The others stumbled in by the minute. Bard was bleeding. Hokon carried two Sylvarith heads like trophies, but his swagger drained the second he saw what had happened.
"We need to move—he won't last," Fat Bondo said, crouching beside Stank.
The captain coughed blood and tried to talk, but words got stuck somewhere under the blood. "They… came… outta no…"
He didn't finish. Didn't need to. They all understood.
Aldrich crouched, eyes on the Sylvarith corpses. The wounds were deep. Clean. All five were definitely killed by one person, he could tell. And if he would guess, it was the man in a skin-suit who could barely breathe now. He was impressed.
"He won't survive four hours back," Hokon muttered. "And we need to warn the rest."
"Yeah," Aldrich said, scanning the tree line. "These were just scouts. More will come."
Kartika stepped forward, eyes tight. "So what now?"
"You all go. I'll take care of Stank." Aldrich replied.
The silence that followed was telling. They weren't used to the pretty boy giving orders. Let alone volunteering to stay behind with a dying captain.
But no one argued.
"I'll stay with you," Haku offered.
"No," Aldrich said, quiet but final. "Won't take long."
They left. Feet crunching back through leaves, talk kept low. No one looked back.
Stank tried to speak again. Aldrich crouched, as he let him try. Watched his lips fumble the shape of something that never quite made it.
Then Stank nodded, barely, but Aldrich saw it.
"Okay," he whispered.
The blade slid in fast and quiet, right through the heart. Stank's body jerked once, then went still. Eyes open, but no longer seeing. Aldrich closed them with a thumb. Then he carved the core from the chest.
It sank into his skin like it was always meant to be there. Warmth crawled through his bones, sweet and slow. His breath hitched just once.
Then he stood. Looked over the scene. Five dead Sylvariths. Three dead men.
War was inching closer.
He turned and slipped back into the trees.
**************************************************
By the time they reached camp, the sun had slumped down and the shadows stretched long. No one spoke much. They just dropped into the grass, into silence. Like the air had grown too heavy for words. Aldrich had caught up with them not too long after taking care of the captain.
Aldrich watched Bard cradle his arm.
"You should see someone about that," he said.
"After we figure out what to report," Bard muttered.
Aldrich's brow furrowed. "We tell the truth."
Kartika let out a tired laugh. "You're new."
"I'm not stupid." Aldrich let out, offended.
"Do you know of the squad that killed their captain?" Kartika said, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "It didn't matter what happened. They were punished. Publicly."
"The highlanders called for their heads, all of them. But Konor, he is a good man. He was able to water down their punishment." Hokon spoke this time.
"What does this have to do with us? We did not kill our captain, I mean I did, but he was a dead man anyway," Aldrich frowned.
"They would not care to listen. For all they know, we ambushed and killed him." Kartika spoke.
"We lost two Lowlanders as well," Aldrich snapped.
"No one cares," Haku said. His voice was low. Bitter.
Aldrich stared at the ground for a moment, jaw tense. "So what happened to them?"
"Squad 15?" Kartika replied. "Public flogging. Half rations. Permanent cleanup duty."
"They stayed?"
"They were convinced. Konor's got a silver tongue," Kartika said, shrugging. "He sold it to them as a way to regain their honor."
Aldrich didn't say anything. Not for a while. Konor's name sat in his head like a stone in his boot. Irritating. Hard to ignore. Harder to remove.
Then something clicked.
Squad 15?
That was where Shaun was going to assign Alan as captain.
"Where is Squad 15's tent located?" He asked.
"End of the peg trail." Haku said, watching him.
"Don't talk. Don't do anything until I get back," Aldrich said, already rising.
"They'll want the report tonight," Hokon called.
"I'll be quick," Aldrich replied, and vanished into the dark.
The peg trail twisted through the tents like a vein. At the very end, one of the tents stood by itself, quiet, almost too quiet. Two men crouched outside, tossing rocks into a box like they didn't have a care in the world.
Aldrich knew the game. Played it a thousand times back in Eastend alleys.
They noticed him and stood. Twins. Same face, different stories.
The one on the right had metal crawling across his skin, nose ring, lip studs, brow spikes. The other was different, free of the metals that inhabited his twin's face.
"You lost?" the pierced one asked, licking his lips. "Or you just wanna see the squad that butchered their captain?"
He jabbed a finger into Aldrich's shoulder. Harder than necessary.
Aldrich's stare turned to frost. "Looking for Alan. He's your captain."
"Green hair?" the other twin asked. "Are you Aldrich?"
"Yes."
"Damn, man!" the pierced twin laughed. "Almost struck you!"
"Would've been your last mistake," Aldrich said, tone flat.
"He's out back," the unpierced twin said, nodding toward the rear of the tent. "He's talked about you."
Aldrich said nothing. Just walked around the tent and found them.
Alan and his squad sat in a circle, laughing like they had all been friends for ages.
He watched them for a second longer than necessary.
Then he stepped forward.
"Oh, Aldrich!" Alan's head snapped up at the sight of his friend, the squad turning in unison.
"This the Aldrich you've been raving about?" a member with red hair grinned.
"In the flesh," Alan laughed, striding over to clasp Aldrich's shoulder.
"And here I was, worried about you," Aldrich said, a smile breaking through.
"Oh? The tales reached you, huh?" Alan slung an arm around him, as they took a walk away from the group.
"So, are they exaggerated?" Aldrich asked.
"Trust me, not a bit. They butchered that captain like a poultry bird," Alan chuckled darkly.
"You don't seem bothered about it," Aldrich noted, an eyebrow arching.
Alan shrugged, snagging a stick from the ground and twirling it deftly.
"They're misunderstood. Word is, he was a real bastard, bad enough for them to risk the fallout of killing him."
Aldrich cared little for the squad's motives. Alan's safety was his focus. As long as Alan was fine, why they did what they did mattered little to him.
"I scouted with my squad today," he said, eyes glinting.
"Look at you, having a blast," Alan teased.
"Nothing fun about watching your captain die," Aldrich scoffed.
Alan froze, halting Aldrich mid-step. "What happened?"
"Sylvariths," Aldrich muttered, gaze dropping.
"Where?" Alan pressed.
"Latip Forest," Aldrich replied, running a hand through his hair.
"Damn it, Aldrich, they're closing in. We need to leave this place."
"I know, and I can tell my friends aren't here anyway, but—" Aldrich turned to him.
"Here we go again," Alan rolled his eyes, anticipating the pivot.
"Alan, that box holds something dangerous. I need to know what," Aldrich insisted.
"How are you so sure?" Alan tossed the stick aside, facing him.
"A secret Parano settlement, off the map, with an Aramiel temple at its heart. That box might explain it all," Aldrich said.
Alan sighed, shoulders slumping. "You always chase trouble."
"And that's why you stick with me," Aldrich grinned.
"I follow because you're intriguing," Alan smiled back. "So, what's the plan?"
"I need to meet Konor, there is a good chance I might uncover the box's secret," Aldrich rubbed his smooth chin.
"There's a meeting tonight. Captains, commanders, generals. All with him," Alan said.
"Need I remind you, dear Alan, I'm just a lowly grunt with no title?" Aldrich quipped.
"Didn't your captain just die? Stand in for him," Alan suggested.
"They'd not even let me get close once they see there is no core on my chest," Aldrich shrugged.
Alan grabbed a shirt from a wire, handing it over. "This should buy time before they notice you lack a core," he said, watching Aldrich slip it on. "Perfect fit," he grinned.