25 Restoring (2/2)

Most soldiers don't know, but I usually watch any raids that take place. It's a way to atone for what I've done, or so I tell myself. I watch in the shadows with a cloak and discreetly take out any demons that threaten the members. I....I just don't want what happened to me to happen to others.

I pass through the canvas doors and look at Lt. May expectantly, he acknowledges my presence and explains.

”There's a small fortified town to the south that's housing a force of beast-men. I want you to discreetly take out their leaders as the other squads fight the main garrison. Can I count on you?”

I sneered at him. ”I've never failed you yet, have I?” He looked down at his papers saying. ”You have, just not me.”

Before he could react, my mithril dagger was set dangerously close to his throat. He had to look up to avoid drawing blood. I spat in a harsh voice. ”Watch your tongue before you lose it, ”Commander,” I emphasized with disdain. My reaction was extreme, but he knew better than to jest with such a subject.

He pushed my dagger back with his finger, going back to his papers. ”If you didn't do such an excellent job, I would have you hanging from a tree for insubordination. You better do a good job, I'll be inspecting the town once you're done.”

I sheath my dagger and walk out wordlessly, I'll get this done easily, then I don't have to speak to anyone for a while. I walk back to my secluded encampment and collect my belongings, I always carry everything on me when I go on missions. In case I have to pursue anyone that tries to escape. I look down at my mandola, the only thing that I usually leave. I pick it up and store it, maybe I'll be able to play it again.

Playing it after what happened is too painful, but maybe I can play it to Shade without trouble, maybe. I stash my equipment in the forest to the east and approach the town. Its a fairly large town with weathered walls that line the town's edges. There are roughly 50 buildings, with a central building protruding from the middle of the town. That would be my target.

I use [Enhanced Vision] to better inspect their defenses. There are men scattered on top of the wall patroling it, all of them are beast-men. ”That's going to be a problem.” I think. Beast-men have enhanced vision and senses, so I'll have to prepare accordingly in order to infiltrate it undetected.

I cast [Light Refraction], [Silent Step], [Erace Presence], and [Sent Dampen], which just scatters my sent with a little wind magic. My sent is still there, but it's so spread out that it's not really noticeable, even to beast-men.

I carefully make my way to the edge of the wall, I'm forced to dispel [Light Refraction] since I'll be touching the wall to climb it. I quickly cast [Shroud of Darkness] to replace it, the sun is close to setting, so I can use the darkness to blend in with the shadows cast on the wall. Casting [Enhance Friction] on my hands and feet, I climb silently up the coarse wall.

I silently climb up, and wait just under the lip of the edge, waiting for the footsteps and voices to fade. When I'm satisfied they're gone, I grab onto the ledge and use my own momentum to swing myself up.

There's no one at the moment, but the next patrol will be able to see me soon so I dropped down from the wall using [Gale Dampen] and faded into the shadows. I met no resistance as I snuck to the central building.

I executed any opposition inside the building and the leaders were soon to follow. I left the building with more corpses in my wake, and probably more voices to add to my dreams. I moved from place to place cloaked, killing anyone that tried to rally a resistance, keeping everyone in chaos. Eventually, the town fell to us, all I had to do was wait for Lt. May and I could leave.

I walked towards the central gate to wait for Lt. May, but as I got closer I heard yelling voices. Something was happening outside, I cloaked myself and went to see what the commotion was about. The outside of the gate was riddled with corpses, human corpses, our soldiers.

I heard yelling and screams, there was a group of soldiers encircled around something just outside the main gate. I got closer and saw what they were surrounding. I stopped in my tracks and stood there in shock. In the middle of the group was a wolf-girl.

She had stark white hair, the same color as fresh powdered snow on the unreachable peaks of the northern mountains. Her white ears were perked in anticipation, listening, for an approach from any side. Restless, her snow-white tail rustled unconsciously, her glacier blue eyes shown brightly like the reflection of ice melting from the dawning sun of an infant spring. She was the most beautiful girl I've ever seen.