Ad Astra - The Alagore War

AA V0 Prolog, Chapter 1

1/22/2069 (military calendar)

Campsite, the former Confederacy of Daru'uie

Torness Mountain Range, Nevali Region, Aldrida, Alagore

*****

Looking past the dark horizon of the valley below, all that could be seen were the crisp peaks and ridges of the mighty Torness mountains. Above the heights was the final shine of the father of all light, the yellow sun god known as Dorash. It almost seemed like his gaze was taking one last peek at the skirt of Alagore mountain peaks before finally fading to rest.

As the sun fell below the distant mountain peaks, a robust and crisp breeze swept through the valley below that laid below them, bringing a sudden chill. As expected, darkness came, bringing the freezing mountain cold. Everything became pitch-black, as the only light source came from the starlight flickering high above the dark void. That was until a new light from the campfires illuminated the camp, only so slightly, not to be discovered.

The half-elf half-human girl, Fraeya Holiadon, was not accustomed to the cold. Being a tanned Wood Elf who grew up in the warmth of cities in Hispana, she quickly grabbed her black-white patterned cloak and pulled it tightly to remain as warm as possible.

She took a long breath from the thin, chilly air and stared into the massive valley below—forests, lakes, and, in the distance, a glimpse of lights from a nearby town. Everything looked natural and wild, as if civilization had struggled to conquer it. A sight she rarely saw outside the city walls. She found the scenery incredible. Even though crossing the Torness Mountain Range was a hellish adventure.

"Stay away from the edge," a Lat said. "We don't want to be spotted."

"Alright," Fraeya replied. She looked at the Lat, surprised at how he stood, defiant of the thin air and freezing temperature. "Are you not cold?"

"Of course, I am," the last warrior said as he returned to the camp. "Living away from civilization, you grow used to such conditions."

As the soldier left, she looked at the valley one last time before heading back toward the camp.

Fraeya saw nearly a hundred soldiers huddling around their campfires for warmth, gathering supplies, or standing watch within the camp. They are known as the Palatini of Orias, one of the many Imperium elite units within the legionary. They were hand-picked by the Legate for this mission.

As the young girl walked past the palatini, she could see the exhaustion in their mannerisms. Many looked hungry; others were tired with dark, deep black bags under their eyes. Others were shaking as their bodies adjusted to the night. To her confusion, she could also see the determination in their eyes, as the environment was just an annoyance to their objective.

She wouldn't blame them for their exhaustion, as she could feel most of her body sore from the nonstop marching and climbing she had to endure to get to this point—something that her professors left out of their classes. A part of her couldn't help but chuckle at how she once thought, after graduation from the academy, that she was ready to face the challenges of their world. Only now did she understand how little schooling prepared her for the real world.

"What is so funny?" Another Lat said as she passed.

When she turned to the man, she felt a slim nerve of fear that ran through her body, believing that she might have insulted them. While most of them accepted her within the palatini, she could tell they saw her as a weakling over a comrade. "I am sorry. I meant no insult. I was remembering my time at the academy."