Perceived Fate

It took a week to arrive at the city. They took a horse and carriage from the camp to the city and to say that carriage was a sweaty pit was a severe understatement.

Breathing was hard, and your sense of smell was basically lost to the odour.

Malum even took the initiative to run beside to the carriage at a few points just to take a few breaths. It was good exercise and the views were truly something.

The size of the realm was a widely talked about myth. Some said it was endless, and that you couldn’t be able to stop walking If you went a single direction whilst others said eventually you would reach an endless wall.

Either way, none of them had seen the end of it and even Malums Uncle said that the continent was larger than a human would ever be able to walk or see all of it for several thousand lifetimes.

At some point people just got the idea that the realm was larger than they cared for and focused instead on buying their next pint.

Eventually, the carriage had to come to a stop and Malum found himself climbing out to see pure stone.

60 feet tall and more than 20 inches thick the wall was built for defence, not against demons, but against humans.

Malum could see humans heads bobbing around at the top. Shiny metal helmets reflecting the sun gaze back at him.

It was unlike anything he had ever seen. It was so large and majestic; it spoke of security and wealth. Things Malum reckoned the nobility that built it, had never earned.

Jealousy was the main emotion Malum felt from the soldiers, not intimidation, not wonder, neither excitement, instead they felt the whole thing was unneeded. They fought monthly against an assured target and yet the wall was here for an uncertain, unnecessary one.

It wasn’t like they could do anything about it. So they shuffled their way inside after the Troop Leader verified their identities.

With his squad, Malum first went to exchange for some coins.

The inside of the city was bustling with stalls being seen in every corner, their colourful tarps all covering the baking son above. Wading himself through this crowd and Malum went to the central most building to find the Town Hall.

The polished wooden doors opened up into a large wooden labyrinth. Tall ceilings and long corridors along with the amount of people shuffling around overwhelmed Malum where for a second he just followed the crowd.

The floor didn’t creak, instead Malum could only hear the tapping of leather shoes on wooden floors and the hassle and bustle from outside. Eventually he found a sheet of paper with direction on it and like a captain he guided his lost crew.

Now in the wanted location, the squad looked at the notices first, finding nothing of interest apart from the ruins exploration mission to have been taken down. He wished his Uncle the best and then gave him the finger before he continued towards the receptionist.

There was already a que of soldier so Malum and the troop joined and as they chatted about what foods they were going to try, Malum saw out of the corner of his eye the guards at the door moving to salute.

He looked in case he would be forced to and saw his Troop Leader. Immediately at attention, the Troop Leader gave everyone a nod and they fell to rest.

As other soldiers from other camps were here Malum and the squad soon asked around for the Troop Leader information. They heard some from a man in front, he was actually called Jameson Smith and he was a technically a Baron although he had lost his land so he was called a Fallen Noble.

He turned war hero with his achievements but the same enemies that caused his fall from grace ensured that he would remain fallen. It explained a lot for Malum but he would ensure to double check the information with a few others to flatten out the facts.

With his curiosity peaking, Malum shuffled his way closer to the front desk where he tried to overhear whatever the Troop Leader was asking.

“... report please.” He saw the receptionist nod and hand the man a stack of prepared papers.

He looked over a few of them, and then left.

Now Malum had to know. A report on what? The Northern Front, his particular Section or perhaps the war in general. Malum wanted to know, and was prepared to steal the papers to find out.

He gave his badge to his squad and asked them to pull out some money for him, they asked a few question but Malum responded that he was only going to look around.

Slipping out the well-polished door, Malum followed the man whilst he tried to blend into the crowd.

Past several houses and far too many stalls to count, the man seemed to find his destination in a building older than those around it. The red cross on the door suggested it was some medical practice and after walking into the front door it became clear it was a hospital of some kind.

The receptionist simply nodded at him and he was allowed in which confused Malum to no end. He couldn’t show it though, so he just nodded back and went in the direction where the Fallen Baron went.

A few nurses walked past and they each gave him a smile. Docters that passed gave him looks of respect and never had Malum felt so seen by those around him.

Past a few rooms, he saw several bloody sights, but a common feature was the clothes of the men. Each wore stars on their hospital clothing and it finally hit Malum that it was a military hospital.

With the actions of those around him now making sense, he went into a few of the rooms on the way and asked a few questions.

Torn limbs became amputees and if they were no longer `combat ready` then they could choose to come here. Recovery was rare as medicine was rarely not disguised poison and these people each were suffering more than the last.

