"Ah, there he is," Hugo said as Aldreic stepped into the command tent. The vice captain stood beside the war table while Captain Wulfric had already made himself comfortable, quietly pouring tea into two metal cups resting beside a kettle warming over a small flame. Hugo stared at him for a second before taking the cup handed to him, shaking his head internally. Sometimes I wonder who exactly the captain here is.
Turning back to Aldreic, Hugo took a slow sip before speaking again. "So then, how is our young soldier feeling after today?"
Aldreic stood upright as always, his face unreadable. "Normal."
"Normal?" Hugo repeated with mild amusement. "That must have been your first battle, yet you fought like someone who had spent years doing nothing but killing. Tell me, where exactly did you learn to fight like that?"
Aldreic thought about the question longer than expected, as though genuinely searching for an answer before finally shaking his head. "I do not know. It simply felt natural."
For a brief second Hugo and Wulfric exchanged glances. Neither spoke, but both understood exactly what the other was thinking.
Interesting.
Hugo smiled faintly and stepped aside. "Well, I think that is impressive enough. I'll let the captain speak now."
Aldreic stared at him silently.
More like you finally decided to let him.
Wulfric folded his arms and stepped forward. "We leave at dawn tomorrow. After seeing what you are capable of, we would like you to continue traveling with our unit."
Before Aldreic could respond, Hugo interrupted again, his tone lighter but his eyes far sharper now.
"One question first. Do you resent us for what happened to your parents?"
This time Aldreic did not answer immediately. The silence stretched for several seconds before he finally spoke.
"No."
The pause did not escape Hugo.
He noticed it instantly.
But instead of pressing further, he leaned back casually. "Good. Because where we are heading next… is not a simple mission."
Wulfric nodded. "Very far from simple."
Hugo rested his cup against the edge of the table. "We are advancing deeper into Vargarde."
Aldreic looked between both men. "Why?"
Wulfric frowned slightly. "Why what?"
But Hugo already seemed to know what he meant.
"You mean why we are heading toward the Immortal King."
Aldreic nodded.
Hugo exhaled quietly. "Well, truthfully, no one knows how much of it is rumor and how much is fact, but stories say the king of Vargarde has ruled for over one hundred and fifty years."
Aldreic looked unimpressed. "Living long by itself does not sound impressive. Why does that matter?"
Both men stared at him for a second before Hugo unexpectedly smiled. He liked the boy's way of thinking.
"No, living long is not the impressive part," he said. "What people find terrifying is that despite ruling for over a century, he still leads armies personally. He still fights. And according to every story that survives… he fights like a man in his prime."
That finally seemed to catch Aldreic's attention.
Hugo continued. "The kingdom of Vargarde is unlike any other. Their king forbids information from leaving their borders. Merchants know almost nothing. Diplomats rarely return. Prisoners disappear. The world knows almost nothing about what happens inside that kingdom."
"So no one has seen him?" Aldreic asked.
This time Wulfric answered. "No one who has entered his kingdom, seen his face, and lived to speak of it. Since the war began, Vargarde has completely isolated itself. No one knows what is happening inside those borders anymore."
He stepped closer, placing both hands on the table. "Until now. Our mission is simple. We push deeper, investigate, and find out exactly what that kingdom is hiding."
The tent fell quiet.
Then Wulfric finally asked the real question.
"Will you join us? We could use your help."
Aldreic stood there for a while processing everything they had said. His parents were gone, home was gone, and for the first time in his life, no one had told him what came next.
But strangely…
that changed nothing.
He looked at both men and answered in the most honest way possible.
"What else is there for me to do?"
The answer sat strangely in the air.
It was not bravery.
Not loyalty.
Not determination.
It sounded hollow.
As though the concept of choice itself meant very little to him.
Wulfric finally nodded. "Very well. We move at dawn."
Aldreic gave a small nod before quietly leaving the tent.
The moment he disappeared, Hugo set his cup down.
"That boy…" he muttered, his eyes fixed on the entrance. "He does not attach himself to people."
Wulfric folded his arms but remained silent.
Hugo continued. "Not people. Not places. Not possessions. It is almost unnatural."
Then his expression sharpened.
"But I think he understands responsibility. Duty. Obligation. That much is very clear."
He leaned back slightly, a thoughtful expression settling on his face.
"And I intend to explore that. Because I suspect that very thing may become both his greatest strength…"
He paused briefly.
"…and eventually his greatest weakness."
The following morning Aldreic slowly opened his eyes, and for one brief second everything felt normal. He expected to see the familiar wooden ceiling above him, hear the faint clinking of glass bottles from the workbench, smell the strange mixture of herbs and chemicals his mother always kept burning throughout the house.
Expected chores.
Expected routine.
Expected home.
Then a strange thought crossed his mind.
Did mother ever sleep?
He stared upward.
I do not think I ever saw her sleep once.
Another thought followed.
Why was that potion always so important to her?
Slowly he sat up.
Then reality returned.
The canvas ceiling above him.
Cold morning air brushing against his skin.
Foreign territory.
Enemy camp.
Home was gone.
His expression darkened slightly.
I seem to dislike mornings more recently.
Pushing himself up, he stepped outside the tent and immediately noticed how quiet camp had become. Most of the mercenaries were still asleep, likely exhausted from last night's celebration.
His eyes scanned the camp lazily.
How are they able to relax this much while standing inside enemy territory?
Footsteps approached from behind.
Hugo.
The vice captain stopped beside him and immediately noticed the sour look resting on the boy's face.
"Tell me something," Hugo said suddenly.
Aldreic turned toward him.
Hugo folded his arms. "Are you a Christian?"
Aldreic blinked once before answering.
"No."
Hugo raised an eyebrow. "You do not believe?"
"It is not that," Aldreic said after thinking for a moment. "I simply do not understand religion."
Something curious flickered briefly across Hugo's face.
Interesting.
Then he smiled.
"Well, perhaps we can discuss that more deeply later."
Aldreic frowned slightly. "Later?"
Hugo turned and began walking.
"In the forest."
"…Forest?"
Aldreic stared after him. "What exactly are we doing there?"
Without turning back, Hugo answered casually.
"Hunting breakfast."
Then after a short pause he added,
"Get ready."
Aldreic stood there silently watching the man disappear through camp.
Something about Hugo felt strange.
Then again…
most people did.