Systems In Chaos: Dissention

Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Even though Inquisitor Jore’s attack could come any day and at any time the barracks which housed Valiance Company was full of laughter. It was so loud it almost threatened to wreck the building. People were drinking, they were joking, they were laughing and they were brawling. It was a fairly big warehouse that Rogan had turned into a barracks for them, he had thought that it was important that every soldier that served in Teran’s resistance camp stayed together and not be split up into the other companies. Instead of doing that Rogan had converted a large warehouse that didn’t have a lot in it and turned it into Valiance Company’s barracks, and he just moved the stuff that was in the storage building into another. They had music blaring to which most of them sung along with. It wasn’t their good old trusty jukebox that they had listened to back in their camp, but it worked well enough. They had good food every night and weren’t putting their stomachs through torture trying to keep the military rations down. There weren’t many windows, other than along the top of the wall near the ceiling, but the lights made up for it. In fact it was actually a good thing that there were no windows, otherwise most of them would have been broken by now. Valiance was very rowdy, and even more so now that the commanders were back in their ranks.

It had already been three days since Teran’s and Vladimir’s group arrived at the Capital, and everyone was settling in just fine. The rest of their men were happy to see them, to say the least. They wanted to hear all about their adventures. Garen’s stories made them all laugh, and Teran’s made everyone cheer and call out in excitement. Teran left some bits out, of course, and everyone took it hard when they found out that Baron had fallen. But the sadness didn’t last long, they were all too happy to have all their leaders back among them. Teran had been able to relax a bit and put his mind at ease for some time. He hadn’t heard from Him, the Shadow, since they had arrived. He did not find himself missing the dark, echoing voice of that ash grey version of himself. The chains that had appeared on his arm when that darkness was trying to break free and gain control frightened him. It was not something he wished to have to deal with again anytime soon.

Vladimir was going well, too, much to their relief. He had been transferred to the palace hospital the same day they had arrived. The skilled doctors there, with access to all the medical equipment they needed, were fixing him up nicely. He was able to walk around again, though not for long. Fortunately for him he didn’t have to stay in the medical wing. He wouldn’t be able to do any fighting for another three or four days but he was happy enough to be able to walk around and be back on his feet. He had even mustered up the strength to walk over to the warehouse where his men were sleeping, and was right now enjoying a few beers and a few laughs with some of his men, comparing details of the stories Garen had told them. He was still smitten over Keimi, much to Garen’s aggravation. She had been going to see him in the hospital even more than anyone else. Teran did notice that she didn’t come near to the Valiance Company’s barracks.

She is a bounty hunter after all, and she is probably used to being alone. Perhaps there is too many soldiers here? Too many men that carry honour and duty with them, Teran kept the thought to himself. He didn’t doubt Garen would have something to add to it. He had been warning them about her every chance he’d gotten. “Don’t trust her. She’s up to something, I swear it,” he had said to Tec. Vladimir would always say “She’s great. She is a skilled fighter, took down a marauder and a heap of Imperials in a blink of an eye and saved us. We should give her a chance.” As for himself, Teran didn’t have any issues with her. It was true that he hadn’t spent much time with her, only seeing her in passing since they had arrived at the palace, but she didn’t seem like she was up to no good and as long as she didn’t pose a threat to anyone he didn’t really care.