Blood of the Forgotten Gods

Patrol Plans

Dan woke to the soft clink of armor and the murmur of voices echoing through the barracks. The dawn had barely broken, and a pale light filtered through the small window above his bunk. His body felt heavy, weighed down by both the exhaustion from the previous day and the anticipation of what lay ahead. Today was the day—their first patrol in the wild lands surrounding Westwatch.

As he sat up, his thoughts drifted, unsettled. Westwatch had already proven to be a place of tension and danger. The faces of the old veterans still haunted his mind—those cold, distant eyes that had seen too much. Would that be him one day? Would he still have hope after years out here, or would he be like them, staring into nothingness, waiting for the next fight?

Dan shook off the thought, pushing it to the back of his mind. He had a job to do today, and he couldn't afford to let his nerves get the better of him. Stay focused. Stay sharp. Don't let the fear settle in. He repeated the mantra to himself, something his father had taught him whenever he faced a difficult task.

Around him, the other recruits were stirring. Gareth, still half-asleep, grumbled as he strapped on his boots, while Tomas already seemed wide awake, his usual quick grin absent as he tied the leather straps of his armor with deliberate precision.

"You ready for this?" Tomas asked, glancing over at Dan.

Dan took a breath and nodded. "As ready as I'll ever be."

Gareth yawned, stretching his arms above his head. "First day on patrol and I already miss the barracks. Let's hope we're just chasing bandits and not running into any of those... shades."

The word lingered between them, unspoken fears hanging in the air. Shades. Dan didn't know what to make of the rumors yet, but the stories of creatures that weren't quite human kept gnawing at the back of his mind. But there was no time to dwell on it now.

"Come on," Dan said, standing up and grabbing his gear. "We need to meet with Corvin and the rest of the squad. Let's see what today has in store for us."

The war room was already packed when they arrived. It was a small, cramped space located within the main command building, its stone walls lined with maps of the surrounding terrain and marked with notes in scribbled ink. A single wooden table dominated the room, where Corvin, their squad leader, stood with a grim expression. He was flanked by several senior militants, their faces hard with experience.

The room smelled of iron, damp earth, and sweat—a constant reminder of the outpost's harsh reality. Dan felt a familiar knot form in his chest, the tension tightening as he and the other recruits filed into the room. Twenty soldiers stood at attention, their bodies stiff, their eyes focused on Corvin.

"All right, listen up," Corvin began, his voice low and authoritative. His sharp gaze swept over the group, lingering on each of them for a brief moment. "Today's patrol isn't a simple walk in the woods. We're heading into Zone Six, the area directly west of the outpost, near the edge of the Bracken Forest."

He gestured to the large map pinned to the wall behind him. It showed the outpost and its surrounding regions, divided into numbered zones. Zone Six was marked with several red Xs—indicating past ambushes and skirmishes.

"The bandits have been active in that region for weeks now," Corvin continued, his finger tracing the paths marked on the map. "There've been reports of small raiding parties, and we've lost two supply convoys in the past month. It's our job to patrol the area, make sure nothing gets through."

Dan studied the map carefully, taking in the details. The terrain was rough—forests, rocky hills, and narrow paths that made it easy for ambushes. He could see why the bandits favored it. It was the perfect place to strike quickly and disappear without a trace.