Cherreads

Chapter 30 - Drop

Stirring under the covers, Dörk pulled himself up from under the sheets and sat on the edge of the bed. "Oh... I thought this would be more cushy." The night before, the resourceful wizard had stuck two single beds together, making something that looked cozy, but turned out totally the opposite.

Pulling up his pants over the waist, he next proceeded to do something quite intimate. Finding and using the bathroom. Donning his boots, he climbed down the stairs down the kitchen and shooing over the room he thought Nyx was crashing in, swinging the door open but the golem-girl was not around. "Heh... Already gone. Pff... not even a 'goodbye' or 'good morning'. Young people these days, I guess." He said with a little nausea, realizing that he might easily becoming one of those kind of old people. Looking around the room, the wizard found nothing of value. A few candle holders, a mirror, the wardrobe and a dresser.

Opening another door, Dörk stumbled after exactly what he wanted, the bathroom. The floor, like the rest of the house, was covered in wooden planks, but what he saw was interesting. "Wow this is cool." he remarked happily. In the corner of the small room was a wooden tub with two pipes coming out of it into a stove. "Hot water, nice!" But still no toilet. "I think it's outside." he frowned.

Behind the kitchen, a door led into a secluded courtyard no bigger than the attic where he had slept last night. And yes, the toilet was there.

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Where to now?

Nyx, carrying his weapons, had just left the shared house with 'dick-head' Dörk. Although he wasn't being as asshole as before. The sun was a little above sunrise, meaning he had to get to work, even if it wasn't what he wanted to do. Well... traveling isn't all walking and fun, I suppose. 

Leaving the cul-de-sac, Nyx couldn't overlook the few skybinders showing up down the road, which included Jerry. "Morning, Nyx-chan! Have you rested well?"

The golem nodded, not sure what conversation Jerry wanted to have, Nyx just pointed down the road, trying to slip through the boys' fingers. Eh... sorry Jerry, but it's too early to be having you to talk.

The young male wizard just yawned. "Yeah I understand, I helped with the rest in the infirmary, quite a lot of wounded" he remarked sad. "Oh well.. we'll get back later after some good sleep." he licks his dry lips. "And after-after maybe some food. Anyway... good luck out there!" he waves, to which the rest of the wizards copy the gesture. The golem couldn't help to stop the smile creeping up her face when people like Jerry existed. The smile then breaks when he couldn't help himself not to remember Sam, another true friend, and Lila... Leika.

Shaking the feeling away, the living statue move on the path. Hmm... I think I'll go to the barracks. 

With all the houses abandoned, were now occupied by soldiers, carrying different chores. Despite the boulders thrown over the wall, the damage was relatively ignorable, easing the need for repairs. Now walking down the road, the trees were greener than around Elth. Must be because we're further south. Nyx thought about the weather Neither cold like winter, nor a warm summer... spring maybe? Remembering the more southern lands having rainy and dry seasons.

Reaching a wider intersection, the golem could see the short towers of the barracks beyond a few buildings. At the same time, there was a small wagon loaded with barrels nearby, leading to the barracks. "I brought water to drink! Open the gate wide already!" he shouted to the guard on the wall.

By the time the gate opened, Nyx had moved past the wagon and advanced towards the compound.

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"Who are you?" a man dressed in similar red armor as officer Lenny stood in front of the 'girl'. He was quite apprehensive, not only had this girl moved carelessly through the private compound reserved only for high access personnel, but she had a patrunnish look on her face.

Not having an immediate response, the man just boiled over. "Such insubordination! I am Major Parka! You will answer me when I talk to you!" he yelled. But around the corner at the end of the hall, Lenny looked curious about what might be going on. Seeing his colleague's anger, Lenny could only chuckle.

"You can yell all you want, Parka.. but the 'girl' is mute." Lenny just grinned at Parka. The man of equal rank slid down the hall next to his comrade. "But yes, what are you doing here?" he said, more in a less irked manner. Lenny had already complained his worries about this creature, Nyx what's-her-name was, to the general. Explaining the intel he had gleaned from the wizard to the general, Nowak also became a little more intrigued. Yet he ordered so the woman be followed and analyzed. And now the golem was looking for trouble on her first day.

