He said, frowning when both his stallion and Aarons gelding gave matching snorts. "Even so. Thank you, but I dearly hope that riding does not become commonplace for me." He finished.

Aaron chuckled at the comment until Veri rode up and punched him in the arm. "Be nice to the poor guy. He's the kings guest. Or need I remind you of the time you-" Veri was cut off when Aaron placed a hand over his muzzle. "Ok. Ok. No need to fight dirty. Goddess." Aaron said with fake exasperation. Halen merely chuckled at the sight, realizing how close these two were.

Suddenly the column halted, the other soldiers standing at attention. "Alright, men, "Dominic's voice emanated through the mountain pass. "From here we will be turning North and using that road," he pointed to an offshoot that was half the size of the road they were currently one. "The terrain won't get any kinder so we will continue at this gentle pace. As is, we should reach the nearest mountain stronghold in three hours. We will bunk there for the night then journey to the ruins tomorrow." Dominic rolled his shoulders before continuing, "As it will be our base of operations for the next while, you will be charged with securing it, aiding the garrison, and ensuring all its fortifications are in proper order. Now move out." Dominic turned his Stallion and began up the road. The column shifted as they went to fit.

His face neutral, Halen thought of how odd it was seeing Dominic in private, as he had over the past days, versus this more public setting. He was still the same man through and through, but he seemed slightly harder, having to put up a confident face in place of the excitement he had for the trip the night before. 'Perhaps it was the mention of these ice beings that changed him so?' Halen pondered but shook his head to rid him of the thought. The next several hours of riding continued at the gentle pace, with the terrain around them shifting. Forest and grassland became more sparse in the foothills, and when dirt turned to stone the wind picked up, carrying the scent of ice and snow from higher in the towering peaks. Snow covered the ground when they were an hour out from their destination, crunchy and freshly fallen, bathing the land in powder that sparkled in the last afternoon light. Shallow at first, but as they rode it grew deeper, slowing their progress slightly. Finally, a quarter of an hour later than Dominic had predicted, their destination came into view.

It was a decent sized fortification, probably meant to reinforce the larger garrison along the pass they had been travelling earlier. It sat with its back to a gargantuan outcrop of rock, so the entire structure was in shadow, save for the fires that burned from within. As Halen analyzed it he realized that there was no way into the fort save the front. A powerful defence, and given the structure of the mountains, he was willing to bet there were escape tunnels. Any invading army couldn't risk leaving this behind them, but a siege would be long and tedious. The large wood and steel doors opened allowing the column in. The walls had to be twenty feet high, and Halen could just barely sense magic in the stones, specifically along the upper rim. Archers patrolled the causeway and sat in the two towers. He saw both crossbows and longbows among the men. The area they entered wasn't all that large, as it had been cut in half by a wooden palisade. A few small houses and a smithy wall took up the outer courtyard. Halen estimated that the troupe he had come with was about a third the size of the garrison.

They approached the palisade, and it too swung open to admit the king. Within was the keep, a modest building, and on its steps stood a soldier in full plate mail. The armour was slightly more decorative than the rank and file, but only somewhat. The king dismounted and began to climb the steps, Ajax following. "Major, I see the fort is in good condition."

The Major knelt, "Of course my king. Welcome. We have prepared for your arrival." Dominic nodded.

"Good, you may rise. I will need a situation report in the next two hours. Have you had word from your sister fort and the Pass?" The major nodded.

"Neither has spotted anything out of the ordinary. We appear to be the only ones to have seen the creatures. However, when they heard you were marching out personally, they made ready to reinforce us if necessary." Dominic smiled at that information. Halen guessed the other soldiers hadn't taken the threat very seriously until the king's intentions had been known. The major saluted and began to lead them into the fort. The men dispersed to see to their own quarters and Asher moved after the king. Taking a moment he examined the Major, he was a Loupi with chocolate brown fur and perky ears. He had black eyes that spoke of years of experience. Any further examination was difficult, given the full plate that covered the rest of his body.

Halen followed after Aaron and Veri, figuring that Dominic and Ajax would be tied up in their briefing for some time, and on topics regarding more than the ice creatures. The men he had followed waited for him to catch up, noticing the man trailing after them.

"Hey, what are ya doing with us? Shouldn't ya be with the king?" Aaron questioned. Looking towards Veri he saw his friend's eyes held the same question.

Shrugging Halen spoke. "I figure that the major will be busy with them for some time. And given that Asher and Ishmael darted off right away, I figured it would be best to stick with you two for the time being." He said, smirking when he continued. "Afterall, you heard Dominic. I'm not allowed out of the castle without an escort," he finished, a playful tone in his voice.

The two guards shared a look before grinning at the Naga-Ra. "Of course," Aaron started. "It would be unwise to disobey the king," Veri continued. "In that case, we can swing by the barracks, we'll introduce you to some friends." Aaron continued, a hand wrapped around Halen's wrist dragging him forward.

The three of them wandered out of the wooden gate and headed for the largest building, across from the smithy. Inside were several tables and soldiers, drinking and playing cards. Aaron seemed excited and immediately sat down at one of the tables, placing a bag down and calling to be dealt in. Veri followed with a roll of his eyes. Halen watched their interactions with a smirk, glad to see the two men relaxing. A wave from Aaron had him wandering over to the table where a round of introductions began.

While Halen and the others were busy out in the "barracks", Dominic and Ajax were going over maps and reports inside the Keep. Asher and Ishmael sat close by, absorbing all that they could. The reports suggested that the creatures had been spotted just before the creation of the storm which Halen had trudged through to reach them. However, due to poor visibility, many of the men assumed they were just wildlife among the snow drifts. It wasn't until the storm began to abate a day ago that the spotters had seen the truth. The major had ordered a scouting party to investigate, and they had gotten within sight of the ruins with their binoculars before being discovered. The party had attempted to fight, even managing to wound one of the creatures, until it seemingly regrew the damaged limb by taking in the surrounding snow. The party had been forced to retreat, the only casualty being one of the Loupi sustaining a broken leg. He was on the mend thankfully.

As Dominic finished reading the report he glanced up and then frowned. "Where is Halen?" The five of them shared looks before Ishmael spoke, "I believe he went with the men, my lord." Dominic facepalmed. "I told him I needed his help with this. Why didn't he follow...? Nevermind." Dominic walked to the door and tossed it open pointing at the guard on the left. "Fetch my guest. He should be out with the men. He's the only non-Loupi or -Ikati in the whole fort." Dominic then closed the portal without another word. The guard stood there perplexed before he raced out of the keep.

