A Soldier's Life
chapter-20

I slept heavily even with the noises my roommates made in the night. Wylie woke us in the morning. Firth told us not to leave the Legion office building. I went to the baths and soaked in the hot tub for an hour as I was the only one there. I had come to get my clothes washed for free and changed into my Legion gear. The box I was given this time was numbered thirty-six and was much smaller. After my long soak, I waited for my clean clothes to be returned.

When I took the box, I paused as this wooden box was a perfect size. It closely matched what I had revealed to be the size of the dimensional space. I moved the box into my space, appropriating it for the greater good. From now on, I would no longer have to guess if I was exceeding my storage limitations—at least, what I told everyone it was. I would use the box for Legion business. I did not know how I did not think of this earlier. Rather proud of myself, I went to the common room. Wylie gave me a hard time about spending two hours in the baths. On the table, we all repacked our gear. We were trying to squeeze in the food Wylie procured.

“Eryk, we are going to the war front. You always want to make sure you take as much food as possible,” Firth advised.

“As much good food as possible,” Wylie added.

“A legionnaire marches on his stomach, Eryk. We are going to be working in the army camps, and their food is terrible. Horde what non-perishables you can, when you can. If you can squeeze any spices into your little magic space, do it now. They are worth their weight in gold in a siege,” Firth said.

“Seige? What are you talking about?” I asked, suddenly unsteady.

“The rumors last night are the Kingdom plans to push deep into Empire lands and surround Macha. The Emperor is going to allow it to draw as many enemies into the land surrounding the city as possible before wiping them out with a secret attack. At least, that is what I garnered from the twenty men I drank with last night. Then again, we are practically on the other side of the Empire, and what these drunkards know might be dragon shit,” Firth said calmly.

After our packs were set, Wylie led me to the Legion goods warehouse. It was completely different than last time when I took what I wanted without supervision. Now Wylie filled out a requisition sheet. He waited for it to be reviewed and then answered a dozen questions about why he needed pepper flakes, garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, dried rosemary, and paprika. Wylie eventually received large glass containers filled with spices. I asked about Kraken salt, and Wylie laughed, “These spices are a gold or two each. Kraken salt in one of these containers, maybe 100 gold. Alchemists make it, and you can not find it in a Legion supply room.”

The attendant who was putting the large glass jars with our spices on the counter added, “Kraken salt is about a gold an ounce, quite literally worth its weight in gold. The last Kraken to be slain was some four years ago.”

Wylie quipped, “I know. I was there. Can you squeeze all these into your space? Our cook will be happy to get them, and you will be a taste bud hero. Since they come in the glass containers, we can not pack them.” I was able to fit all six containers in the crate in my dimensional storage. We added small leather bags of sea salt until the crate was filled, and I told Wylie I could not store any more.

As we walked to find Firth, I asked, “So, are there not any supplies out in the city of Macha?”

“Luxury goods are rare on the front. The problem is the time it takes to reach the city. There is only one Displacement Mage in each city, as the affinity is quite rare and the spell is difficult to learn. They have limits on how much they can transport. Also, once the siege begins, the enemy with set up an array around the city, preventing the use of the portals,” Wylie said conversationally.

Firth waved us over, and we put on the packs, each one weighing over seventy pounds now. That did not include our leather armor and blades. I had two short swords and two short curved blades. I was not carrying a spear but planned to add a few in my dimensional space. We followed Firth to the street and toward the upper city. Firth said, “If you see Vincent Cicero, keep your mouth shut.” Firth was talking to Wylie and not me, but I got the message.

The clothing of the people started to get more and more opulent as we followed Firth the portal. The square where the portal was had a full company of legionaries guarding it. That told me it was too important to leave to city guards or the army. It was a large stone archway situated on light gray stone. The gray stone had black runic markings on it. The archway itself was a plain black stone.

In front of the portal were a number of people loaded down with gear. Most looked like merchants, but there were a few soldiers. Firth went to one of the legionaries guarding the portal and handed him our orders. The man inspected them carefully and then waved us forward. Firth said, “When the portal is activated, move quickly into it. It is like a dungeon gate in that you will be slightly disoriented after you pass through. Try not to fall on your face this time,” He grinned at me.

