The Aegis of Noah Hart

27-Seal Your Fate

Corporal Drake looks around the barracks he has called home for the past few years of his life. A barren, grey stone of a place with perfectly rectangular cedar plank beds lined in stacks of two and in rows of six in three columns for a total of thirty six beds. The lights off Drake only has the light of Huld's moon to give him sight as he gazes from blankets at the young men sleeping in his room. Though he'd rather get more sleep, Katara had requested he wake up at twilight and meet him on Novoremus, a vibrant colony planet. Drake didn't plan on disappointing the man.

With a groan, Drake slides out of his bed toward a rail and climbs down as nimbly as possible. Standing barefoot on the concrete floor, Drake feels a chill come over his body as he stands shivering in his white shorts and shirt. Grabbing a small claw Kibotos from a sack on the end of his bed, he slaps the device on his chest transforming his sleepwear into his black uniform. With a sigh, Drake straightens his posture, pivots on his foot, and tiptoes out of the room into the hallway. As he opens the door, he finds two men. One is Katara himself, dressed in red plated armor like the Crimson Knights, the main fighting forces sent to harvest resources from other planets. His dark eyes narrow on Drake for a moment making him startle until he turns his gaze at the other man. He too stares intently at Drake with tar black eyes, but strangely enough this is the most normal thing about his appearance. The figure smiles revealing jagged teeth, his hair floating up in the air as if being blown by wind though there is no draft, covered in gray rags that move just as freely, Drake feels his heart race as he can see parts of the wall behind the man through his chest.

"Wha-what are you?"

The man chuckles and looks past Drake into the room behind him. Katara smiles and speaks next.

"Corporal, this is General Ghast. He is an Highborn like no other and has agreed to accompany us on our journey this morning."

Drake does his best to relax his body and nods out of respect. 

General? So this man would be Katara's superior, but then why does he speak as if he recruited the man on a personal mission instead of the other way around? It hasn't been that many days since he told me to leave him on Velos, but I suppose he could have increased his rank from last time. I wonder what rank he is now?

"Something  on your mind, Corporal?"

Drake stiffens then shakes his head.

"Oh sorry, I was just thinking...how should I address you, sir?"

At the question, Ghast snorts and throws up his hands.

"Why you call him Commander of course. Why-"

"Hold on," Katara raises a hand, stopping the general, "it's a fair question for our young soldier. I am back to the rank of Lieutenant myself, but I would prefer if you just called me Katara. Keep things easy to remember."

Drake nods in agreement noting the Lieutenant's eyes glance around the hallway as if wondering who had heard him. There was no doubt something strange going on, a general answering to a lieutenant? Not only that but what did the others think of this young soldier using Velos to train his way up, the ranks? And did he say back to the rank of Lieutenant? What does that mean? As Drake puzzled over this truth he realized that he had never seen Katara in the presence of any ranking officers, no one of importance save Archon himself.

Seeming satisfied with himself, Katara draws the small ring like device from a pouch on his belt, a dura, and activates it causing an opening to appear int he hallway before them. Looking through the opening, Drake spies dirt floored arena in the midst of what appears to be an ancient colosseum. In the very center of the arena lies a pool of wine colored water likely dirtied with blood. He finds his jaw dropping just as Katara shoves him and the two officers make their way until the dura. Drake follows closely behind them and shutters as the opening vanishes once he arrives.