As the soldier rushed from the keep, Dominic picked up some of the notes and books they had on the ruins, calling Asher over to help him read, instructing Ajac and the Major to map out the terrain for him.

The poor soldier dashed down the carved stone steps and bolted towards the barracks. He burst through the door to find an odd sight before him. The guards that his majesty had brought with him were rolling on the ground laughing, at the table the strange creature (man? Guest? He wondered) sat with a pile of coins before him and several face-down cards, several others guards grimacing as they shoved even more wealth to the strangely dressed creature, some throwing their cards in frustration. He found himself enchanted when a pair of eldritch purple eyes landed on him and he didn't register what was going on until the man had walked up to him alongside the other two guards and one of them had spoken. "W-what?" He stuttered.

Halen smirked at the bemused guard after Veri had asked why he was here. Aaron gave the man a puzzled look before repeating the question. "He asked why you burst into the hall like that soldier. Is there something you require?" The Loupi said, an annoyed tone in his voice. He repressed a chuckle then the man stuttered out that the king required the presence of the only non-Ikati or -Loupi in the base. Seeing that his fun was over he turned to the grumbling guards and gave a small, mocking bow before following the man out of the rooms. Going through several hallways had them outside a plain looking door, within sat the rest of the travelling party and several men from the fort, including the one addressed as Major. Looking at Loupi that called him, he spoke while raising an eyebrow. "You called for me, Dominic?" At his question, he noticed the Major's grip on the book he was holding tighten in rage before Dominic responded.

"Yes, I apologize, I wanted you here but did not explain. My apologies. We have most of the information gathered. That pile," Dominic pointed to about six pages at the end of the table, "Contain the reports on the ice creatures and a few rubbings from the ruin. The rubbings are several years old. Could you look them over and see if anything strikes you as familiar?"

Doing as asked, he lifted the pages and began to review them. Humming as he read, he could feel the gaze of several guards upon him, some giving off a feeling of curiosity or lust while others radiated disapproval. The knowledge within the pages confirms some theories he had developed. Setting them down he turned to the assembled people. "I can't say exactly what caused them, but their behaviour is reminiscent of golems, the self-repair being the largest indicator. Also, given that it did not pursue your men, even with one wounded would mean that its objective would not be aided by following to finish the men off. So it would be safe to assume that whatever is causing these beings to form is likely what they are guarding." He spoke a hint of certainty in his tone.

"So the ruin is our main objective. Discovering what's in there and assessing the situation. Ending it if necessary." Dominic nodded. He had suspected as much but Halen's confirmation was helpful. "And the rubbings? Any hints there?"

Looking back at the pages he had not finished reading he examined the darkened shapes. "Hard to say honestly," Halen said as he splayed several sheets on the table. "All of them look like they could be part of several different runes, for Black magic or some other forgotten magic, but given the location of the temple, and I'm assuming that these are from the ruins exterior?" He asked, to which the major nodded. "Then they are likely quite weathered, obscuring their meaning," Halen said, before pointing at one page that seemed to contain a chain of strange shapes. "This is the only clear part, something about a holding place. But whether that refers to the spirit or something else, I cannot say."

The major sighed, "We always meant to get rubbings from the inner area and send them to the mages but it was never a priority. Plus there is that giant locked door." Halen raised his eyes in inquiry so the major continued, " From what we could tell there are four rooms we can access in the ruin. The entrance hall, a smaller room to the left and right of the entrance hall, and the room beyond the entrance hall. Past that is unknown. There is a large stone door which has a magical lock on it. From what we could tell it would take three mages, using cryomancy to open it. Or so we assume. There are three magic sensitive crystals around the door and runes about ice all over the place. There were never enough mages of sufficient power who were interested. They always assumed it was some study spot for ancient cryomancers and that anything in there was either known or not worth the trouble."

"Well, we have enough mages now, and plenty more interest in exploring the interior of the temple. But even so, getting there would be hard, depending on the nature of the golems." Halen said, troubled by the change of events. At the major's questioning look he elaborated. "A golem is a very general term which refers to several types of magical constructs. Given the way that the ones you've encountered behave then it's likely that they draw all of their power from something within the ruins. And the closer they get, the stronger the energy they can draw upon." He finished, the major's eyes widening as he explained.

The Major and Dominic exchanged a look. Then the King spoke, "Alright, so the further they are from the ruin the harder it is for them to draw energy. We can attempt to lure them out away from the ruin, or try and smash through or disrupt them magically. Unfortunately, barring the smash and grab a lot depends on you, Halen." The king's comment drew several disapproving glances. The other Loupi did not like having to rely on a foreigner. The king continued smirking at the glances Halen was receiving, "So I want your opinion on the tactics. If we try the smash or the lure we need to increase our chances. If it's the disruption, I need to know if there is a way. Suggestions?"

Thinking for several moments, Halen considered what he knew of the situation and the Kings question. "Honestly, neither is perfect, but you make an assumption that these beings can be destroyed." He said, gathering alarmed looks. "From your own reports, they can reform, meaning that whatever damage we do can only slow them down, and the closer we are to the source, the faster they regenerate. Meaning that smashing and grabbing would be impossible, depending on the size of the ruin. Drawing some away could work, but if we do that, the party that enters the ruin must be able to stop the source of their energy, the construct will gather around the ruins if the source is threatened, meaning that escape will be difficult." He finished.

"Then let me make a suggestion. You're well versed in fire magic which I assume is a weakness of those golems." Dominic paused waiting for Halen's input. "Fire, force, maybe earth in the right situation." Dominic nodded and continued with the thought he had paused. "So the question is, can you teach these men the basics of Pyromancy and some basic tactics against them. With that, we can make an assault on the ruin. Once we are inside, the men fall back and only re-engage if the golems try to follow us. Then they attack their exposed backs."

Thinking over the men and women he had met less than an hour before he considered Dominic's request. "Hard to say, that would be dependent on individual talent and main proficiencies. I'm sure that at least a handful can learn pyromancy to a very basic level in a few days," he said, mentally going over lessons from his past. "Of course, I would require some assistance from your mages, they would be more familiar with the teaching style these soldiers are used to." He said, catching a brief eye roll from Ishmael at being dragged into teaching.

Dominic nodded, "I would assist and love to learn. Asher should be able to help," Dominic paused, glancing at the mage who smiled and nodded. "I'm not sure how Ishmael would feel about it, but I'm sure he could learn and advise at least." The king began to consider, glancing at his rapier. "Runes could make things a bit easier... Any suggestions there?" Dominic asked the general room.

