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18thDay of Nova

128thI.E.

Upon Dane's return to Rogust from Chestersfield, he began to spend the majority of the time doing odd jobs to keep busy. He began working on keeping the armory stocked and prepared, something usually reserved for lower ranking soldiers. Dane would walk the streets some days and help anyone he could, including conjuring food for starving homeless individuals on the sides of the roads and paying a visit to the old orphanage he had been sent to as a child. His time spent off duty was taken up mostly with a project he'd taken upon himself to repair the roofing and put new siding onto the building and to tend to the gardens to make the place a little nicer. He did everything he could think of to take his mind off of Aiden, and to be around as many people as often as possible.

Unfortunately, the time to head for Sanctuary arrived faster than expected. Dane had polished his armor and sword and they sat on his armor rack. It shimmered with a lustrous sheen. He'd also copied Aiden's spell book down and put it in his own, and though it was hard, he was slowly moving on, taking things one day at a time. He didn't think he would ever use any of his friend's spells, but it brought him some comfort to always have some part of Aiden with him at all times.

He practiced some of the simpler spells that Aiden had loved, like conjuring a globe of water that floated in his hands. It would follow his movements as he moved his fingers, leaving droplets of water suspended in the air for a moment before dripping to the ground. It glittered like a liquid jewel in the light, and when he was done, he would slurp the cool waters up. He would smile to himself when he would remember a time not too long ago where he couldn't even create water with his magic.

When the day finally came to leave Rogust behind and head to Sanctuary, Dane made sure to pay a visit to Talia and his other professors to say goodbye. He wasn't sure how long he'd be gone, but from what he'd heard his tour could last as long as several years. Some of the other soldiers, like Surrel and Willard and others who had not been with the military very long, were nervous and upset about the orders to work in Sanctuary. Dane was used to these kinds of changes though. He'd already uprooted himself from his home town once before, and the second time around wouldn't be as scary.

Dane had taken it upon himself to try and offer whatever comfort he could to those beneath him. It was a good distraction from his wandering mind that always seemed to gravitate back to thoughts of his lover. In return, the troops treated him with more respect and were quicker to enact his orders. Even Elizabeth was loosening up around him and wasn't so quick to remind him of military law anymore. That was something Dane was very grateful for.

Digran's Dreadnaughts were ordered to assemble just outside the Waygate, a structure gifted to Rogust by the Elves of Kitair that connected them to Sanctuary. All the member races of the Freedom Coalition had a Waygate, except for the minotaur, whom turned it down due to their distrust of the arcane.

The Waygate was guarded within a section of the city that was sealed off by military forces, spiked barricades, and magical wards. None could enter without the Empire's permission. As Dane stepped into the courtyard where the Waygate sat, he stared in awe at the huge structure. Stones roughly carved into trapezoid shapes were joined together to form a circular archway. Each stone had a unique rune carved into the face of the stone, and Dane recognized it as Sylvan, an old language of the elves that was no longer used. He couldn't read it, but he'd seen it on wall scrolls and in books back at the Academy. What he did know was that the runes inscribed on the Waygate described a location along a ley-line that it connected to, and it acted as a two-way portal between Sanctuary and Rogust.

Four sorcerers stood before the gate, arranged in a semi-circle around it. Dane could feel the magics they were silently working as they pooled their energies together to power up the Waygate. The portal spawned by the structure consumed a great deal of mana that made it impossible to use everyday and it did not remain stable for very long. Small groups could move through the portal, but anything larger than a single unit or two risked getting caught in the space between realities when the portal collapsed. He hated to think what might exist in the void between space and time.

Dane had teleported many, many times, but it had only ever been by himself or with one other person. As the mages began to cast their ritual to activate the portal, he wondered if it would feel any different to travel through the Waygate. He could still recall a time when he was younger when he'd first experienced teleportation, and how sick it made him. A wave of anxiousness washed over him as he worried that he might react the same way to the Waygate's portal. Dane swallowed hard, hoping he wouldn't make a spectacle of himself in front of his fellow troops.

"Alright ladies," Digran shouted from the head of their unit, trying to be heard over the increasing thrum of the portal activating. "As soon as the portal opens, step through it. We don't have time for you nancy-boys to wait around."

