Dawn of Midnight

Prologue

*This is part one of the prologue. I am publishing the second part separately*

19th Day 3rd Month – 1395 ME

The sun beat down upon him through a break in the trees, roasting him in his armor as they neared the middle of the third day of this march. Yesterday, though there was no direct sunlight, the sweltering heat under the forest canopy made it almost as uncomfortable to be in full armor. He was certain that his own thoughts echoed what his men were thinking, that the academy never prepared them for the heat of the south. Caedius and his men had arrived at Cordat Keep just under a week ago and had not been able to set any routine down before being ordered to a man by the baron to join with his own men in hunting a large outlaw group based in Daegon Forest who was responsible for raiding farms and murdering a few families outside of the keep. When he heard any grumbles he was fast to dissuade any of his men from speaking openly about their discomfort, reminding them who they are and who they represent.

He and the men he led were members of the Tower Guard, elite of the elite. Out of all the troops in the Ascendancy the Tower Guard was tasked to protect the keeps and castles of the Ascendancy and the people living in and around them. They were trained as anti-siege specialists, counter espionage experts, and masters of all weapons and urban warfare. It was their job to make sure the soldiers of the realms had a place to come home to and a family to welcome them. It was for this reason the current orders did not sit well with him. Neither his men, nor he, were directly under the command of the baron over the keep, but the orders were backed up by Captain Ghills, the overall commander of all the Ascendancy forces at the keep and the frontlines.

The war was not going well for Caeledor in the south. Cordat Keep had been successful in keeping the Ardoraean forces at bay and none had managed to get past the keep itself. His group of fifty men was being rotated in to supplement the existing garrison which had been without any Tower Guard for over a year which he thought could be the reason they were sent off so quickly. He had read in his studies that in a time of war, bonds were made with fighting men and they did not take easily to strangers coming in to fill holes left by dead comrades, but something else did not sit well with him. A day and a half in the forest and no outlaws had been spotted save one small band of half-starved poachers. Nothing of the supposed blood thirsty raiders had been seen on the road or in the forest areas they scouted; nothing to warrant a force of over 100 men along with scouts and a supply train. He resolved to speak with Captain Ghills once they stopped this evening. He also resolved to change into his leathers and join his scouts. Perhaps the change of pace would ease his mind a little.

The day moved along at a snail's pace, and still there were no signs of any other person in the forest. He moved up the line of men to be with the captain and the other two commanders from the keep, which included a lieutenant who looked several years Caedius' junior. As the day faded they set up camp. At the command tent while they looked over the map of the forest to decide where to search next. The decision had already been made to divide the forces with Captain Ghills leading the scouts. Caedius was about to suggest laying a trap for the outlaws, leaving the camp intact with his men hiding in the woods to protect it when, the sergeant, who Caedius learned was called Bard, spoke up.

"Sirs," he began, "the men are grumbling and wondering where these outlaws is supposed to be."

As Caedius listed to his voice, which sounded as if he had gargled with acid, he wondered whether Bard was a nickname offered as a cruel jest. Bard was bent over in age, with calluses on gnarled fingers. His beard and hunched figure made him appear frail, but his look belied a strength Caedius had seen only in men half as young. He had only one interaction with Bard and it showed him that strength. On the first nights, one of his men had too much to drink and was being overly boisterous. Bard came over from another campfire to chastise the lad who was too drunk to have any of the old man's complaints. The drunkard stood and looked to push Bard away when the old man grabbed and lifted Caedius' man off the ground and held him there until he cried for forgiveness. Caedius must have had a smirk on his face for instead of answering Bard, Captain Ghills turned toward him and spoke.