BurgerSlave/ChapterTwo

Chapter Two: Mere Mortals

"I will never ask for forgiveness
I will never kiss your feet
I will never beg for mercy
And all that I want to keep
I will guide the blind in darkness
Though I cannot see myself”

--Diary of Dreams, ‘Rumors About Angels’

The day dawned bright and clear, and Captain rolled me out of my comfortable bed. “Up and at ‘em, soldier,” he barked. You know, I can accept all the otherworldly power Sol Invictus has bestowed upon Captain. But I thought he belonged to the Zenith Caste. What business does he have being awake at the ass-crack of dawn? Nobody has any business being that energetic that early in the morning.

So up we got into the cool morning air, and we began our morning drills. I think I caught Justin sneaking a look our way a time or two, and Xiao Shan seemed to appreciate our dedication. By the time calisthenics were over, I was awake and feeling refreshed. So when it came to sword drills, I was able to best the old man a time or two. I beat him fair, although I’m sure if he’d called upon his powers, he could have made mincemeat of me, and I said as such. “No need to waste the Sun’s blessing on practice, Mist,” he said as I helped him to his feet. “It may not always be there, and then where would I be?”

“Up shit creek without a paddle or a canoe,” I responded, handing him his bokken back. Captain chuckled and ruffled my hair. He's fond of doing that, I've noticed.

“That’s what I like about you, laddie,” he said. “You’re not afraid to be honest with me.”

“You wouldn’t have made me Annalist if I were,” I responded, lifting my own bokken into a ready stance.

About halfway through spear training was when I noticed that kid Tug watching us. Well, I call him a kid, though in truth, he’s only a few years younger than me. I flashed a smile at him, and he smiled shyly back. My distraction cost me, as the captain’s spear shaft came down on my head and cracked me a good one. I let fly with a string of curses and called the old man a series of names that were most inappropriate for his station, but he just shook his head. “Distraction’ll get you every time, Mist,” he said. “Stay focused and you stay alive.”

“Aye, sir,” I muttered, rubbing my head. At least he didn’t break the skin, but I was going to have one doozy of a headache, I could tell. Well, better a headache than a split scalp, I suppose. Didn’t keep me from resenting the mean old fart.

Later that morning, we paused to get some breakfast. I sat down with Tug and talked to him a little. That kid’s spent the last five years hanging around with that Shi’ara woman. He calls her ‘oneechan’, which, I believe, is a Forest dialect for ‘big sister’. But they’re not related, so far as I can tell. Still, he’s been with her this long and she hasn’t smote him yet, so maybe that means the old stories about the demonic Solars really are just bunk like Captain says.

As the rest of the Circle made ready to depart, I helped Captain try on the jade armor they had found in Faran Doul’s personal stash. I expected jade to weigh more, somehow, but it was surprisingly light. It was all carved about with frippy flowery motifs.

“I gotta get these ground off,” Captain grunted as I lowered the breastplate over his head.

“But they go so well with your girlish figure,” I said, putting my foot against his side. “Now suck your gut in.” Captain gave me a withering glare, but did as I said. I hauled as hard as I could against the straps and only just managed to get them fastened.

“Gotta get this resized, too,” he grunted, rubbing his side. “If I’m gonna be wearing this, then the last thing I need is to get molded into that idiot’s shape.”

“But you’d look so dainty,” I said with a snicker. I managed to duck a poorly-aimed cuff at the ear and covered myself by pretending to back up and look. “You look marvelous,” I simpered. “The very image of Sextes Jylis himself.” I pressed my hands together and bowed low. “Your domain awaits, O Prince of the Earth.”

I managed to keep up the act, trading tit-for-tat with the old man as we strode out to the Manse’s courtyard, where the rest of the Circle was arranged. Shi’ara was talking quietly with Tug in that heathen language of theirs. Captain put his hands on my shoulders and turned me to face him.

“Now listen, Mist,” he said. “I needn’t tell you to be careful. You know how to handle yourself in Nexus. But that kid there, he’s a greenie. Show him a good time, but watch his back. Don’t let him get carted off by the Night Watch, or the Guild, or anything stupid like that.”

