Cica salutes and suddenly becomes aware of a splotch of honeyed rice porridge she must've wiped on her sleeve.
She finds her head swirling with a mix of thoughts--self consciousness about her appearance, excitement about the adventure, nervousness about what's to come--but none of it forms into a question she things would be worthwhile to ask of the General.
The general is coming with us!!!
"Understood, sir. Thank you, sir."
"Well, then. I probably don't even need to say this, but now my own reputation is associated directly with this affair. I expect absolute excellence from you, soldiers. Anything less will leave me.....most disappointed."
The general stands from behind his desk and continues, "Dismissed! All except Auxiliara Ignatius that is. I would like a private word with you." The general's expression remains all business as he stares at Ilistra waiting for the others to leave.
Ilistra's stomach drops to the floor. She had begun to turn to leave, but freezes when she hears her name. She slowly turns her body back to face forward while her heart pounds so hard that it makes her sway.
While the blood rushing in her ears nearly deafens her, she turns her head slightly toward him. Her mind speculates. Was he going to send her back to the kitchens? Did she not salute right and she needed another dressing down? Was he putting her out of the camp entirely?
Though her mouth is dry, she forces herself to swallow. She hears the others leaving her behind. Her eyes are drawn to look at the general despite herself. She waits.
Cica feels a bit of curiosity and anxiety for Ilistra and spares her a glance, wondering, What does the general want with you?!?
...and then, after a moment, Did you sell some special information from the temple, directly to the general?
Seeing her shock he laughs. "What, you think I'd forget my own child?"
Cica can certainly tell that Ilistra is barely holding it together. She'd been nervous during the whole meeting with the general, and now she looks like she's about to pee herself. It definitely doesn't appear that she's sold any information to him.
The general's smile does little to ease Ilistra's nerves. After the shock of hearing him acknowledge her, she finally finds her voice. "I didn't know what to think." After a pause, she adds, "Sir."
Before taking his leave, Garland went through all the proper and expected motions and words. However, upon noticing Ilistra's visible fear, he briefly hesitated. Part of him wanted to help his comrade, but he wasn't sure how... Moreover, something also told Garland that acting out of protocol would be unwise. As such, the masked legionnaire went with the second best option that came to mind; he searched for an appropriate place to wait for Ilistra to complete her meeting with the General and stayed there until she was finished.
Some hero you are, Garland.
"When one of Utilinus's nephews ended up in a unit under my command, I finally saw a chance to move you out of the kitchens. I didn't know what to expect. Clearly you have some of me in you or you would have never come back from the Shiv."
"Our relationship will remain a secret. You will receive ordinary treatment, the same as the rest of your unit. But, Ilistra, don't be mistaken. This is your chance. Make me proud; make this mission a success, and you will be Ruler caste. I could acknowledge you openly. Disappoint me, and well...you will simply be a dead mudblood auxiliary that no one will miss."
Ilistra tries to keep her face neutral, though the corners of her mouth tug down. She forces her head to nod. "I... see."
The realization settles on her like a heavy blanket that she would be with the unit for some time yet. But the slight glimmer of control over her own life starts seeping into her spinning thoughts. But with that, doubt. Would he actually allow her to be ruling caste, even if they succeeded? She was a casteless native half-breed, and nothing could change that. Right?
However, standing in front of her father was no time to voice those doubts. It was a long road ahead filled with dangers, but at least she was out of the kitchens.
"I understand. I will do what is required of me." She looks at him, the man who was her father, in this office surrounded by splendor. She could remember when she first saw it, when she was younger, just barely into womanhood. He seemed bigger then. Her mother held her hand as she brought her forward and explained to him how her village would not accept Ilistra. That she started fires accidentally. That her skin would grow so hot that it was painful to touch. And that he was her father and needed to acknowledge her, and take her in because the natives of the Grave would sooner kill her for who her father was.
She blinks and she's back in the present. Her mother is no longer standing next to her; she's alone with her father.
"Is... there anything else? Sir?"
The general offers her a businesslike nod, and then returns to the parchment littering his desk, taking up a quill.