Asher spoke up, "I believe you're correct about the runes. As for specialities among the men, it is common for those with minor earth magic abilities to be placed in the passes. It assists in preparing the walls and dealing with invaders. There should be files on the men."

Watching as the other people in the room continued to discuss training schedules and plans for attack Halen had the opportunity to think on the past few days and all that had happened. It was during this reflection that a he felt a heated gaze, filled with dislike and malice, settle on him, one which quickly vanished when he looked around. Seeing that the Dominic and the Major were collecting their notes he surmised that the meeting was at an end for the day. Moving to stand by Ajax, Halen leaned against the wall while the guard spoke quickly and quietly. "We will have three days to prepare the men for the attack, the storm should be mostly dissipated by that point. Tactics in the afternoon after their basic drills and magic in the morning for several hours. Several runes are to be added to the guard's weapons to increase their effectiveness." He finished. Halen gave him an appreciative glance at being informed of what he had missed when zoned out.

Halen and Ajax turned when they sensed another presence. Asher had come to join them, smiling. "I was wondering if we could sit down and begin discussing the basics of pyromancy immediately. I want a firm grasp on all the basics to assist the men."

"Of course Asher, it would be no problem. Just let me retrieve my belongings and then I can start," he said. Asher nodded and after saying farewell to Ajax they left to the stables. There the two men retrieved their packs before Asher lead them to an empty room near the keep's gate. "A room set aside for lower level leaders to talk. It should suit our purposes." The Loupi said.

Halen sat at the small table as Asher went to the door, a soldier saluted him before handing over a ream of paper. The older man returned to Halen and set the papers down after reading the first page. "This is a basic overview of each soldiers abilities, but the front page is a summary of magic users." As the man passed over the page he had been holding, Halen had a chance to view the numbers. The pages listed a total of thirty-two persons at the base, only twenty-one were soldiers with an additional three officers or higher. Of those twenty-four only six had any skills with fire magic while an additional four and three had knowledge of earth and force. Setting down the paper Halen rubbed his face, debating what to do. "We need to make sure the fire users can coat their weapons in flame, the force and earth need enough skill to enhance their blows to shatter the constructs."

Asher nodded in agreement. He was well versed in magic and even he could see how the fight would need to play out. "Well, I said I wanted to learn. I've taught more than one apprentice, and lead quite a few classes for the young ones. Shall we begin?"

Looking at the other man Halen went over the basics. "I'm assuming you know the basics, will and knowledge, some focus and intent when channelling power." He said, to which the silver Loupi nodded. "Then show me what you can do so I know where to start," Halen said, not knowing how skilled the other man was. Asher smiled gently and held up his hand. He focused for a moment before a spark materialized above his palm. Slowly that spark grew until it was a flickering flame. Asher placed his palms together and then drew them apart leaving a bar of flames connecting them. The Loupi took a deep breath, then thrust his hands forward, causing the bar of flame to fly forward in a wave of immolation. Halen's eyes tracked the wave of death across the wall till it left a decent scorch mark on the wall. For a moment Halen, criticized the wave 'til he realized that Asher had forgone the full power in exchange for a follow up of two decent sized fireballs.

Finally, the fire dimmed, and Asher stood there, breath coming just a bit faster than before.Halen took this time to critique his abilities. "Quite impressive. Sadly given the short length of time we have, anything I teach you would unlikely be usable the time the battle is to come. I have no doubt that your skills are as well, if not more practised in several fields, and given that we need focus on only a few subjects in the coming days, a full assessment of your skill would have to wait until we have more time." Halen spoke, knowing that the man was at the level where only higher difficulty spells would be of use for him to learn at this point. "That being said, the soldiers here will doubtlessly need some training, and they should be able to pick up a spell or three in the time we have."

"We have about an hour. I have a spell I've been studying Would you look it over and offer some advice?"

Agreeing, the two men sat down, Asher told him of the spell he had been studying for some time, Halen replying with his own theories as to the spells inner workings.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Time SKIP~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ POV Shift ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Aaron sighed heavily as he tapped his foot against the cold stone courtyard. He worked not to swing around and give the bird up to the wall behind him. Veri was sitting up there, probably smirking from the shadows, watching. Aaron had known he was going to have to participate in the classes the king's guest was conducting. He had actually been a bit excited until Veri reminded him of the time he blew himself up... and suggested he would be watching the show.

Aaron worked to suppress the second sigh. This was going to be exciting! If he said it enough he would forget Veri's words. Thankfully, the dragon the king was boning captured the crowd's attention. "Hello gentlemen and lady," Here, Halen nodded to the only woman in the crowd. She was at the front of the crowd. "You all know why you're here, so let's get to it. For the next hour, you will be working on the most basic exercise in pyromancy. This is to get you back into the swing of things, both our memory and your energy." Halen opened his palm and ignited the spark. Asher strode forward to continue, "Halen, myself, and my apprentice," He nodded to Ishmael who huffed, "Will be walking amongst you to assist. To start, you may find it easier to mix some memories and emotions to sharpen your will. Personally," Asher opened his own palm with a flame, "I tend to remember a warm hearth on a winter night. Safety. Protection. Warmth. Now begin."

Aaron held his hands before him while trying to remember his old lessons. All guards and soldiers were trained in basic magic, but very few pursued the study beyond the basics. Focusing on a memory of a roaring fire he channelled his magic between his open palms. Feeling the heat warming his hand, excitement surged through him. Responding to the high emotions the heat grew, flaring larger and shooting out of control. With a yelp, he jumped back, the flames dying as the emotions changed and the fuel for the flames died.

Silence filled the courtyard and Aaron could feel eyes locked on him. Looking around he saw every soldier with their eyes fixed on him. Asher was shaking his head and muttering while Halen grinned at him. Most annoying, he knew that Veri was chuckling from somewhere nearby at the display. Feeling a hand clamp on his shoulder he looked to see Halen standing closer. "A good start." the dragon said. "But next time, don't fear the flame. Control it." He finished, giving him an encouraging smile. Aaron nodded, glad Halen was being so supportive. As he prepared, he spied Asher assisting another guard who appeared to be having the exact opposite problem as him. He closed his eyes and tried to make use of the idea the Court Mage had suggested. He felt his palm warm, and he smiled when he opened his eyes to see a substantial ball of flame. It flickered and snapped, volatile and almost angry. Halen smiled, "Control will be an issue, but I'd say you have potential." He said with a nod before moving to another soldier. Over his shoulder, he called. "Now, work on control."