We did not have to wait long. I was talking to a merchant from the Kingdom of Nausis, far to the south, when a loud bell chimed twice, and everyone faced the portal. There were maybe forty of us in total. A mage in bright yellow robes went to a small monolith under the guard of a pair of legionaries.

Firth chuckled at my intense focus, “Never seen a portal opening before? You must be from a backwater kingdom.”

The mage placed both hands on the pillar, and the air started buzzing with electricity. I watched as the black stone around the portal started to glow blue, and the runes underneath us matched the blue light. The archway shimmered into an image that looked blurry or like a heat haze. Two bells sounded, and everyone moved forward. I was pulled with everyone else and walked into the arch.

It was the same as walking into and out of a dungeon. On the other side, the air was heavy with moisture, and the buildings were much more drab, favoring a grayish wood. I did not have time to study the buildings as Firth was already walking toward a tall citadel made of blue-gray stone. I followed him, and dozens of soldiers from the regular army were inside the bailey. Some were drilling, and some were resting. They did not look war-weary to me as I followed Firth into the fortified building.

He turned left into the first room, and I noticed the first legionaries I had seen to date. I recognized Orson, Mateo, and Felix. I went and sat with them, dropping my pack. “Eryk, you survived the First Citizen!” Felix said with a smile.

“Did everyone in the company make your trip safely?” I asked, sitting on a bench.

Orson chuckled, “Donte lost a finger to giant snapper, and Flans broke his leg falling off his horse when we battled some centaurs. Other than that, it was an easy ride.”

Mateo choked, “Easy ride!? Fifteen hours a day at a steady pace? I can barely walk.” I snickered a little remembering how much grief I had taken from the men with my own soreness. They even gave me an expensive pillow as a joke.

“So, what is the news on this mission posting?” Wylie asked.

Orson looked perturbed, “Three legion companies are in the citadel. We are to rotate foot patrols northeast and southeast. The soldiers will cover the road due east toward the Empire, where any skirmishes are likely to happen. There is mostly woods northeast, but there have been a number of sprites causing mischief. The route southeast is boggy. Just giant frogs but a few days ago, a bullywug was spotted.”

“What is…” I started to say.

Orson, one of the company scouts, answered before I finished asking my question, “Sprites are small faires that can go invisible. Bullwugs are frog men. Both are a pain in the arse in their natural habitat.”

“So, what direction are we patrolling?” I asked.

“Southeast,” Delmar said, joining the group. “Mateo, Eryk will be bunking with you. Show him where.”

Mateo gingerly stood and indicated I should pick up my pack. I started following him but noticed Lirkin, the company cook. I paused to unload the glass jars of spices and leather bags of salt from my dimensional storage, “Damn it, boy!” he started, “Your talents are wasted carrying around those life-saving potions. Whenever you want a double portion, just ask!” He said jokingly as he checked the jars.

I would have to thank Wylie for this boon. I still had the bottle of amber liquid for Linus but had not seen him yet. It was also in my dimensional space.

We walked out into the city, and it was mostly soldiers. A lot of the shop fronts looked abandoned. Mateo answered, “This city has been handed back and forth for the past three hundred years. The regular people have an instinct when it is about to happen again.”

Mateo went into a store that was clearly a bakery. A large, cold oven dominated half the back wall. Mateo explained, “Not enough room in the Legion Hall in the citadel for everyone. At least not if you want to sleep peacefully.” He pointed up the stairs, “Three rooms up there, each has two beds. Felix and I have one room. Konstantin is in one room, and the third is currently empty, but the beds are children sized.” He left me, and I climbed the stairs and found the kid’s room.

The beds were small, but I pushed them together, and if I slept diagonally, I would fit. I dropped my gear with a loud thud and got to work moving the beds. Konstantin appeared in the doorway, “If you are going to make all that noise, then you have the energy to practice. Grab your two blades. There is a small yard in the back.”

Great. My plans for a nap were crushed; instead, I was about to get a sound beating under the guise of training again for apparently waking up Konstantin.