The Great War: Chapter 11
Busywork
The door to her study flies open, banging against the wall.
“Cassie!” Mitch calls as he rushes in.
Cassie rolls her eyes and sighs. The cycle is just starting, and she has quite a fair bit of work to organize. Even criminals have their paperwork.
“What do you want?” she groans back at her right hand. “I thought I told you not to bother me so early.”
Mitch stands before her desk, his breathing heavy as cold mist rolls from his burn scar.
“Sailors…” he breathes, “…reported…”
“Catch your breath and tell me,” Cassie demands.
And so she waits, tapping her long nails on her desk impatiently as Mitch continues to wheeze in front of her.
Her eyes can’t help but stray to the small wine wall she has on the other side of her study. Usually the wall remains fully stocked for every cycle, but with shipments slowing to a crawl the bottles have been slowly disappearing without replacement. Now, the wine on that wall are few and expensive, but it can quickly grow into a much larger issue. After all, she owns quite a number of establishments that sell wine to patrons. And with Korodon being largely a farming settlement, all of her wines are “imported”.
“Sailors have reported seeing a Guardian ship,” Mitch finally speaks, “sinking an island.”
Cassie’s eyebrows rise, and she sits up in her chair. “Have they?”
Mitch nods. “The story has started spreading around the marketplace. It wasn’t settled on, so some are saying it was some sort of test. But…”
“Which ship saw this?”
“I… have beings trying to find the source as we speak.”
Cassie returns to tapping the top of her desk once again. “Good.”
A ship that can destroy an island. Islands that are used as both rest stops and smuggling fronts. The war hasn’t been going on long enough for such a ship to be built from scratch…
“If the story is true,” Mitch speaks up once more, “we should tell the king.”
Cassie frowns. While she usually doesn’t like handing information off to the royalty, what is she to do against an island-sinking boat?
“If the story is true,” she echoes. “If. I need to think on it. Thank you.”
“Is there anything else you need?”
“No. Now leave.”
Cassie leans back in her seat as Mitch hurries out of the study, leaving her alone once more.
She’s a business wizard, not a fighter. No doubt such a powerful ship would have more protection and firepower to defend itself in a fight on the water. The only thing she sees in her mind being a weakness is its speed and maneuverability, assuming Asandra has not given the Guardians something to help combat natural law.
This is not something she can simply remove from her life. She cannot pay for it to be destroyed, or try and turn it into a profit for her empire.
If the story is true… She doesn’t know what the future may hold. For her empire. For her race. For herself.
Jae runs her finger along the shelves at the back of the infirmary, which store medicinal herbs and bandages, silently taking stock of the inventory. The air is full of the metallic smell of blood, and the groans of the injured create a somber background drone.
Many of the injured that have been brought to them have projectile-related injuries. Some have burns, and an extremely small few either have a limb missing or must be amputated.
Despite all of this and more, some being must make sure their supplies don’t run out.
“Jae.”
She turns to find Yumi standing behind her.
“Do you need some bandages?” Jae asks instantly. “Some being is going to need to weave some more-”
“It’s not that,” Yumi interrupts.
Worry begins to build in Jae’s chest. “What happened?”
“Nothing. However, I have something to ask of you. Outside.”
“O-Okay…” Jae mutters back. The two make their way through the tent, passing cots of injured wizards and healers tending to as many of them as possible.
The two step out into fresh air, which is crisp and sweet compared to the muggy metallic of the tent.
“I was thinking,” Yumi begins, “that Eros is too far for the injured. Even though we have everything we need on hand here, beings can still die on the journey from the port.”
Jae nods her head instantly. “You want to set up an infirmary in Ica?”
“Yes. I’d like you to stay here and treat those that we already have, and I will oversee the injured at Ica.”
Jae laces her fingers together. She’ll be running the infirmary… alone?
“I know this is a little sudden,” Yumi says to her, offering a slight smile of support, “but we both need to grow a little more independent, don’t we?”
“We do,” Jae replies. “It’s just…”
“You’ll be fine, Jae,” Yumi assures her. “Just keep your head on straight and everything will work out.”
Jae can’t help but smile at the comment. “Sure. When are you leaving?”
“Next cycle. I’ll be taking some healers with me as well, but you’ll still have enough hands to keep the place going.”
“Try not to overexert yourself, Yumi.”
“Same goes for you as well, Jae.”
“Can I help you prepare, then?”
“Sure. I’ll need a couple of supplies for the time being…”
Samuel lays awake in bed, staring at the ceiling above him. It’s a new cycle. He should be up and marching back to Ica by now. And yet he isn’t.
His bedroom door opens unannounced.
“You’re still in bed,” Devin comments.
“Getting up feels like a chore,” he replies with a sigh. “Last cycle…”
“I know.” A piece of paper lands on top of Samuel’s chest. “It just wasn’t the right time yet.”
“What is that?” Samuel asks, looking at the paper.
“Your reason to get out of bed.”
Samuel sits up and picks up the paper. It’s folded, with small splotches of ink bleeding through the single page.
He takes the edge of the paper and opens it.
the prince of lightning
the guard of death
a creationist's library
the pirate who left
the demon dealer
a devoted healer
and the wizard who knows everything about you
He can’t help but scowl at the seven sentences. “What is this?” He looks to his friend to find him shifting his weight uncomfortably beside him.
“Korodon,” Devin speaks slowly, “told me. He also told me to bring you back to the dais.”
Samuel turns back to the paper in his hands. The great Spirit of Shadow wants to talk to him now? Why not last cycle?
“Fine,” he only replies.