Aaron did as ordered, trying to hold the orb of fire steady, pushing power into the warmth and then taking it out. Over and over he varied the energy of the flame, watching it grow and shrink. He heard other guards and soldiers practising around him, some giving cries of alarm as they made the same mistake as he, others groaning from failure and rarely, a sound that meant someone had progressed.

The men seemed enthusiastic about their work and progressed at a steady pace. Seeing that the majority of the soldiers, had their exercise in hand, Asher beckoned Halen over. "I believe my apprentice was working on a mid-tier spell. Would you mind terribly assisting?"

Looking at the striped man who was watching a nervous solder practice, Halen nodded to Asher and walked over to the apprentice mage. Nodding to the soldier, Halen spoke to Ishmael. "Your master tells me your working on a spell that may prove useful, why don't ya show me and I can give some pointers?" Ishmael looked up at Halen, repressing an eye roll.

"That's correct. I heard about the fire trap spell and thought it might be tactically advantageous. It's been going well." Halen detected a slight hint of something in the Hu's voice. Ignoring it, Halen smiled at the man.

"You're not wrong. Would you care to show me?" Ishmael smiled and waved his hand down at the ground, where a circle of runes scrawled itself into the earth. Halen mumbled under his breath as he traced the runes with his eyes. He was just about to congratulate the apprentice on his success until his eyes locked onto a single rune.

"MOVE!" Halen jumped back, but Ishmael was not so lucky. The rune exploded, showering the area in soot and dirt. Ishmael stood there, his front darkened with the remnants of the unfortunate experiment.

Halen sat sprawled back on the ground, glad to have avoided the misfire. Looking at the cloud of ash and smoke that had draw everyone's attention, Halen conjured a small gust of wind that dispersed it. Ishmal's once orange fur was covered in black soot, sprawled back on the ground and coughing from the smoke. Halen moved to help the man up as he stopped coughing, but was met with a glare when he offered a hand. The Hu stood on shaky feet, giving the occasional cough. "Are you ok?" Halen asked. "The activation trigger was unstable. It's a good thing that it was underpowered of you could have been seared rather than just covered in soot." He said, clearly concerned.

A vein pulsating on Ishmael's brow. "Thank. You. I appreciate the input. I'll go look at the book again." He said with a huff, brushing off some of the soot and moving back towards the keep. The eyes of everyone in the courtyard following his movement.

Halen looked at the retreating mage, not knowing what he had done to offend. Looking towards Asher who had a concerned look on his face Halen nodded. The man looked grateful before taking off after the younger man. Halen turned to face the assembled soldiers and spoke up. "Some excitement today, but you're not done! Back to work! You're not leaving this yard until you can hold a flame for five minutes without it faltering." He shouted, trying to get the men back on task.

The soldier's compiled relatively swiftly, not wanting to disappoint their commanding officers. Aaron was still holding the flaming ball in his hand, and the flames had quieted somewhat, though they still writhed, like Veri some nights ago. The Loupi found that if he slowly worked to remove emotion from the equation, it helped. He flagged down Halen and asked softly, "Control is coming but do you have any suggestions?"

"Focus on the feeling of the energy being fed into the flame. What does it feel like when you remove the emotional trigger? Focus on that feeling and work with that. Having to call upon an emotion is a good way to trigger it at first, but is not reliable in combat." The dragon lectured.

Aaron closed his eyes and continued to draw back his emotions, trying to reach the zen state he occasionally touched in combat. As he sank down, he realized the energy was in the rough shape of a riptide. However, bits and pieces flew off at random times. He began to explain this to the dragon as he tried to enforce his will on the energy he was imagining. Slowly, bit by bit, the whirlpool stabilized. When Aaron looked down at the ball of flames, it was nearly perfect. He grew excited, wanting to leap for joy, which caused the fire to blossom outward in a small explosion.

Grinning at the man, Halen was pleased that the man was making progress. "Not bad, still have to work on separating your emotions from magic when casting, but keep working at it." He said with a smile and a nod. Moving over to the next soldier in the lineup, he compared Aaron's progress and that of several other men and women around them to what he had expected. Several were clearly ahead of what he had planned, but others still struggled with even the most basics steps.

As Halen worked with those men who struggled, several of them had wished to be pryomancers and that had taken a toll, Asher pursued Ishmael as the younger Ikati stalked into the fort. The Hu finally stopped in a long, deserted corridor where he leaned against the wall and took several deep breaths. "Something you want to talk about Apprentice?"

Ishmael took a deep breath. "It shouldn't be this hard. It's a simple rune trap. I've done them before. It shouldn't be this fucking hard." Ishmael's voice dropped low at the final thought. Asher simply shook his head.

"You know as well as I do that you're a cryomancer first. Just like most of our kind. Did you think pyromancy would be easy? I struggled with it. You will as well." Ishmael gave his teacher a disgusted look, then gave a sigh.

"You're right. I should know that. And I should give our new friend less of a hard time. My pride got the better of me." Asher raised an eyebrow at that.

"A hard time? You didn't seem to harsh back there."

Ishmael shook his head. "I didn't say anything, but I was cussing him out in my head. Felt like he was making fun of me when my own spell blew me up." he sighs. "He's very accomplished and I find myself envious." Asher chuckled.

"I know the feeling. There have been a few mages who have had talents I don't. Goddess knows I was jealous. Though in regard to the newcomer it is not just his magical talent I envy." Ishmael gave Asher a confused look. The snow-white Loupi smirked, "He's not bad to look at is he?" Ishmael felt his jaw drop and his cheeks heat.

"MASTER!" he exclaimed. Asher laughed openly now as his apprentice fought to suppress such images.

"Come, let us get back my friend," Asher said as he led his apprentice back down the hall. After several seconds, he gave a final quip. "I hear he's sharing the king's bed as well." Ishmael's face burned as he gave a wordless shout, covering his ears.

Back outside Halen was internally groaning at the two soldiers in front of him, all but they had managed to finish the most basic of exercises. Looking at the rest of the men he called out instructions to end the day. To the two that had not made progress he told them to practice for another thirty minutes before returning to their regular duties. The men seemed put out by being singled out, but when they saw the court mage and his apprentice exit the building, quickly complied. Seeing the master and apprentice deep in conversation, Halen moved back into the keep, wandering the labyrinth of hallways.

