Arturo found it difficult to believe how smoothly things were going. He had good fighters from Skahad, Malvarian, and the Forest Dwellers. He hoped to have the same luck in Eshil Domain. There were some squabbles between the three cultures, which was no surprise considering their different customs. Still, the worst that had happened thus far had been a few fights with some broken bones. It was all due to a misunderstanding, something he quickly solved, and the fighting stopped, for now.

  The soldiers from Skahad and the Forest Dwellers were getting along quite nicely, even sitting next to each other, talking, and even laughing! Perhaps, given time, the soldiers from Malvarian would also get along with the Forest Dwellers. At least they should, or Arturo would need to throw out the troublemakers.

  If all it takes is some time, then we’ll be set, assuming the invaders stay back a bit longer. Arturo thought. He felt pressured to get to each nation as soon as possible.

  He wished there were a way to get new recruits to get along with the Forest Dwellers sooner rather than later. How could he get people from all the nations to work together in his army? Jen had warned him there would be conflicts and not just with the Forest Dwellers. There was no missing the tension between some of the soldiers from Skahad and Malvarian. He had over a hundred men now and that would grow to over two hundred fifty if things went well with Eshil Domain, Vandalor, and Azzellia.

  Still, even Jen told him she had expected more infighting or someone to kill one another. Before allowing any recruits to join his army, he told every recruit who joined the Shields of Aidris that murder and rape would be a death sentence and he would personally lop off their head. He also let them know that if they refused to get along with a group of people because of where they came from, then they shouldn’t bother joining.

  Azzellia. His home was a place he hadn’t been part of for a few years now. He’d been back for brief amounts of time when he was with the Crystal Syndicate but had never stayed long. Going back was going to be difficult and that was why it was last on his list.

  Rumors began spreading about a couple of mages going missing and that Talon might be involved. Some said Talon killed them, while others spoke of how the mages were captured or served him. All ridiculous, how could a king capture power users? Even if Talon had that power, he wouldn’t be stupid enough to antagonize the mages. That was a death sentence as history had shown.

  A gust of wind brushed across Arturo’s face, cooling him, though only slightly. The heat was beginning to drop as night began to fall. It was almost time to stop and make camp. King Harold should be aware of him by now. No nation would let one hundred foreigners enter their lands and not keep an eye on them.

  “When will we fight more than bandits?” Eurisha asked, snapping Arturo out of his thoughts.

  He had forgotten the others riding with him. “Whenever the invaders come,” Arturo said.

  “That could be years. Hopefully, you don’t plan to march us around all the nations until then?” Eurisha said.

  “Of course not,” Arturo said. “I imagine we’ll be fighting sooner than you think.”

  “My people have heard of these invaders. One of them beat you in one-on-one combat, right?” Eurisha asked.

  Arturo nodded.

  “Then they are worth the wait,” Eurisha said.

  “You crave battle so badly?” Jen cut in.

  Eurisha glanced at Jen before looking forward. “My people like to fight. It stops petty squabbles between each other and it’s been a long time since we’ve sent an army out of our borders,” Eurisha said.

  “So, you fight among each other?” Tarmon asked.

  “Sometimes,” Eurisha said reluctantly. “Not like you outlanders. We don’t send full armies and kill thousands.”

  Arturo listened to the conversation while staring ahead. Eurisha went into a little more detail about how their conflicts involved some killings, though usually less than a hundred. If disputes looked like they were going too far, other clans would intervene and act as mediators to resolve the issue.

  It was interesting, and Arturo wondered if the Forest Dwellers had ever had a civil war. He doubted Eurisha would tell him, at least not now. Perhaps he could get an answer out of her in the future.

  “Did the Whispering Mists ever send out messages to the other kings on who was behind the raids?” Tarmon asked.

  “I don’t know,” Arturo said.

  “Messages were sent,” Jen said at the same time. “I don’t think the kings believe it. Other than Azzellia and Vandalor, the other nations don’t believe the invaders are real.”

  “Why do you think that?” Tarmon asked.

  “Because of how long it’s been since the raids started. No major army has shown itself, and it’s been over three years,” Jen said.

  If the rebellions hadn’t happened, Arturo was positive the invaders would have made a lot of young men happy, as it would be a chance to get your name out in the world. There had been conflicts between nations over the decades, but nothing too big. The rebellions were the first major conflicts in a long time and had exhausted the nations. This was why nobody wanted the invaders to be real, or that’s what Arturo believed. Whether that was coincidence or planned by the Durmaddons, Arturo doubted he would ever know.

