A Mirage Of Milk And Honey

Chapter 1 - A Bad Sign

The morning sun had risen over the Pale Forest and illuminated the previous night's frost in rays of gold and yellow that floated through the air.

The old Nilau fort of Collars Post had, once, been crumbling. Deserted, and no longer needed, it had been left to ruin, serving no purpose but shelter for the wild animals to escape the frigid cold of the Northern winters.

Osheya's rag tag army had taken up the task of fortifying it into a base.

It had worked, for the most part.

Their purpose was, as the General liked to call it, 'pest control'. Though many would argue pests consisted of mice, spiders and (on occasion) snakes, Collars Post was located in the Crimson Wood, which housed a very different sort of pest: The Myfs.

Otherwise known as Pets of the Oreyan Queen, Myfs were monsters that had once been imprisoned in The Hollow. Though their fate had been to remain there trapped underground for eternity, The Oreyan Queen had freed them and used them for warfare.

Naturally, many escaped, repopulated, and taken refuge in the Crimson Wood.

Collars Post was one of four bases in the Crimson Wood tasked with 'pest control'.

A young man, no more than seventeen, knocked on the General's door. He sported a grimace and carried a mission report from the Captain.

"I'm right here, Noah." A voice came from behind the boy, and he spun to find the General walking towards him, two newcomers in his company.

The General was a tall man, well built and imposing in every way that a general ought to be. Dark blonde hair, sharp features and a short beard. His shoulders were engulfed by a deep, chestnut fur cloak that covered a tight black, high neck top. Thick to keep the chill out, but not bulky or movement restricting.

Imposing as he may have been, however, the General was young. At least, he looked it.

Many soldiers at Collars Post were unsure of the General. His reputation was big—dangerous—and they did not fully understand what his purpose was. His arrival had been a surprise, but he was close with their Captain.

The two newcomers accompanying him were certainly not new soldiers.

They were clean, well dressed, and seemed far too comfortable by the Generals side to be both of lower rank and unfamiliar with him.

The woman was clearly from Moltov—Long dark hair, half of which was tied up in plaits to crown her head, and the other half left to fall down her back. She had sharp upturned eyes and an assessing yet playful gaze. Her height and posture all pointed to her being a person of high ranking.

She sported thick black trousers, a dark red roll-neck and a large coat that hung off her slim shoulders. It was a strange cut; rounded at the bottom as opposed to flat and rectangular. Around her waist was a sash that cinched the fabric, which was made of soft, snow-white fur, helping to keep the chill out whilst still being made of a lightweight material.

The third member was far more imposing than a man of his height or build ought to have been. A mop of black hair to match his dark eyes and sunken, pale cheeks. He had a young and yet tortured look about him, almost sickly, and yet his eyes were cunning, daring anyone to underestimate him.

Noah cleared his throat.

"They've located the Clika." He said to the General, who raised his eyebrows.

He looked towards the woman at his side, and she must have known the General very well because she seemed to understand what it was he was communicating with nothing but a look. The woman nodded and shot the General an oddly enthusiastic smile.