He peeked into some of the doors he came across. Some looked long abandoned, dust coating the surface, having been left untouched by the small force that occupied the fort. Others were clearly well used, training halls, meeting rooms, bathing chambers, even one room that held an obstacle course. In one corner of the fort, he found a decrepit library, a high up window that was left open long ago had allowed snow to collect in the room. Small snow drifts had formed around tables and against the shelves. Despite the lack of care and being left to the elements, some of the books on the shelves seemed to be in a readable condition. Others were clearly destroyed beyond all recognition.

Making note of the room for later, Halen continued his exploration. The keep was much larger than expected, clearly having been carved into the side of the mountain. Moving further into the keep he noticed that the level of care decreased, some hallways were collapsed, blocking the way further into the twisting passages.

Halen briefly considered clearing the area. Enough earth and fire magic would do the trick. But he shook his head. Better to have Asher and the others with him before he began rearranging the decor. He walked further into the fort, mapping the twisting corridors in his head until he heard the sound of running water. Striding forward, Halen came to a door, larger than the others. Opening it, Halen saw a large pool of water. On the far wall was an open sluice with a waterfall-like effect. Approaching the water, Halen held out a hand and collected some water in his hand. Spring water. It was all it could be. Turning his head, Halen noticed a grate to allow the water to pass.

He looked around the chamber, and noticing the unlit torches along the walls, and ignited them with a wave of his hand. The firelight illuminated well-worn stone slabs around the edge of the pool. On the rim were several sets of runes, almost matching those in Ajax's bath. Peering into the crystal clear water he saw that several stone blocks had been arranged to form benches. Enjoying the calm feeling and not wanting to leave, Halen removed his boots and let his feet dangle in the surprisingly warm water. For some time the Naga-Ra sat there, enjoying the peace, contemplating all that had happened since leaving home all those years ago. He came out of his musings sometime later, realizing that he had probably spent more time wandering than intended. Slipping on his boots, Halen dashed back towards the parts of the keep still in use before coming across someone he knew.

Coming around the corner, Halen almost crashed into the Bao guard he was escorted by, Veri if he recalled. He leaned to the left, avoiding the Bao and held a hand out, catching himself on the wall. "Hello again Veri. Can I help you?"

The Bao chuckled, "I was wandering around, thinking. I didn't expect to find you. How did training go?" Halen simply smiled.

"We both know you were watching. Aaron is talented. He and Dominic have that in common." The Bao chuckled again at being caught. Then nodded.

"I'm glad. Speaking of the king, he was looking for you." Halen blinked then nodded, offering his thanks. He followed the corridors back the way he came.

Moving through the passages at a more sedated pace, Halen wandered until he recognized the meeting room from earlier that day. Outside of which stood Dominic, Ajax, the Major and Asher. Approaching the four men quietly, he overheard what they were discussing. Plans for training over the next few days. Ajax's eyes locked on him, and the two men nodded to each other. He stood there, leaning against a wall while waiting for the conversation to finish.

"Gentlemen, I believe we have a good idea of how the next few days will go. Perhaps we should take dinner for now. We can continue this with some good food." Dominic was giving Asher and the Major a charming smile and both smiled back. "Shall we have dinner here," the king continued, "or adjourn to one of the staterooms?"

"Here," the Major answered, "I believe here is best. We were more concerned with preparing the men than some of the rooms." The major seemed upset with that statement. Dominic nodded as the major continued, "The kitchen should be just about done. They will put something together for us and it should be here soon." The men returned to the council room, Dominic, Ajax, Asher, Ishmael, the Major, and Halen.

Once in, The major and Ajax began a chat about the men. Dominic listened calmly before breaking in, "Since we are on the topic, why don't we go over what we know about this little mission of ours. Major?" The man stood and began to speak.

"As it stands the fort has thirty-two men. One is currently resting from the scouting mission. Your majesty brought 12 soldiers, as well as the guild head, their apprentice, and our visitor. Overall we have forty-seven able-bodied men at our disposal. Of those men the magic capable number..." Here, the major trailed off, clearly unsure of the exact number. Thankfully Asher seamlessly took over, used to such talks from the guild.

"Six men with potential for fire magic, Four with any training in earth magic, and three with a talent for force magic. A surprising number, but I suppose it's to be suspected so close to the border." Dominic and Ajax both nodded at the comment as Asher continued. "Those numbers do not include me, Ishmael, your majesty, or Halen. So overall we have seventeen people to rely on for magic. However, as I assume the four of us will be included in the direct assault we can't be counted." Here Asher paused.

Dominic smiled and spoke, "Good. Good, and you are correct about the assault. Before we get to the magic users, how are the Fort's stores?" Both Ajax and the Major straightened. The major began first.

"The weapons are all accounted for, and the men have been warned to do maintenance. Food is a bit low, but we should be receiving a resupply tomorrow. The smithy is supplied and ready to make repairs." When the major finished the short report, Dominic turned to Ajax.

"Mostly accurate. Smithy is a bit low on metal for my taste but it's up to military expectations." Ajax gave the major an appraising glance. "He's good." The major flushed, especially when the king smiled and nodded brightly. The king then turned to the mages in the room.

"And the training?" Asher smiled and began.

"The force and earth users are progressing well. They have a firm grasp on the tactics expected of them. I had them go through the basic exercises then progressed up through several spells. As for the fire users..." Asher turned to Halen.

"Most of them have progressed quite well, or at very least, a passable degree for lower level spells. I'll start on teaching them some more basics in the morning. There are two who have some issues with the basic exercises, so I shall evaluate them in the morning." He said. Thinking that he had reported all of the relevant information. "Oh, Aaron in particular shows promise, so I intend to give him a bit more attention if everything goes well." He considered for a moment. "Major, how long have you had this position?"

The major seemed caught off guard at the question but answered slightly defensively, "Approximately four months, though I have held other positions of similar value." Halen smiled.

"I mean no offence, and I'm not questioning your ability. I was exploring the deeper parts of the keep after training. This place is much bigger then I imagined. There are entire unused wings. It seems to have been carved into the mountain. Several passages are collapsed, rooms left open to the elements. If you wished you could expand it. The earth users could fortify the space. There is even a large bathing area like at the capital. It appears to be fed from the snow on the mountain.

The major and the King both wore expressions of surprised. While the king seemed to be considering, the major was staring downward in shame. It was clear that he felt responsible. The king then began to chuckle. "I recall my father's intention to expand and repair some of the more ancient forts. They had been around for longer than living memory. This must be one of them. The damage is probably over a hundred years old. Asher, can you use this to assist in the training of the force and earth users?"

Asher nodded. "Indeed, it works well. And it provides options should we need a larger force later."