“Yes sir,” I responded. Despite myself, I could feel a lump growing in my throat. This was to be the first time I’d been separated from the Captain since joining the Company. I’d wanted to go with them, but the rest of the Circle was adamant against both me and Tug. Too dangerous, they’d said. Captain had spoken on my behalf, but they were having none of it. So, us mere mortals were to go and have fun in Nexus while they went off to Who-Knows-Where so they could do Who-Knows-What.

Captain glanced over his shoulder. The rest of the Circle was engaged in their final preparations. Satisfied that nobody was watching, he drew me close and hugged me. “Take care of yourself, boy,” he growled. “I don’t want to come back just to send you on, all right?”

“Just make sure you come back,” I said back, returning the hug while trying to keep from unmanning myself. The last thing Captain needed was for me to break down like some kid desperate to keep his dad from going off to battle. Then, they were mounting up and leaving. Captain turned and waved over his shoulder at me, and as the noonday sun shone down, I could see a ghost of his Caste Mark, glimmering beneath his headband. Then, they were around the bend and heading off to the northeast, following the Yanaze River to its headwaters and leaving me and Tug behind with that creepy tree-god, Verging Thicket.

I turned to him and managed a smile. “So... you ever have sake before?” I asked.

---

It sure felt good to be home. Even though it had been less than a month since the Company had marched out of Nexus, it felt like years. But nothing ever changes in the City of A Thousand Bazaars. We slipped through the gate on the tail of a Guild caravan, pretending to be part of the merc guard. Then, we were through and onto the streets of the Little Market district.

“Don’t stare,” I said to Tug as he gawped around himself like a rube. “And keep your jaw shut. If you act like a mark, then you’ll get treated like a mark.” He shot me a sour look, but did as I said. The kid’s got brains, that’s for sure. And he’s got no fear. That may or may not be a good thing. Bravery’s one thing. Foolish bravery is just that, and tends to get one killed over stupid things.

First, we got ourselves some food at one of the hundreds of noodle shops that line the streets of Nexus. For a barbarian, Tug handles chopsticks well enough, and he didn’t seem to mind the fact that there was more than a little mystery meat mixed in with the real pork. At least the sauce was nice and sweet, with enough pepper to make your eyes water. We probably could have afforded the good stuff with the stipend Captain gave me. But when you’re on a limited budget, you get what you pay for, and I wanted our jade to last us.

Then, it was off to Tsai’s Tea House for sake. Old Tsai had long been a friend of the Captain’s, and had always given a discount to Jade Company members. But we were supposed to all be dead, so I waited until after sundown, when I knew Tsai would be off to see to the gambling den he ran in the back. His serving-girl Ravana is a good girl, but not exactly all together between her eardrums. We’d just be two more mercs in a crowd of mercs, and nobody should recognize us there.

I sat Tug and myself down in the corner. The place was just like I remembered. The tea house is located less than a block from the Company’s old barracks. I’d had to choke down anger as we passed by it and seen the ‘For Sale or Lease’ sign up in the door. They’d already written us off. Such is the way of the River Harlot. But that didn’t keep the bitterness from rising in the back of my throat.

I hope I live to see the day that the Captain takes this city and makes the Council crawl. Bastards. My mood was lightened considerably when the sake was brought to our table, along with salted nuts out of the East. Watching Tug cough and splutter was worth a laugh, and the sake was perfect, right at body temperature. The serving girl was kinda cute, and ogling her was just the thing to set the mood for the next stage of our adventure–a trip to the Harlotry.

But then, harsh laughter intruded from the table over. “Aye, and I didn’t even have to take ‘em off the bodies, as they was all burnt to ash!” a voice was boasting. “All their things were just sitting there in the battlefield, waiting for anyone to come along an’ take ‘em. There was armor an’ weapons aplenty, an’ jade in every pocket!” My heart froze for a minute. I glanced over at the man who was boasting.