  “It is hard to believe. The Durmaddon family was thought to have been wiped out. Can we blame the kings for not believing it?” Tarmon asked.

  “Yes,” Arturo said. He was sick of kings who couldn’t think beyond their selfish interests. What goal would he have to lie about the enemy? “What does anyone gain by saying the Durmaddon family is back?”

  Jen sighed, shaking her head, and brushed her red hair out of her eyes. “You don’t understand politics at all. There’s been distrust between the nations for many years, and the kings think there is a secret plan.”

  “I’ve always hated politics,” Achillion said.

  The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

  “Me too,” Arturo said.

  “Hate it or not, it’s how the world works,” Jen said.

  Arturo said nothing and rode on for another hour. The sun was starting to drop fast before he stopped. “We’ll make camp here,” he said.

  Word spread quickly around the camp, and the horses were tied to trees and camps were set up. The night began, and fires were lit, illuminating the night. Arturo wandered around the camp, gauging the mood. For the most part, it was a peaceful night. Someone from Malvarian challenged a Forest Dweller to a fistfight and lost. Surprisingly, a couple of the Malvarian men had won their fights against the Forest Dwellers. At least their fighting wasn’t resulting in broken bones and almost appeared more competitive than ill-intentioned.

  One of the Forest Dwellers was laughing with someone from Malvarian. Arturo walked around the camp, talking to various soldiers. It was something he tried to do every night, speak to his men. He didn’t want to be a faceless leader, though he felt that way at times. A part of him was closed off, not wanting to get too close to his men.

  Some of the soldiers in his army were interesting. Omar, a Malvarian, wanted to save his money to go home and buy his parents a nicer house since their current one was falling apart. Alexander of Skahad wanted to become a legend. Another wanted to open a store with the money earned through fighting. Some just wanted an adventure.

  Everyone who joined had a reason to. Arturo knew a lot of them wouldn’t make it, for war was full of death, and despite seeking skilled warriors, it would be impossible to keep everyone alive.

  After walking around the camp, Arturo began walking back to his tent. The others were starting to get along, at least better than before. If things kept improving, they would all get along by the end of the month. So long as nobody tried to kill one another, he would let them deal with their quarrels. Perhaps the other nations would begin working together after seeing the Shields of Aidris in action. He could only hope.

  For the first time in a long time, Arturo slept peacefully. He was able to sleep through the night. He was still in bed when his tent opened. “Arturo, wake up!” Tarmon said.

  “W-what’s going on?” Arturo rubbed his eyes. Despite the excitement in Tarmon’s voice, he didn’t feel anything but tired.

  “Someone is using the power nearby.”

  That woke Arturo up. What was a mage doing out here? He quickly got up and put on his Verian armor. He wouldn’t let a power user catch him off guard. “Where?” he asked and grabbed his sword. If this power user was a threat, they would be surprised when their power didn’t affect him.

  “It’s odd, I sense it from every direction, though I don’t think there is more than a single power user,” Tarmon said.

  “What makes you think that?” Arturo asked.

  “It feels like whoever is using the power doesn’t want to compromise their location,” Tarmon said.

  Great. That means this is no accident. Arturo found himself gripping his sword tightly. He didn’t want to lose anyone to a power user. “Let’s take a look,” he said and walked out of the tent with Tarmon on his heels.

  “You’re up early,” one of his soldiers said.

  “Important business,” Arturo said and kept walking. He didn’t have time to talk with the men. Not with a power user on the loose.

  Tarmon tried to locate exactly where the power user was, but to no avail. They walked around the camp, though Tarmon said he was positive the power user wasn’t in the camp but somewhere outside. Where could they be?

  A Forest Dweller, Paladigo, ran up to him. “Arturo Pentori, an important outsider with a few guards has come asking for you.”

  “All right, lead the way,” Arturo said. Part of him relaxed, and he motioned to make sure Tarmon followed. If this important person was a power user, he wanted to know.

  Paladigo led the way, and many of Arturo’s men looked at him curiously. Word had spread quickly about this visitor. Arturo hoped there wasn’t going to be a problem. Paladigo walked to the end of the camp, and Arturo saw the visitor.

  A stranger with short blond hair and blue eyes was standing there. Arturo recognized the man. Corvin Malice. The last time he saw the commander was before the siege of Kalmor Fortress. This was the last person he expected to see. He hooked his sword on his back and walked towards the commander.