The king smiled and turned back to the others. "Excellent. Now, you mentioned a bath?" Halen nodded. "You must show me and Ajax. I'd love a bath. Perhaps the major can join us." The king gave a smirk at the last comment.

Grinning at what Dominic had implied, and spying Ajax grinning from behind the King, Halen grinned. "Of course, I can show you there after dinner should you want." He said, getting a smile from the twosome while the Major gulped. "Of course, I may leave you there for a time, there were a few rooms I wanted to look at as well." He finished, thinking about the shameful state of the library.

Asher chuckled at the poor major's predicament as his apprentice stared into his bowl, refusing to make eye contact. The food arrived shortly thereafter, and they all sat relaxed over some well-made bread and meat. The room was mostly quiet, with the occasional bit of conversation breaking in. Asher even revealed a bottle of whiskey he had brought with him, and the others all took a glass, save the king, who mainly prefered wine.

Once the food had been demolished, and the mages had said goodnight the king smiled gently, "I believe you were gonna show us something, my friend?" As he spoke he placed a hand on the major's leg and stroked his thumb. The major stiffened slightly and felt his flesh heat beneath his fur.

Standing, Halen led the men out of the dining hall and back through the paths he had taken earlier that day. Given that he wasn't exploring every nook he came across, the party arrived outside the natural pool chamber in less than ten minutes. Opening the door, everyone followed him in as Halen ignited the torches with a wave of his hand. "Here's the room. There are some stone benches in the spring and appear to be some old oils left here." Gesturing to one of the few intact shelves along the side of the room. Turning to the slightly astonished group, he smirked. "So, do you have any more need for me this evening?"

The king smiles and slides an arm around the Naga-Ra's waist, kissing him slowly for a few moments. "You could join us." He said playfully.

"Well, I could stay for a quick bath." He said as Ajax slid up behind him. He could feel the major gazing at the three men. Glancing at the man, he saw that he was shifting uncomfortably, trying and failing to hide his glances. The king slid away, allowing Ajax to cuddle and neck the poor man from behind as he inspected the runes near the door. With a smile he scratched a few lines, tuning them and then pushed mana forward. The sound of stone grinding on stone was heard and the waterfall and the grate closed, allowing the pool to settle. Several lights blossomed beneath the water as it turned opaque and steam began to fill the room. Dominic pressed a spot on the wall and a small cubby opened, into which he began tossing his things.

Ajax slid his hands down Halen's front, grabbing the hem of his shirt...thing. He chuckled. "How do you get this goddess damned thing off?!"

Chucking at the guard's frustration, Halen pulsed his magic slightly, undoing the charm on the garments and letting the knots holding on be undone, the fabric and leather quickly fell away, his gloves joining it on the floor moments later. Now shirtless, the scaled man reached forward to remove Ajax's armour. The dark leather flopped back onto the ground as the two now shirtless males embrace, their hands/paws rubbing against the other's back. Halen enjoyed the silky fur rubbing against his skin while Ajax basked in the warmth that Halen's body radiated. The clattering of metal drew their attention.

"And where are you going, Sebastian?" Halen and Ajax turned their heads to see the king, bare-chested, smirking at the Major, Sebastian, who had his back turned and was heading towards the door.

"Ummmmm" Sebastion cleared his throat. "I-i thought maybe I...that you all would like some privacy and...um." Halen fought down a chuckle at the major's stammering like a child found with their arm in the cookie jar.

"If I didn't want you here, would I have brought you along?" The king challenged while sliding between the retreating Loupi and the door. "I was thinking maybe you would like to join us even," he said as he advanced on the now retreating military man. Ajax gave Halen a silent grin and motioned towards Sebastian who was backing up straight towards them. The Bao released Halen and stalked forward until Sebastian crashed into him. Then the Bao encircled him with his powerful Arms.

"You wouldn't refuse the king now would you," Ajax purred before licking a stripe up Sebastian's neck. The captured Loupi moaned at the treatment, as Dominic soon pressed against his front.

"We'd all be glad to have you unless you disagree Halen?" Dominic turned to the Naga-Ra wanting to be sure he was in agreement.

He shrugged at Dominic's question. "I have no issue with it. Although given earlier, I'm not sure if the Major wishes for me to be here for this," he said. Remembering the displeased look that the major and several soldiers shot him earlier that day. "If not, then I can return in several hours to bath, there are several things I could do in the meantime," he said, grabbing his robe top that had fallen to the floor and moving into the brown furred man's sight.

"What?! No that's not...I don't want you to think...." The major sighed. "I was a bit....jealous. You seemed to have all the answers, and you're not from here. It wasn't pleasant having to admit we needed help. I thought you were planning to swoop in and fix it. But you've been working with the men. Thank you."

Smirking at the man, Halen stepped forward letting the robe fall to the ground and stood chest to chest with the soldier. "So..... You wouldn't mind if I did this?" A hand moved up the side of the plate mail, finding a buckle and undoing the armour. Another buckle followed, then with two more, the top fell off of the Major, Ajax moved to take it to the side of the room with the rest of their clothing. A thin white undershirt clung to the man's torso that Halen quickly stripped him of. He admired the difference between the two shirtless Loupi in the room. While Dominic was thick, massive muscle, Sebastian was even more impressive. The king, he was more built for agility, but Sebastian was built to deliver a devastating strike with his longsword in a manner similar to Ajax. His chocolate brown fur did little to hide the impressively muscular build, all the while his bushy tail was wagging around behind the man.

"N-No sir," Sebastian stuttered, and Halen chuckled at the honorific.

"Then how about we go enjoy?" Halen tossed his top into another cubby, before stripping and storing the rest. Then he backed up slowly, Walking down into the pool. At that, Ajax growled deep in his throat, as he unfastened Sebastian's lower gear. It fell with a clatter, and the Bao snatched the hem of the major's brown pants, kneeling as he pulled them down. He grabbed Sebastian's hips and pressed his tongue between those cheeks, licking from taint to top. The sudden action shocked him as the major startled and moaned, falling forward into the king who chuckled.

"Ajax, be a good boy and take the major to Halen. I think he needs to apologize properly. Make Halen feel more welcome." Ajax nodded and tossed off his clothes as he stood, holding one of Sebastian's arms behind his back and wrapping the other paw around his throat, marching him towards the pol.

"You've insulted a visiting dignitary major. We can't have a diplomatic incident can we?"

"N-No, sir. I'll fix it. I'll do anything, sir." The bao chuckled at the Loupi's promise.