I hadn’t seen him. But Captain had described him to me. The man the Council had sent to make sure we were all dead. The scar down the cheek. Teeth like a rat’s. An oily mop of dark red hair. It was him. It had to be.

“Couldn’t find the standard, though,” he was saying. “Th’ Council was offering an extra jade bar for it. Dunno why, though. I didn’t think brass was worth much these days,” he was saying. That was our man.

Tug must have seen my face, because he turned to look as well. “What’s wrong, Mist?” he asked.

“That man over there,” I said. “He was in on the scam to have the Company destroyed.”

Tug scowled. “Then we should go and fight him!” he said. “We have to gain vengeance for your fallen brothers!” I shook my head. “Us and what army, Squirt?” I asked. “There’s only two of us. We need Captain here. With his powers--“

Tug slammed down his glass of sake. “Fuck that!” he said, drawing me up short. I don’t think I’ve ever heard the kid use profanity even once since I met him. “We don’t need to be Exalted to do what’s right!” Before I could stop him, he was getting to his feet and marching straight over to the table.

“Hey, you!” he said, poking Ratface in the back. The merc turned and scowled.

“Whadda you want, boy? I’m busy drinking!”

Tug nodded. “I know,” he said. “I heard you were at the field where the Jade Company fell. Is that right?”

Guffaws of laughter. I felt my gorge rise. I had to respect the kid, but what he was doing was stupid. Dead heroes are admirable, but they’re also, well, dead. Ratface hawked and spat on the floor. “Aye, ‘s me. You wanna make somethin’ of it?”

Tug shrugged his shoulders. “Men who lead lives without virtue come to bad ends,” he said. That got another round of laughter.

“Lookee here, we got ourselves a preacher!” Ratface said. Tug stood his ground, arms crossed. Suddenly, the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. I realized that Tug was about to go for those ironwood knives he kept under his sleeves. Ratface was soused enough that he didn’t realize the danger he was in.

I’d only ever seen Justin move as fast as Tug did. A gout of blood cut off Ratface’s laughter in a hoarse gurgle. Tug nodded with satisfaction, and turned to leave. The other mercs at the table were dumbfounded as Ratface toppled over onto the floor.

The two of us hit the door at a dead run as Tsai’s Tea House erupted behind us. “You crazy son of a bitch!” I hollered as we dodged through the streets of Nighthammer. “Are you trying to get us killed?”

“Nobody lives forever!” he hollered back. “Your Captain is part of neechan’s Circle now. That makes him family!” We dodged around some porters hauling cinnabar to be smelted into mercury. The mercs were hot on our heels as we ducked into an alley.

“Yeah, but that doesn’t mean you have to--ulp!” I skidded to a halt as we burst out of the alley, and straight into a cul-de-sac. There was nowhere to go. I kicked myself. I should have known where this alley led. We were trapped. Distraction, getting the best of me. Captain would’ve had a hoot over this one.

I turned and fumbled for my sword. “It was nice knowing you, Tug,” I said quietly as the clashing of armored men came ringing down the alley. For a kid his age staring death down the gullet, Tug looked remarkably calm. I figured he’d be cringing, or blubbing, or something like that. He only looked resolutely on, knives in his hands.

“Psst! Boys! Over here!” A hissed whisper drew my attention to one of the shops in the cul-de-sac. A burly older fellow was waving into his shop The merchant’s shingle declared him a blacksmith, one of the many thousands that worked in Nighthammer.

I’ve never been one to look a gift horse in the mouth, and I didn’t take much time inspecting this one’s chops, either. I grabbed Tug’s shoulders and plowed into the shop.

The man behind the door was a big guy, easily Captain’s height and half again his girth. He was dressed in working leathers--apron, gloves, headband tying back his shaggy hair.

“Wait here until I distract them. Then, you’ll find a back door out through the smithy. I’d suggest you use it to make yourselves scarce,” the smith was saying. Before Tug or I could question our good fortune, he shouldered a satchel and stepped out, locking the door behind him just as the mercs poured into the cul-de-sac.