_Idiot,_Dane thought as he frowned at his commander's behaviour.

The runes began to light up, their etchings coming to life with a bright golden-white aura. They started from the bottom of each side of the archway, and lit up in sequence until the final, largest rune at the apex of the Waygate began to shine. With the sound of an thunderclap, a plume of what looked like water exploded outward and then collapsed back into the archway, forming a perfectly circular, swirling blue portal.

"Let's move!" Digran shouted as he led the Dreadnaughts through the Waygate.

Dane came up a few people behind him, and he flinched slightly when he touched the portal and it felt as if he was being submerged in water.Would I even be able to breath? Would it be instantaneous? Before finally crossing the threshold, Dane took in a big gulp of air and stepped through, feeling as if he'd plunged into the ocean.

He was only inside the portal for a few seconds, but for that entire time all he could hear was the whoosh and roar of the energies spiraling around him like he was in a hurricane of magical power. When he stepped out of the portal on the other side, he released his breath, and he realized he hadn't even needed to hold it in the first place as no time had passed. His clothes were also dry, despite the liquid sensation the portal had.

"TRUESHOT! Let's go, keep moving!" Digran shouted.

Dane snapped to attention and ran to his CO's side with the rest of the 81st. Once they were all finally out of the portal, another troop stepped up to the Waygate and marched through. Dane assumed they were the unit they were replacing. As the last of the soldiers headed through, the portal began to waver and collapse in on itself as the magic faded.

The hum of energy slowly died down as the Dreadnaught's connection to their homeland was cut off, and the realization hung there with a dead silence among the troops. The salty tang of the sea air had been replaced with the scent of pine trees and the muddy waters of the nearby lake. Dane knew that Sanctuary was in the middle of the continent, at least twenty days march from the Rogust borders. But when he no longer smelt the sea, it was finally cemented in his mind that they were far from home.

"Commander Digran?" a soldier asked as he approached them. He had short, dirty blond hair and a cherubic face. He was only wearing his blue and white military fatigues and had a sheathed sword at his hip.

"Yes, right here."

"Corporal Roweon Taille of the 2ndInternational Division reporting for duty," the soldier said, saluting Digran. "We've heard you've sustained some losses to your troops, and as such, I've been ordered along with Private Arthur Trine and Sergeant Felisha Jicard to join your unit."

Dane thought the order to be given replacement troops was weird since the 81stwasn't exactly hurting for numbers. They'd been going thirty-three strong once they had returned from Northpine, and it didn't seem like they would need any more than that.

"I don't need any more layabouts in my unit," Digran spat.

"With all due respect, they're orders from the top. Headquarters feels you need the replacements as well as soldiers who are familiar with the region," Roweon replied.

"Whatever. Fall in line then. We're going to set up in the barracks and then get to work. Let's move." Digran said as he lead the march away from the Rogarian Waygate to the military barracks where they were going to be living for the duration of their tour.

Corporal Taille came up behind Digran and marched beside Dane, who found himself not wanting Roweon being there. The rank of Corporal belonged to Aiden, not some nobody living halfway across a continent. He refused to acknowledge the man's existence. He knew that it was an irrational thing to think, but it annoyed him to no end to see Roweon walking alongside him.

"Ah, excuse me, Lieutenant," Roweon began to say, "I didn't catch your name."

Why in the Pantheon's name is he gravitating towards me? Dane thought, feeling his hand tighten on the pommel of his sword.

"Lieutenant Dane Trueshot, Warmage, First class."

"Mage huh? We don't see too many of you guys in the Empire's forces." Taille said out loud, and Dane was annoyed by it. He was growing tired of people pointing out the obvious to him. "Well, a tip for you if I may offer it, Lieutenant?"

"What's that?" he asked, barely keeping the annoyance out of his voice.

"You should go see the Olaraan Quarter of town. Not only do they have a wonderful selection of smokes and spirits, they have a diverse array of shops for those who practice magic. There might be a thing or two there that would interest someone of your profession. I don't know what it is you all do, but there's bound to be tomes or scrolls or potions there you might find useful."