This time, the construct had at least managed to pull a notebook out of its little pouch. With a bit of a fiddle, it offers the page to the officer. "Collecting bodies." Lenny read aloud, but before he could offer his own feedback, Parka had grabbed his own sword.

He hadn't pulled it out yet, though, but he had stained the statue. "Is this girl mad?!" but Lenny grabbed the man by the shoulder.

"Easy Parka, remember? We start cleaning today." Another bad thought about the girl. Talking to the general and finding out that the girl would take part in disposing of the fallen men, Lenny wanted nothing more than to get rid of her. But she was already here, and on time. Hmm..

"Ok, team line up!" one man spoke, causing around 20 men to turn their attention. "Officer Lenny, you have the command." the man stepped back, letting Lenny to continue.

He coughed for a second and proceeded to speak. "From today we'll begin cleaning the front. Although 2nd battalion suffered huge losses, and after the aid of the 3rd battalion, we need to get our comrades to a resting place. Today we start digging and burying as many as we can, so please, hurry. You're clear to begin." He saluted, making everyone else to do the same.

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This is the worst..

Nyx thought, one of his eyes twitching.

After Lenny explained I would be joining the team, a few soldiers turned hot heels over me. And along the way, a few decided I would be their main preoccupation, trying to 'talk' to me. Curiosity killed the cat, a few dumb asses realized scared I wasn't a 'toy' like that. But one armed enough to get their asses killed.

"Come on straggler, keep up with the work." one of the soldiers remarked to me, getting himself a look from the commander in charge. He, along with 8 others and myself were digging a rather large hole in the dirt of the field and cutting through roots, while the rest were pulling the wagon down the road, where the line of dead men was starting.

Disgusting... I remarked to myself, looking to the lines of dead men and monsters, frowning and just getting back to work. 

In the small distance, one could see lots of machines, likely brought in by the lizard folk, for breaking through the gate or scale the walls. Some burned, some in pieces, but never making pass the tranches. Never mind, just dig for now.

But the rest of the soldiers had already brought a dozen dead in the cart. "Sir, what about their equipment?" asked the one who was directing the steed.

The old man, a lieutenant who had not yet introduced himself to me by name, nodded at the man's question. "Take the chain armor, along with the helmets, the metal of the boots and of gloves." That being said, the lieutenant returned back to digging with the rest of us. "Ah! And weapons, pick up and start bringing weapons. And the broken ones, I think we'll mend them back if we can, if not, we melt it. Everything, okay?" he exhaled loudly.

Just keep digging the hole... I tell myself, ignoring the chat and the sound of corpses dropped from the cart.

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A knock at the door gets the general's attention. "Who is it?"

"Dörk, sir. May I come in?" 

Nowak just growls. "Come in." And Dörk does as he's told. The questioning magician stops in the middle of the room. "You've got some nerve to be late. 'Your' creation, arrived three hours ago. Clearly showing her 'intelligence'. " He said, stopping from his scribbling and rubbing his beard. "Where have you been?" the general said with an unfriendly tone.

Dörk just smirks, expecting this kind of reaction from the general. "Oh just looking around for what needs to be done, fixed, improved." the main man fiddled with one of the rings on his hand. "And I was wondering how to help the soldiers."

Nowak, seeing that the wizard didn't seem too direct, was beginning to lose patience. "You were delayed because you were helping my soldiers? How?" he raises an eyebrow. "I don't have time to chatter! You were late and now you're wasting my time! What do you want?" Nowak growls at the man.

The wizard merely raises his hands protectively. "I promise, I've been around and talked with what I need and what would be useful." He pulls the long scroll from his back. "Even before arriving, I came prepared!" 

The general merely sighed, wondering what the wizard could do. Opening the scroll, rows of strange signs were marked in black ink on it. "I am a glyph specialist. Spent more than 30 years of my life perfecting it. And I had ideas." he gives a smile.

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