“You there!” one of the men barked. “Did you see two brats run in here?” The smith hefted his satchel, which clanked.

“I did not, sir,” he said. “I’ve been at my forge all day. I’d have noticed anyone running in here. Now, if you’ll pardon me, I must be off to market before nightfall.” He clapped the merc on the shoulder as he passed. “Good fortune in your hunt,” he said.

Is it just me, or did I notice a flicker of reddish light around the smith’s palm as he touched the merc? It could have just been the light glinting off the man’s shoulder guard, but I’ve seen too much weird shit these last few days to discount anything.

I was convinced that they’d go door to door, searching all of the shops for us, but the merc just shook his head. “Let’s go, boys,” he growled. With that, they filtered out of the cul-de-sac and on out into the main street. The smith glanced over his shoulder and winked in our direction before he turned and headed down the alley himself, whistling a cheerful tune.

Both of us let loose a sigh of relief. “Thank the gods,” Tug said. “I was sure we were finished. If that smith hadn’t hidden us, we’d be goners for sure!”

“If you hadn’t stuck that idiot at the tea house, they wouldn’t be after us in the first place,” I retorted. Now that we weren’t running for our lives, I could afford a few minutes to be cross with Tug. He just looked up at me.

“Neechan told me something once. All that evil needs to flourish is for good men to do nothing. I bet you an obol your Captain would’ve said the same thing,” he said.

I opened my mouth to challenge what he said. Then I shut it. Old Captain might’ve told him to go straight to hell. But that was Old Captain. New Captain was different. New Captain was a Voice of the Sun and a paragon of virtue. At least he was supposed to try to be setting an example for the rest of us to follow.

I shook my head. “Let’s get going,” I said. “After that, I could use another glass of sake to calm my nerves. And we still haven’t gotten to the fun part yet.” We followed the heat we felt coming from the hallway, and found our way into the smithy. The fires were banked and the tools hung up in neat rows. A couple thing did catch my eye, and actually brought me up short.

What, do you suppose, does a blacksmith need with a sextant? Or star-charts? But then, Tug grabbed my shoulder and pulled me through the back door before I could ask him.

We found ourselves in another alley, which led out to Cinder Street. That got us back to Riverlaine, which led us back to the Nexus District. It looked like we’d given our pursuers the slip, at long last.

Tug turned to me as if to ask a question, when his eyes widened at something he spied over my shoulder. I turned. And my jaw hit the street.

There was Captain, a hundred feet tall, looming over Bastion District, right over the palace where the Council of Entities supposedly does its business. His Caste Mark was a brilliant gold brand, lighting up the twilight streets and making everyone gape in awe.

“Dogs of the Council,” he thundered. “All your days are numbered. Vengeance comes for the Council of Entities. The Jade Company lives on, and your treachery comes to naught. The wrath of Sol Invictus cannot be stayed. The Sun always rises.” With that, the image vanished, and the streets erupted into chaos.

I looked at Tug. “Did you see that?” I asked. He nodded.

“He’s crazy. You know that?” he said. I shrugged.

“It’s the Captain,” I said, as though that explained everything. Then, inspiration struck, and I grinned. “But it’s given me an idea.”

Tug cocked his head. In a lot of ways, he’s such a little kid. “Oh yeah? What’d you think of?”

I nodded sagely. I decided I liked being the elder for once. “We’re going to start putting up slogans around town. We’ll make the Council nervous, and let them know that this wasn’t a one-time affair.” I shrugged. “It’s not much. But it’s about all I think that we mere mortals can do.”

Tug grinned and clapped his hands. Yeah. Little kid. “Fantastic! When do we start?”

I shook my head. “Not so fast, hero,” I said. “First thing’s first. Captain told us to have fun, and that’s what we’re gonna do.” I looked up and down the streets, spied our destination, then grinned down at Tug, who looked up at me expectantly. I waggled my eyebrows the same way Captain did when he asked me this question. “So, boy--you ever gotten laid?”

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