Ilistra doesn't linger. She turns around, not really attempting any sort of military precision, and leaves the office.
When Ilistra steps out of the general's office, she seems less shaken up as when the unit had seen her last. She wears a troubled frown, but that is no uncommon expression on her. She's quiet as she rejoins the others.
Placidus stayed quiet during the meeting, joining Garland to wait outside after they were dismissed. He gives Ilistra a curious look, but decides not to press her. "Well, then. Should we go and check out the warehouse?"
”Yes, but you lot go on ahead, I will catch up...” Darius says before heading off, not adding further explanation.
"I was actually thinking that we meet with Alexandra first and work out the terms of her accompanying us," said Garland, also not wanting to press Ilistra. "I intended to say something on the matter at the end of the briefing, but the General ultimately answered my question first. Regardless, I would rather tell her the news sooner than later; given what a big undertaking this expedition will be, she deserves the full week to get her affairs in order."
Cica--not known for tact--gives Ilistra a light punch in the arm. "So...what the f&^k was that about? C'mon, I'm dying!"
"Sure, Garland, why don't you go let her know. Just don't promise any specific terms without chatting with us first.
"Placidus, I'll come with you to check out the warehouse. It can't be worse than our current site, and I need to find a place to practice with that starmetal I bought!"
She hefts him a hunk of silvery-white metal from her backpack that weighs barely half what it looks like it should.
"If I can manage it, this is going to make a damn fine breastplate."
Ilistra rubs the spot on her arm where she was playfully punched. Her mouth twists sourly. "He thinks I'm dumb native. Checked to see if I understand orders."
"Hmm... I would rather that we stick together," said Garland after a moment of thought. "I was just making my thoughts known; we still have plenty of daylight to burn, so I have no objections to checking out the warehouse first. Besides, meeting Alexandra should be something we do as a group."
Cica arches her eyebrow at the lie, but decides not to press further. "Well, he'll learn the truth about you soon enough, eh? Unless we all die of malaria or dengue fever, or get our throats slit by serpentfolk.
"Ha ha, I kid. The jungle's not so bad, once you get used to it. Now let's go check out the warehouse. When Darius comes back, we can go chat with Jask and Alexandra."
The unit (minus Darius) heads to the warehouse to check out their new accommodations, and to see what kind of storage space they are working with. They head west through New Haliad, walking the dusty dirt streets where numerous native vendors sell trinkets and street food off the blankets and small stands which crowd every lane and alleyway. The sellers periodically call out their wares and prices, adding to the cacophony of they day's business in the center of town. The heat is opressive. The smells of the tropical city are by turn enticing and disgusting - wafts of food and spices war with that of rotting refuse and the stench of sweaty crowded humanity. Small meager wooden native structures alternate with grandiose facades meant to evoke the marble buildings of the imperial homeland. All the while the sea sparkles sapphire blue to their right hand side.
As they are approaching the peninsula between Portside and Grallus Lock, there is a commotion up ahead. People start screaming further down the street. Moments, later a panicked mob tears down the street, fearfully pushing past the legionnaires. A vitan man in colonial style dress sees the unit and calls out, "They've set loose a pack of wild dogs!" as he runs by.
"Wha--who??" she asks, before realizing the man was already gone.
Then she shrugs and runs toward the commotion.
Party
Dogs
Cica charges forward through the mob, following the sound as best she can.
"Make way! Soldiers coming through!"
Meanwhile, Garland drew his awesome scythe and heroically followed Cica. Upon reaching the fork in the road, he called upon the mighty Spirit of Heroism for a Blessing! The noble Luna also rushed after her allies and prepared herself to fight her fellow canines.
Ilistra hurries forward as well, putting herself in between Garland and Placidus. Heat begins to shimmer off her body, threatening anything that would make flesh-to-skin contact with her.
Placidus rushes towards the barking as well, hot on Cica's heels.
The sound of paws pounding the dirt road precedes the arrival of two slavering wild dogs in front of Cica and Placidus. It sounds like there are more dogs out of sight in the surrounding alleyways.
================================
As Cica sees the dogs come close, she tries to recall anything she knows that might help in fighting them...but finds herself having a complete mental blank.