Dane considered the man's suggestion, and had to agree that it would be worth looking into while he was taking his tour of Sanctuary. The dwarves were known for their skill in the arcane, being naturally attuned to its energies and able to manipulate it with more ease than sorcerers from other races. They were sure to have a number of scrolls and books on the subject that would prove to be useful.

"Thank you for the recommendation, Corporal. I'll be sure to look into it," Dane told him, and he was surprised to find that he actually meant it.

The Dreadnaughts came up on the barracks as they circled around the heavy stone walls that fortified it. The gate-house had an iron-wrought portcullis inside an archway, with several windows for the guards to watch through. Inside the courtyard, stairs on either side led up to the ramparts, which circled around the entire base. A forge was tucked away in the corner beneath a tin roof that slanted to one side. A barrel sat beneath a gutter to collect rainwater. Beside the forge was a stable that housed a handful of horses. In the center was the barracks proper, where the sleeping and eating quarters were.

"Corporal, where is my room?" Digran asked.

Dane noted that the man had said "my" room and not "our" rooms.

"The 81stwill be staying in either the eastern or western sides of the base," Roweon responded, pointing to the entrance of the barracks.

The main hall had several large pillars holding the roof up and a vaulted ceiling. Braziers hung from iron chains, providing a rudimentary light sources. The corners of the hall had several potted plants to add some color to an otherwise cold and stone building. The floor had a sky blue carpet, and across from the entrance were two sets of stairs and the mess hall.

"The prison is below the base, down those steps," Roweon said. The 81st began to split off an pick their bunks, while the Corporal continued to lead the officers around. "You and your officers will be upstairs, where we keep the officer's quarters."

"Fine. Lead the way."

"Certainly. Lieutenant Trueshot, Sergeant...?"

"Sergeant-Major Elizabeth Vedray" she responded, having remained quiet since before stepping through the portal.

"Sergeant Vedray. Right this way," Roweon led them upstairs, leaving the rest of the Dreadnaughts behind to get set up.

The upper level of the barracks was wider and more open than the lower level. Another blue and white carpet sat in the center of the foyer, with suits of plate armor mounted along the walls. The armor looked old and worn, and Dane spotted plaques at the bottoms of the stands that named a number of officers that he did not recognize. Their armor had been retired along with them, from what Dane could tell.

There were three doors in the foyer, one directly west of them, and then two on the sides. Roweon gestured to the one at the far end. "Commander, that's your quarters. You'll find it's larger and better equipped than the others."

"As it should be." Digran said as he moved over to inspect the room. "Have Private Trine bring my belongings up. I wish to see if he can follow a few simple orders." Before he shut the door, Dane could swear he felt the man's eyes boring into him.

"Bastard..." Dane whispered under his breath, not caring if either of the other two soldiers heard what he'd said. Elizabeth would likely say something to Digran later, but he didn't waste a second more worrying about it.

"Is everything alright, Lieutenant?" Roweon asked.

Dane nodded, "Everything's fine." He didn't even attempt to hide his sarcasm. He swiveled around to look at Vedray. "Which room did you want, Sergeant?"

"You're the higher rank, you get first pick sir." she replied. He urged her to pick anyways, and she decided on the northern one. "I'd like to look out at the lake at night, if that's alright with you."

"Fine with me." Dane said as he picked up his belongings.

"Have you been here before, Sergeant?" Roweon asked as Dane moved to head into his quarters.

"Many times, with my family before I joined the military. I'm from a family of merchants and we used to sell a lot of leather here before moving to the capital." Elizabeth's voice faded as Dane closed the door behind him, shutting out both her and the annoying Corporal.

Dane looked at his room as the luminescent globes came to life when they sensed his presence, and began to unpack his belongings. Though he could evoke a simple fire to light his room, he was comforted to find that would not be necessary. It was hard to work under candle light.

The room had a lot of things he never got to have when he was growing up. There was an armor rack for his equipment that he would have to set up later, if he even thought it would be worth his time. He also had an actual bed instead of one of the standard issue cots he'd been sleeping on previously. It sat against the wall across from a large desk, which only had a quill and ink bottle on top of it. It'd been hard to do any sort of scribing or spell work while sitting on a cot and leaning forward, so Dane felt quite excited that he'd no longer have to break his back to do any of his work or research. He was pleased to see that he'd finally moved out of the barracks and into a proper officer's room.

