"You are absolutely sure of this, Lucan?" asked the Felden official. Lucan stood before them, having just finished his report on the Necromancer base.
"Yes." Lucan replied. He had intentionally left out Nikka in his report. As much as they've grown close, he still felt kind of shameful to admit he's gotten help from a female. "The Necromancers are living beneath Mount Tempus." He repeated. "They appear to be preparing for a large-scale invasion." He briefly described the pits of zombies, skeletons, and creepers.
"If the Necromancers are raising an army," a second official sitting at the panel interjected, "we must strike them now."
"I agree." The first official concurred. "Lucan," he addressed the man standing in front of the desk. "Take this directive to Fort Zuka." He finished writing on a piece of parchment and stamped it with some wax. "We will send the armies of Felden to eradicate this threat before it has time to spread." He handed the paper to Lucan.
To be honest, Lucan was a bit annoyed. What is he now, a messenger bird? At least they could give him a peck to eat before sending him on another errand. But he guessed things like these are too important to entrust to animals. He rigidly bent his waist, took the orders, and walked out of the door.
"What'd they say?" Nikka asked anxiously as soon as the door closed. She had been waiting on the stairs for half an hour while Lucan was inside. Part of her was actually worried that Lucan left, or escorted by guards through a side door and she might never see him again.
"Well, they've officially declared war on the Necromancers." Lucan pointed at the piece of parchment in his hand. "We have orders to deliver a message to Fort Zuka."
Nikka was surprised. "They actually said for both of us?" In all these years, she's never been officially recognized for her efforts against the Necromancers.
"Uh… yep." Lucan lied. His heart skipped a beat, which had never happened when he lied. "Looks like we're stuck together for just a bit longer." He finished with a bit of cheer.
They started down the road to the Fort. Lucan folded the paper twice and stuffed it into his right pocket. The sun shone and flowers bloomed. It was a nice day to stroll along down the path. Hard to imagine, thought Lucan, that they were about to face down an Army of Undead controlled by lunatics.
"So," Nikka started, "after we deliver the orders, what then?" She turned to Lucan. "Any plans for what comes next?"
Lucan tried not to look away as he remembered he owed Felden "further service" and might still have to run more errands after this, or worse, be thrown back into the mines.
"Oh I uh," He stuttered, "I haven't given it much thought. How about yourself?"
"I don't know either." Nikka replied. "This is what I've been doing for years." She thought to that night when she vowed revenge against these Necromancers and started gathering information. Since then, she learned to wield katanas, navigation, live alone, and so much more. "I can't imagine it coming to an end, let alone what comes after."
The two walked in silence down the road. Lucan looked at the roadside view, avoiding Nikka's gaze. Nikka observed the flowers that bloomed off the gravel. It had been pleasant with each other's company, but to part ways after all they've been through, at least Lucan wasn't ready for that.
All too soon, they reached Fort Zuka. Trying to brighten up the mood, Nikka said, "I've always wanted to see the inside of Fort Zuka." The high walls towered over them as they stood before the cast-iron gate. The bars rose slowly and steadily to reveal a pair of thick wooden doors guarding the entrance. It creeped open towards them and a soldier walked out.
Lucan pulled out his parchment and showed the title to him. "You must be Lucan!" The man replied. "A messenger bird flew in yesterday and alerted us of your arrival." "Then what am I doing here?" Lucan yelled in his head, but this was his duty or it's prison.
"I have a directive for the captain." He replied, taking the paper back.
"Right this way." The man motioned them inside. The gates swung shut behind them and Lucan could just hear the bars being lowered again.
The group entered the fort's training grounds. "The Captain's training. I'll notify him." said the soldier. He approached the silver-haired figure knocking his training partners down front, back and center with wooden swords and fists. At the soldier's words, he motioned everyone to stop.
The Captain placed his swords on the side and picked up a halberd. The long, spear-like weapon had a curved blade near the tip, right under where should be the usual pointed head. As he turned around, Lucan saw that he was, in fact, a Felina and his left ear was missing the topmost peak. Lucan thought he saw him somewhere before, but in different clothes than this rich green outfit, and different armor, in a dingy and narrow alley, and…
"Kiyoshi?" Lucan exclaimed as the Felina Captain turned around.
"Fancy seeing you here, Lucan." Kiyoshi said. His left ear twitched as if he, too, remembered that fight. He secured the halberd on his back and marched out of the training ground. "And it's Captain Kiyoshi now." He added with a bit of swagger.
"Well it's good to see Felden is willing to promote anyone with the right father." Lucan mocked. Since they went to the same high school and military trainee camp together, the Captain might as well be him than Kiyoshi if Lucan's father wasn't half as drunk. "The realm is much safer in your capable hands."
Kiyoshi snickered. "And how about you then?" He asked Lucan, "You talk big for someone who's been to prison more times than the claws on my hands." He flexed his left arm.
"You've been to prison?" Nikka exclaimed. She always assumed that Lucan was just like her, growing up normally until the Necromancers rose.
"It was nothing." Lucan tried to hush it up.
"Oh I'm sure he knows most of the local prisons quite well by now." Nikka suddenly thought back to that time when she asked Lucan how he knew Riverstead had a prison. "But enough of these pointless insults," Kiyoshi continued, "hand over the orders from Felora."
Lucan thrust the piece of parchment into his hands and stormed towards the gate. "Come on Nikka, let's go." He waved to his companion. The guard started opening the gate.
"Hold it!" Shouted Kiyoshi. Lucan stopped in his tracks. "It says here, Lucan," he read from the paper, "You're to accompany me in the attack."
"Wait, what?" Lucan whirled around. Those officials didn't tell him anything about actually being in the battle himself. Nikka stifled a giggle. Lucan must have hated Kiyoshi. To put them together is like forcing a Felina into water.
"Let's try to be professional about this." Kiyoshi put away the paper and approached Lucan. "I don't want a criminal in my ranks any more than you want to be under my command." Yeah, right, thought Lucan, I'm still a "criminal".
"But orders are orders." Kiyoshi continued, "So let's get this mission over quickly for both of our sakes." He held out his right hand for Lucan to shake.
Lucan looked at Kiyoshi as if he was trying to burn a hole through him with his eyes. Then, deciding against it, he walked forward and took his outstretched hand.
"Try not to mess things up." Kiyoshi said. Lucan's carelessness is what got him captured all these times. He knew all too well.