She stops running as the dogs come near. She draws her bow and gets off a quick shot...and misses.
Spitting in frustration with herself, she steps to the side so that Placidus can engage as well.
With a whistle for Luna stay behind and protect Ilistra, our hero Garland boldly advanced into melee range and readied an attack against the first enemy canine that drew near!
Ilistra gathers power in a showy display, then sends a blast of fire at whatever dog is still up.
"Comin' through!" Placidus shouts, before lowering his shield and plowing past his companions to avoid being bottled up uselessly in the alleyways by the frothing canines. They snap at his armored form as he runs past, but he manages to bowl one of them out of the way by main force.
Two of the dogs attack Placidus, flanking him. Back where the soldiers were before, Ilistra sees a dog tear around a corner headed her way, and fires a blast at it. She leaves a burnt streak down its flank, but that doesn't seem to deter the mad dog at all. Further to the south, more yapping can be heard. A man's voice cries out, "Help me, please! Anyone! HELP!"
================================
Cica stashes her bow, draws her longhammer, and swings it for the dog's face.
She allows the momentum of the hammer to spin her around to smack it a second time.
Luna uttered a heroic howl and charged the slightly singed wild dog!
Meanwhile, with Cica's intended target surely dead, Garland advanced on the mutt fighting Placidus!
Ilistra moves forward a few steps to target the dog fighting Luna. She doesn't have time to carefully gather her power, so her skin cracks and seeps flame as she infuses her blast with more intense heat.
Placidus steps to the side and kicks the dog blocking the way to the screaming man. The dog dodges nimbly out of the way.
The dog next to placidus bites at him.
The dog facing off with Luna growls and tries to take her off her feet.
A new dog tears around the corner and runs up to Ilistra, yapping and frothing at the mouth.
Meanwhile, the screams for help continue.
==============================
Ilistra takes a step away from the dog menacing her and fires another blast of flame at the one on Luna.
Ilistra's third blast puts the badly burned mad dog out of its misery.
Cica stashes her longhammer as she steps up beside Placidus. She draws her greatsword and attempts to bisect the dog.
Luna growled fiercely and rushed back to Ilistra's defense; once there, she tried biting at the throat of her evil counterpart!
With his path clear, the courageous Garland bravely raced toward the panicked cries for help!
Placidus tries to finish off the dog which Cica just wounded badly.
A single kick manages to finish the bisection she started. "Ugh, my boots! Gross..." Placidus complains.
The dog next to Luna bites back at her.
The cries for help are interrupted by the sound of a pained scream and flesh tearing, then they start back up even more panicked than before.
================================
Despite her injury, Luna continued to vigilantly engage her evil counterpart!
Meanwhile, Garland continued with his heroic hustle! As he blitzed into a more open area and approached a large statue, the masked legionnaire caught something from the corner of his eye: three wild dogs attacking a rather handsome man! Fearing for this gentleman's safety, Garland quickly attempted to draw some of their aggression toward himself!
"Hey!" he shouted at the vile canines.
Seeing Luna jump forward and engage the next dog, Ilistra charges up her flames in another showy display. After summoning extra power, she then hurls the fire at the rabid dog.
"Nice double-team! Now let's go see who's screaming."
Cica sheaths her greatsword and breaks into a full run, stopping just behind Garland.
Placidus hustles after Cica and Garland, slowed by his heavy armor.
Ilistra blasts the dog meancing her and Luna, as the wolf fails to get a grip on her foe. The dog does not catch fire.
The burnt dog bites back at Luna.
One of the remaining three hounds turns to confront Cica and Garland while its companions attack the cornered man.
The soldiers watch as one of the hounds latches on to the handsome man's calf, dragging him to the dirt as he screams in pain.
================================
During the half minute running melee, the streets have cleared of other bystanders. Only the thirteenth and the remaining mad dogs remain in sight. The cornered man looks to Garland and Cica, begging "Hurry!" He is wielding a longsword, but it is clear that he's been bitten more than once, and is a bit out of his league.
Placidus continues to jog after his friends, heavy armor clanking with each step.