They wanted to die. Malum got that from 4 of the 5 people he talked to. They were all so eager to talk to him as well, loneliness had affected each of them and that killed them more than the drugs did.

It was interesting, in a sick way, Malum found the interactions he had made where some of the most meaningful he had done in several days. The journey here was so full of meaningless chatter, that such conversations with his potential futures were all so interesting.

Regret was something Malum rarely got to experience but here it was rich and since death was so close they spoke so clearly about it that it allowed to study it so much more.

Sometimes Malum wandered if he regretted any of his actions. Like could he have returned home earlier to have seen him Uncle, or perhaps would he be able to save those recruits on the hunts and in the wave.

He did, he also didn’t. These people, however, were so sure of their regrets that they could no longer live in reality. Instead they lived in the maybe, or what would have happened if.

Malum never wanted to live like these, his actions were his own and even if they came with consequences then he would force himself to live with them. Regret was a poison he would never take. His goals wouldn’t allow it.

He left the men in their beds and found the Troop Leader sitting on a bedside. Next to him was a sleeping man, Malum could see no injury on him but considering where he was the bedding was surely covering something horrific.

`A family member? Or perhaps a comrade?`

Malum could see the report, it was inside the mans bag that was hung over the chair he was sitting on.

The man was sitting solemnly, his eyes on his sleeping companion.

Malum waited as the man continued to stare. He would have paid to have seen the mans face, was it guilt that placed him on the chair or duty.

He was interested, sadly he wasn’t interested enough to risk insubordination for it. The Troop Leader wasn’t someone he could offend and stealing that report was already beyond illegal.

As more time passed, and no opportunity revealed himself Malum decided to give a small prayer for the men and walked away from the hospital.

Fate had decided that today he wouldn’t walk away with that report but Malum was happy with what he had gained. Those dying men had given him more than enough and learning more of his Troop Leader had satiated more than enough of his curiosity.

They clanked beers cups as they smiled in joy. Finally, Malum could let himself relax for a short while. Everyone on the team needed it and they even decided to make it a bi monthly occurrence.

Worries drifted away with the sweet taste of the poison. In actuality, it tasted terrible but it wasn’t for the taste they drank it. The numbing of the mind, the removal of intelligence, they wanted to be ignorant for a moment because ignorance was bliss.

The Pub had lively atmosphere, people all around taking sips of joy or chugging with delight. The black fingered coal miners, or the worn-down looking sewers, everyone in the City of Hillside came to one of 14 pubs to rest and rewind from the tiresome day.

It was a folktale: the 14 pubs. Each was a gift from a different God and this one was the Lucky Tavern apparently blessed by the God of Luck. Malum believed that as much as he believed that the alcohol was wasn’t watered down. “Fat chance to both!” He said.

Having explained his theories to the group, it was time for Gerald to pitch in his ideas. Everyone looked to him, but as always the man was distracted and as they turned to see what he was looking at they saw a good-looking woman.

They turned back and evil smiles made their way onto all of their faces.

“Oh Ger-ald.” Malum sang to which Gerald finally noticed.

“Yeah, what?” he scratched his neck but maintained eye contact.

“Looking at something perhaps?” Jake chimed in.

Gerald smiled in return, “yeah desert.”

That got a whack from Alicia, “presumptuous idiot! Go on then, walk the talk. Let’s see if your really that charming.”

“How dare you question my charm. Watch ye idiots as I win over the princess!” He bowed out and skipped towards the woman.

Malum wished him the best of luck, but also really, really, really wanted to see him fail.

Malum watched from a distance as Gerald made contact and initiated conversation. He seemed to have smoothly entered whatever conversation she was having and then Malum saw the man say something and the woman laughed.

The squad cursed their luck, “idiotic Lucky Tavern my ass. Bet this shit’s watered down as well.” Malum continued to drink as the squad let out annoyed murmurs of agreement.

Jake spoke out in hope, “He could still squander it. Let time show his true colours.”

The squad returned to looking but when they found the two again they were already on the dancefloor, looking to be having a hell of a time.

“Why did I even speak?” Jake questioned.

As the group murmured again, Alicia asked Jake to dance as it did look fun and that left just Jerome and Malum sat down by themselves.

They had terrible alcohol; they were miserable from Gerald unlikely success but that set up well to do some good talking. Although Malum may not have danced the night away he did have a good conversation with Jerome and came out far more understanding of where the man had come from.

As they stumbled out the pub, they looked for places to rest. With each of their stumbling bodies barely remaining upright, they managed to eventually find a place to stay for the night.

Alicia, Jake and Gerald, well they could find their own way home.