∼ The Verve of Old Bones ∼

Chapter - 050

"You sure it was the outer barracks he meant?" Eric asked, eyeing the large buildings adorning the sides of the Small Gate as they walked along the encampment stationed at the gate's entrance. There were large stone and wood structures, an archery range, and multiple training quarters, all filled with armored men doing drills and exercising away.

It looked to be where the guards of Boreas were trained for duty, doubling as a customs for all travel in and out of the city. It was for exactly this reason too that they were not just going directly into the city. They had no papers; no identification that would allow for them to enter the city, including the fact they also did not have the luxury to have any new ones made because of Nyx's complicated origin and Aria elvish heritage.

For settlements like cities, unlike small towns such as Aemsburg and Tarren's Field, there were strict regulations on who could enter and leave. So they had to find a workaround, to which Boram had discreetly hinted a solution.

"I believe he just said to ask for the sergeant and remember some decent coin," Aria said in answer to Eric.

Not far from the gate's hustle and bustle, they found a tall guard leaning over a table bestrewn with parchments bolted to the rough-hewn and weathered wood. What made him stand out was the insignia on his right shoulder sewn into the leather pauldron. Two slanted stripes underneath the symbol of a gust of wind. It clearly signified him being a superior. At the least to the grunts stationed here as everyone else bore merely a single slanted stripe.

"Excuse me, sir?" Eric called out to the man whose back was turned to them.

Casting a glance at first, the guard turned to eye the three of them underneath bushy eyebrows and a leather helm that covered most of his upper face.

"We could use some help to point us in the right direction, sir-?" She drew out the question.

"Corporal Thame," The man readily obliged, his voice rough from years of yelling and ordering around."What can I do for you youngsters?"

"We're looking for one Sergeant Suller,"

The caterpillar of a mustache on his face danced as he seemingly mulled over that.

"Sergeant Suller, you say?" He mused. "What business do you have with him?"

"Personal business." Eric offered.

"Well then, if it's personal, you'll have to wait until he's off shift."

Aria stepped forward hesitantly. "Ah-uhm, we are friends of Boram - he recommended us to go straight to Sergeant Suller once we arrived."

Brows raised, the caterpillar on his lip danced once more. "Hmm - is that so? That old bear is still running around out there in the wild? Surprised he hasn't gotten himself eaten yet." He chuckled.

Surprised to hear that this guardsman knew of the large caravan master, the two started feeling hopeful of their prospects in fixing their identification problems. Sizing the three of them up one more time, the corporal gave himself a curt nod. "I'll take you to the old captain. Follow me."

Sharing a look as the guardsman immediately turned on his heels and began walking towards a large stone building, Eric and Aria followed along, the elf girl motioning Nyx to follow as he hadn't been paying attention to the conversation at all. He had been more so busy in the land of imagination where he had taken all the walking EXP bags of this expansive city for himself - imagining himself an imposing, red, impish god towering over the city and laughing at the scrambling humans below.

Passing throngs of men and guards stationed in the muddied yard to the barracks, the trainees and guardsmen all showed respect to the corporal. From the man's rank of corporal, it would seem that they had underestimated this place. As much as it was the outer guard barracks, it appeared to also be an arm of the city's military. At least, this side of the barracks was. The place was quite large, and hundreds of men in uniform could be seen milling around in every crook and cranny.

Entering the barracks, they were led through a series of halls until they finally arrived at a thick oaken door opening to an office. Despite its sparse decorations and worn woodwork, this room was filled with a certain presence of authority. By the corner, a table extending from the wall was covered in parchments, scrolls, and books - and behind it, sat a man. He was older, in his later years. Adorning a bushy white beard. Dull green eyes. Scribbling away with a small quill.

It was immediate and without a doubt to all who entered the room, that the soul of authority that permeated this room came from this small, weathered old man.

"Corporal Thame, reporting," Showing a surprising amount of deference and respect, he bowed low to the old man before straightening. "Sir, these young folk have come to discuss matters with you. They claim to have been referred by little Bammen."

"Bammen?" The old man perked up, face lifting from the papers on the table, clear joy lighting up his weary expression.

Eric and Aria both paused confusedly at that. "Bammen? Are they talking about Boram?"

If they did, what in the abyss did they mean about little? 

The old man fixed the three of them with a warm but percent gaze, his dull green eyes harder than expected. They all straightened a little under the scrutiny, almost unconsciously. This had to be the aforementioned Sergeant Suller. It surprised Eric to see such a man in a position like a sergeant as he looked too wizened to even hold a sword straight. But nonetheless, it seemed to be the case.

"Thank you, corporal. You can leave these youngins to me." The older man waved off.

"Yessir," The man said without missing a beat or a shred of hesitation. The corporal just turned on his heels, spared the three of them a nod of acknowledgment.

"So, what do you need help with?" The old captain started. "I assume since Bammy sent you to me, you must have a problem that needs fixing."

Aria stepped forward before Eric could get a chance to answer, curiosity written all over her freckled face underneath her hood. "How come you call him Bammen?"

The sergeant laughed amusedly. "When he first enlisted in the guard, he was so nervous that he kept fumbling his name to the instructors and superiors, earning him that nickname. Good lad, that one. I hope he's doing well?

"Other than a few dings, he's fine." Eric smiled.

The old man smiled back, shaking his head. "He had quite a knack for getting hurt - reckless at times, though always with a heart in the right place."

Eric and Aria couldn't help but agree with that, remembering back to when Boram had fearlessly charged headlong at the towering alpha of those reavers to deal a vital blow against it during the monster ambush on the Iron Road.

"So, that problem?" The old man prompted.

"We've lost our papers to unfortunate circumstances. Now we seem to be in a situation of needing new ones, however, the proper channels are unfortunately not an option for us." Eric explained.

"Papers? Hmm," The old man mused, one eyebrow raised.

He paused for a moment, eying them both.

"I can help you with that." He said finally. "But since Boram trusted you, I can rest assured that you're people of character. Just be sure to keep the knowledge of these means to yourselves."

They all nodded to that, the vague meaning underlying those words ringing clear.

The older man got up from his chair, his slightly hunched form somehow still poised. He grabbed a lantern from the table and began leading the four of them out of his office and through another series of halls. All the while, the men they would pass would show no less deference and respect than the corporal himself to the old captain.

"The corporal called you the old captain?" Eric asked, walking behind Suller. "How come?"

"Oh yes, that was from before I stepped down because of these old bones. Nowadays, they do little to handle the strain needed of a fighter. I merely do administrative work for the garrison now."

"But from what I've seen, these men still hold great respect towards you," Eric said. "The corporal especially, he spoke of you with a quite clear tone of respect."

"-Ah, I am but an old man who garnered some merit amongst my men in my better days." He dismissed lightly, though Eric recognized the man's modesty. As weary of age and weathered this man's body might be, he somehow radiated a sense of order and authority. He must've been a great figure in the garrison some decades ago.

As much as Eric was gaining respect towards this man at each of these realizations, Nyx slowly came to dislike the man. For no particular reason other than he felt uneasy toward this old, but poised man. It felt like this man just went against the demon's intrinsic grain.

Being led to the end of a hall far into the barracks, no other guards to be seen, the old captain stopped before a large trap door.

"Young man, could you help me with this. I'm afraid I'm not what used to be," He smiled at Eric to which the young man readily obliged.

"We're not far from here, simply keep your heads down and avoid eye contact."

Though the old man's last instruction caused some pause in Eric and Aria, Eric did as he had been asked, revealing a dark flight of stairs underneath the trap door with a groaning creak.