  “What does he want?” Jen said, popping out of nowhere and walking beside Arturo as if she had been there the whole time.

  “How should I know?” Arturo said.

  “Someone close to Corvin is a mage,” Tarmon whispered.

  Arturo nodded and kept walking, stopping a few feet away from Corvin. He didn’t say anything and waited.

  “It’s been a while, hasn’t it, Arturo?” Corvin said.

  “It has,” Arturo said warily. A part of him had hoped to never see the commander ever again.

  “I heard you left the Crystal Syndicate. Did you join another mercenary group?” Corvin asked.

  “No, I lead these men,” Arturo said.

  “I see, that’s even better,” Corvin said. “I should introduce my companion. This is Qidan, a mage.”

  Arturo said nothing and studied the mage. The blue robes had given the mage away. What did Corvin want? “Was the mage the one using the power earlier?”

  If Corvin was surprised, he didn’t show it. “Yes,” Corvin said.

  “How did you know?” Qidan asked at the same time.

  “I have my ways,” Arturo said. He thought he heard Qidan mutter something about secrets but wasn’t sure.

  “I have a proposition for you, and I’ll pay you handsomely if you accept the mission,” Corvin began.

  “I’m listening,” Arturo said. More money could only be good at this point. He had enough funds to keep his army happy for a year, but if the invaders didn’t attack then, he would need some way to pay them until the war began.

  “There’s a prison that is holding some power users. I want you to break them out,” Corvin said.

  Arturo heard Jen gasp, along with Tarmon. Achillion looked interested. This was not what he had expected. “You want me to break out some power users? Can’t Qidan just let them go?” Arturo asked.

  “No, this is not something I can do, or else we wouldn’t be here,” Qidan said.

  “Where?” Arturo wasn’t sure he liked this. Why would Corvin want him to break out power users, and why would a mage help? Something didn’t seem right.

  “Malador prison,” Corvin said. “You’re the only person who can get this done.”

  Does he know. Arturo didn’t understand how the commander could know about his armor. Perhaps the design was something Corvin was familiar with. “Why do you want these prisoners rescued?”

  “You don’t need to know the reasons,” Qidan said.

  “It’s for a good cause. If it helps, it's important for the fight against the invaders,” Corvin added.

  I do need the money, but is it worth it? If the mages discover I’m behind this prison break, they might come after me. He knew Corvin added the invaders' comment to stir his emotions. Arturo looked at Jen, who was stone-faced. There was no telling what she was thinking. Achillion looked interested, and Tarmon didn’t seem eager. The choice was his.

  “You’ll have enough money to support your army for two years,” Corvin said.

  That is a lot of money. Arturo made up his mind. Corvin was good at reading people, and he must have known what he was thinking. “Okay, I’ll do it.”

  “Good. Qidan will portal you to the prison. A small strike team should be all you need to succeed. A portal will be ready to extract you when you complete your mission,” Corvin said.

  “I need a day to get prepared,” Arturo said.

  “You shall have it. We’ll return tomorrow morning,” Corvin said.

  Arturo watched Qidan create a portal and move into it with Corvin. A strange situation. Still, the money would take a burden off him, knowing he could keep his army intact for a few years at least.

  “Are you sure that was a good idea?” Jen asked.

  “What do you mean?”

  “I don’t know… It’s a strange request, and I don’t like that a mage supports this,” Jen said.

  “Me either,” Tarmon said.

  “I don’t know. It sounds intriguing to me,” Achillion said.

  “I agree,” Arturo said with a nod. “I wonder how Corvin knows about my armor.”

  “Corvin is said to be brilliant. I wouldn’t be surprised if he heard about the mages who tried taking Tarmon, or he might recognize something on your armor,” Jen said. “The money may be useful, but if we are discovered, the mages will hunt us down. I won’t be able to protect you if that happens.”

  “We won’t be seen,” Arturo said fiercely.

  “I hope you’re right,” Jen said softly.

  “Either way, let’s prepare. I’ll have you three and Eurisha come with me. That should be all we need,” Arturo said.

  “You’re the boss,” Tarmon said.

  “Let’s tell the men,” Arturo said and walked back to camp. Tomorrow was going to be an interesting day, for it could mark the end of his life if things went bad. He would have to be extra careful, for he refused to die until he killed Kyrad Durmaddon.