At the end of the room he had a large windowed double door that opened up onto a balcony. He stepped outside and looked out across the city.

_Oh wow, you can see the entire south side of the city from here. The dwarven quarter looks so interesting with their squat little homes,_he thought.

Though the Rogarian base sat near the western walls of Crystal Lake, the city stretched out far to the south from what Dane could see. The only district that could be seen from his perch was the Olaraan Quarter, and he could see the architecture gradually change as the Rogarian Quarter melted away and met the other part of town. Beyond that, Dane could see the rolling Kelial Plains that covered a large portion of Rogust's land to the west and a part of the Olaraan border to the south.

Sanctuary was constructed in a mostly circular shape, except for the portion of the city that stretched along the lake's shore. The center of the city was the neutral section belonging to the city-state itself. The western side was given to Rogust, while the southern quarter belonged to Olaraa. Kitair operated out of the eastern quarter, and the minotaur from the Snowhoof Plateau occupied the northwestern shores long the lake. Each quarter was divided by man-made rivers and stone walls. The center part of the city stretched up to the northern shore, where the docks resided. This was a neutral section of the city, so that neither member nation could claim ownership of the docks.

The city wasn't as big as Rogust. Dane would never have been able to see outside of the city from anywhere other than the Ivory Tower or atop the Providence back home. However, he mused, Crystal Lake was a much nicer looking place to be, and a part of him was excited to explore this new land.

Dane wished he could share this new experience with Aiden, and though the thought filled him with sadness, he held back the tears. He was tired of crying, and he promised himself that he'd never show his weakness again. Even with Aiden gone, he would not like it if all he did with his time was mourn his loss.

A knock at the door sounded, followed by Digran's booming voice. "Trueshot! You're mobilizing within the hour! You have border patrol to attend to!"

Dane sighed as he gathered up his gear and started to suit up. "Yessir!" he shouted back as he hurried. Digran would not stand for tardiness.

Once he was dressed, there was another knock on the door. Dane stood up and said, "Enter."

Corporal Taille stepped into the room and saluted. Dane's expression melted into a scowl as soon as he saw him. The last thing he wanted to deal with was this man again.

"Sir, I thought before we're to head out I'd bring you a report on the current affairs in Sanctuary," he said, holding a rolled up parchment in his hands. "This is from the previous commander, the one you passed on the way through the portal."

"Alright, let's have it," he said, striding over to Roweon and swiping the scroll from his hands. "Digran informed me a few weeks ago that we're here to replace the idiots who couldn't do their job properly. Is that true?"

"Read it, sir, and find out for yourself," Roweon told him, then clicked his boots together and saluted. The man left without another word and Dane began to read the report.

"What in the Pantheon's name is this?" Dane asked out loud to the empty room. The report detailed current events within Sanctuary and their possible causes. News of an attack on Xenaria had reached Sanctuary and there was word of an impending invasion of Olaraa by an enemy that had yet to be identified. There had been numerous raids against messengers and caravan merchants coming and going from Sanctuary, bringing trade between the Coalition to a standstill and destroying communication.

How have we not heard about this back in the homeland? Dane wondered.

Dane flipped the parchment over to find a crudely drawn map of the region on a separate sheet, and on it were countless red X's where raids had reportedly taken place. Many of them had even occurred right outside the city's main gates, and accounts of the incidents were flimsy at best.

There's so many! How could the military have let this go on for so long?

As Dane read on, he learned that riots had begun to break out in Sanctuary as merchants grew increasingly upset over the lack of action being taken by the military. Without any goods coming or going, these people were losing their livelihood and they couldn't make ends meet.

Dane set the report aside on his desk and sighed. The next few weeks were going to be busy. A small smile began to creep over his face. Perhaps now I will be able to begin making a difference in the world, like we always dreamed of doing.

With new-found resolve, Dane grabbed his sword, latched it to his belt, and left his quarters to go round up his men. They were going to have their work cut out for them.