Halen watched the others interact with a smirk on his face and felt his cock rise at the major's promise. Seeing the way Ajax manhandled him, made him eager for what was to come. Standing in the warm water it lapped against the bottom of his ass, his cock standing out above the calm water. "Why don't you join me in here Major? I'm a bit lonely in the pool," he said while gesturing to the wide open waters.

Sebastian felt himself lifted by the king's personal guard, walked over to the pool and set down. He gulped at the odd feeling of being physically pushed around by another man, a rare experience for him given his own impressive physique. Craning his head around, he glanced at Ajax and the king, both men smirking at him, the king giving him a wave to move forward. Gulping, lowering his gaze and hardening his nerves, Sebastian approached the smirking visitor, excited and worried about what the man may ask him to do. A hand against his chest had him looking up, his gaze was captured by a pair of glowing, purple eyes that practically radiated magic. He was paralyzed when solid arms wrapped around him, the scales rubbing along his fur. His nose was pressed into the other's neck where Halen's scent invaded his nose.

Sebastian felt Halen trail his nose up his neck, shivering as the smell of spices and ice intensified. Halen trailed up his jaw, till they were face to face. With a smirk, Halen pressed forward kissing Sebastian passionately, dominating his mouth. The Loupi moaned and shuddered. The Naga-Ra continued for several seconds before, pulling back and whispering, "Kneel."

Halen watched with no small amount of thrill as the muscular man dropped to his knees before him, the man's nose level his with his bobbing cock. "Why don't you give my bone a lick?" Which was followed by a groan when Sebastian's rough tongue dragged along the bottom of his cock. Every swipe of the tongue had him biting back a groan, his heavy balls churning in the warm water. His attention was drawn when he heard the water disturbed. He saw Ajax slipping into the pool, the Bao's 10-inch, monstrously thick shaft quickly inflating. Looking down at the man slobbering over his shaft he had an idea. "Lift your hips Major, and I think you can try to take a bit more now." The Loupi's mouth closed around his shaft as his hips moved up out of the water revealing his muscular butt.

On all fours, head and ass just above water, Sebastian worked Halen's cock deeper into his mouth as he felt two warm hands caress his ass. Ajax parted those soft brown cheeks and began to massage the outer ring of muscles. Slowly he worked a finger into the Major as Halen took hold of his head and began to thrust down his throat. Sebastian moaned as he felt his defences breached. He hadn't had a lot of partners in his life, and he'd never bottomed before, but the firm way the men were handling him made his skin flush and his mind go fuzzy.

Looking down at the man between himself and Ajax, Halen could see the desire in the other's eyes. His cock throbbed in the man's eager throat, pre-cum spurting into his mouth. He could see Ajax working a finger into the major's hole, the wincing on his face indicating that he wasn't familiar with the feeling. A hard thrust had the soldier swallow his cock up to the knot, holding it there, Halen moaned as the throat massaged his flesh. Seeing Ajax thrusting two fingers into the hole, he redoubled his efforts on the man's throat, wanting to distract the man who clearly was not an experienced bottom.

Still on dry land, Dominic sat on a low bench enjoying the show before him. He always loved watching Ajax prepare someone to get fucked. The fact that the sexy dragon was ravaging the major's throat only made it better. Watching how his wings unfurled in pleasure and his core flexed from the thrusting action made desire pool within him. He had long ago shed his pants, his 10.5-inch cock was being lazily stroked. Wanting to enjoy the show for as long as possible.

By now, the men had reduced Sebastian to a whimpering mess. While the stretching in his ass was a bit uncomfortable, his mind was focused almost purely on pleasuring the men. He redoubles his efforts on Halen's cock, slurping down the pre that flowed down his throat. Eventually he heard Ajax say, "He's ready." Then the warm cock in his mouth was removed, causing him to whine softly. Halen only chuckled and directed him to grab the edge of the pool.

Halen moved behind the exposed man, enjoying the view of drenched fur clinging to flawless muscle. He ran a hand over the mans back, tracing his spine, around the tail and ghosted a finger over the prepared hole. Hearing a whimper he smirked. "Like that? How long has it been since you were last taken like a bitch." He teased. "N-never" was the stuttered reply, causing him to freeze for a moment before his grin grew. "Well, in that case, more need to make this memorable." With that, his cock head pressed against the opening, grabbing the man's hips, he slowly pushed forward, growing pressure letting his cock pop past the tight ring of muscle. "Shit, tight boy." He hissed, slowly applying more pressure as his cock sank into the warmth. Stopping every few moments to let him adjust, after several minutes, only his knot was left outside of the vice-like hole.

"Hope you like this." He heard before the feeling of the massive invader being drawn out, the major groaning as he was left empty. That empty feeling didn't last long as the cock pistoned back inside, drawing a slutty moan from his panting lips. "Oh like that major?"

Sebastian was beyond words so merely nodded his head and moaned. Halen began a slow rhythm of thrusts, plundering the major at a gentle, teasing pace. Sebastian began to rock his body with the thrusts, forcing Halen's cock deeper with each thrust. "P-please. More" he groaned. Halen smirked and pressed himself closer as his pace picked up. Soon he was pistoning rapidly, driving his cock into the wrecked hole.

At the same time, Ajax slipped behind Halen, allowing his cock to rub between those pale, clenched hips. Leaning in the Bao whispered, "Mind if I have a bit of fun?"

Halen's response was to flex his hole, letting the Baos cockhead rub against the opening. "Of course," he muttered, thrusting into the man before him all the while. Each thrust driving his knot hard against the man's hole and loving the sounds that the major made when he gave a particularly hard thrust. Groaning when he felt Ajax slip half his shaft into his slick passage, Halen gave the other man a particularly hard thrust and held it when the cock slid deeper into him and arms wrapped around his chest, the silky fur rubbing against his back and wings. Ajax moaned as his cock slipped into that familiar heat, he wrapped arms around Halen's shoulders and leaned in. Halen tossed an arm up, wrapping it around Ajax's neck. He pistoned his hips back and forth, first driving his cock into the major before backing up and feeling Ajax's cock fill him up.

After Halen's knot had slapped against Sebastian's hole several times he whimpered, "Please. Please knot me sir." Halen chuckled as he gave a sharp thrust.

"Is that what you want?"

Sebastian nodded and moaned, "Please sir. You've shown me I'm a knot hungry slut. I need it."

Halen chuckled, "Maybe, but you need to earn it. Isn't that right?" At the last portion, Halen's gaze wandered up to Dominic who had been striding forward.

"That's right. And since that mouth almost caused an incident, let's put it to better use." At that, he sat down between Sebastian's arms and grabbed the back of the Loupi's head. He pressed the major down until his cock was completely engulfed. He slowly began to fuck Sebastian's throat as Halen continued to wreck his hole.

The entire situation was beginning to drive Halen over the edge, his cock was being gripped by a former virgin while his own hole was being ravaged by Ajax's monstrously wide shaft. Dominic was spit roasting the major with him while the man in question was begging for his knot. A hard thrust from Ajax had Halen thrusting forward even harder than normal, his cock being buried entirely and the hole straining slightly as his knot pressed against it. Over and over his prostate was abused by the guard and his own cock began to penetrate the man below him. He could feel his balls drawing up, preparing to empty his molten seed into the man below him.

After one particularly harsh thrust, Sebastian felt his whole body seize up. His skin burned as he unloaded balls into the water around them. Moaning around the king, he felt the cocks in both holes twitch as he clamped down on Halen. The King moaned and poured several spurts of cum down the major's throat, who swallowed obediently without being told. Halen's knot slammed against his hole but didn't breach him to his disappointment, volley after volley of cum burned through him for the first time, and he hoped not the last. The warmth pooling deep inside of him. He could hear Ajax grunting, imagining that Halen was receiving the same treatment as he was, slightly envious of the man getting to fuck and get fucked at the same time. That envy died quickly when a hand wrapped around his arm, pulling him up and away from the king's cock. His head was turned by another hand and a pair of soft lips met his. Halen licking his lips, messy with cum lingering from the king's load.

Slowly the four men came down from the high of a good afterglow. Dominic smiled and leaned forward, petting Sebastian. "Well done soldier." Slowly Ajax and Halen drew back from their respective lovers, cum spilling out after them. The four slowly sank down to sit on the benches, cuddling and smiling. Eventually, someone grabbed one of the oils and they began to wash. The natives of Terralun took a little longer, with all the fur. Halen finished first, collecting his clothes and departing with a cheek kiss for all three of them.

Halen made his way back to the library from earlier that day. Entering the cold room again he started on his search for whatever secrets it may hold. He closed the windows that were open, while those that were broken were covered with pieces of broken furniture. He swept snow from shelves and cleared it off of what furniture was still intact before moving to the real treasure. Some of the still intact books seemed incredibly old, not quite the age of the palace, but old nonetheless. Taking the first down he saw another copy of the story he had read at the palace, beautifully illustrated, but nothing truly special.

Book after book came off the shelves. Most were damaged beyond recognition, their pages little more than soggy paper with ink stains. Others were in oddly good condition, old but untouched by the elements. It was not until an hour had passed and the moon was in the sky that Halen found something that caught his interest. Less so a book than a journal, written by a soldier stationed here long ago. A passage halfway through caught his interest as he skimmed the pages.

3rd sun after the 4th moon of the year. 15 AF

Over two moons at the new outpost in the mountains, and the deployment only grows odder. Strange creatures wandering the mountains arrive at the outpost, scales and tails, but their skin was without fur. Called themselves something-Ra, the leader seemed like a git, but the commander played nice and ordered rooms for them for a night, invited them for dinner. One of the younger ones (hard to tell, all seem the same age) was a bit more talkative than the rest. Claimed to be pilgrims, but wouldn't say what for. Not my business anyway.

5th sun after the 4th moon of the year. 15 AF

Strangers left yesterday early, seemed like the younger one was down, maybe mad about talking to us? They set out away from the capitol so the commander said to drop the matter. Still, wonder what they are looking for in these freezing excuses for overgrown hills.

8th sun after the 4th moon of the year. 15 AF

Night shift was odd. Saw something glowing in the distance. Partner in the tower claimed not to see it, but I swear I saw something. Commander was notified but I was told that it was probably nothing.

15th sun after the 4th moon of the year. 15 AF

Saw that glow again, bit closer to the keep, but no idea what. Seemed to be flickering a bit. Told the commander and was told to drop it. Still, I want to know what that glow was. Going to set out on my day off to explore the area, show everyone that I'm right.

17th sun after the 4th moon of the year. 15 AF

Just got back from exploring the area. Commander and friends seemed worried that I was going out alone on my day off, but I said not to worry. Now I'm not so sure after what I found. Probably not a good idea to tell them. After setting out it took a handful of hours to reach the site of the glowing. What I found was hard to describe. Ice spikes and spears littered the mountainside, mostly buried in fresh snow from yesterday's blizzard. But there is no doubt that they are new. Some of the exposed stone bore signs of being seared by fire. Odder even, the air was charged, like when my brother was practising magic, but hundreds of time stronger. It hung heavy in the air, making it hard to breathe at times. I stayed for as long as possible, but as the snow fell and signs of whatever happened here were buried I had to turn back. I worry about what happened here but given the feeling in there air. (Here several drops of ink were splattered on the page as if fallen from a quill held paused) The strength of the magic scares me, and to face it would mean death. It's best if I forget about this.

1st sun after the 1st moon of the year. 16 AF

I've been thinking over the past year, and after reading over my journal, I realize that I never saw the glow after that night. I wonder what happened to it? But it's probably for the best if nobody seeks it out.

Halen skimmed the rest of the book, looking for anything more about the Naga-Ra or the glow, but all of the other entries detailed his time at the fort until a year later when he was transferred away and presumably his journal was left behind. Thinking about the entries, he churned over what this could mean. That his people were here millennium ago, that something happened after they were here, and if the two events were related.

Shaking his head he stood, the journal slipped into a pocket as he left the room. The keep now silent, only moonlight to light his path as he walked towards the rooms where his belongings had been placed. He spied some sentries on the walls, but otherwise, not a soul was stirring. Spying an open door near his room he peaked in, seeing Dominic and Ajax cuddled in a massive bed together. The Loupi and Bao with their arms wrapped around each other in an embrace. A memory of the night spent with the two ran through his head, the feeling of being warm and safe between the two men. As quick as it came, along with the desire to join the two in bed, the idea left. Shaking his head he closed the door to give them privacy and moved down the hall to his own room.

The room he found, was cold and dark, the fire in the hearth having died some hours ago. The bed was smaller than he had in the palace, but expecting such a large bed here was ridiculous. He placed the journal in his pack and settled into the cool bed. Halen found the sheets somewhat uncomfortable and the mattress hard, but he had dealt with much worse in the past. He drifted off to sleep slowly, despite his mind racing. The fact that his people had been here before, the mention of a glow that tickled something buried in his memory and most of all, the sight of Ajax and Dominic together. Knowing that the two were happy and that once this adventure was over, that it was unlikely he would see them again.