“The Mana Core, the very heart of magic. Every living being has Mana, but forming a core is the very first step towards divinity. Only a few are blessed with the talent and ability to form one.”

On Rankings

Chapter 24

Wil walked forward, accepting the heavy bag of over two hundred gold coins from Oakley. Returning to his companions, he pocketed the bag. With his father cutting off his funds, Wil would need every coin for when he returned to the Academy.

He Idly calculated if he could make tuition or if he should look for additional funding when he returned to the capital. He was distracted from his thoughts when Commander Holland approached him. The commander had only returned to duty the day before and was still not completely recovered.

“You all performed admirably.” Holland said to the group. “I’m sorry about Hale, but I know she was proud to lead you.”

“Thank you, sir.” Erinn said, bowing her head at the mention of Hale.

Nodding at her, Holland continued. “We’ll be sending search parties through the underground over the coming weeks. I doubt the losses they sustained here will stop them for long. We’ll need you both here for a few more Nights. Most of our soldiers are rank-less, having some higher ranked support will be a great help.” Holland said, looking between Gunther and Erinn.

“Of course, sir.” Gunther said, nodding at the commander.

“And I’m sorry to lose you both as well.” He said to Anise and Wil. “We could use the assistance, but I understand that you can’t stay.”

“My debt’s paid.” Anise said simply, shrugging her shoulders. She would be heading back to the capital tomorrow, her time in the east had allowed her to earn enough to pay her debts to the guild.

“Thank you, Sir. I’m looking forward to getting back to the Academy.” Wil said.

The Commander looked at Wil strangely, tilting his head slightly in confusion. “Academy? I was ordered to send you west.”

Wil opened his eyes wide in surprise. “West?”

Holland nodded. “I received word this morning from the Capital, you’re to travel west. They’ll be expecting you in Aachen by next Night.”

“May I ask who ordered this, sir?” Wil asked, shaking in anger at the thought of heading west and who was involved in sending him there.

“Your Father’s man delivered a letter, said his name was ‘Greaves’.” Holland said, pulling a letter out from his coat. Wil could see his house seal prominently on the front.

“I see…Is Greaves still here sir?”

Holland nodded. “He’s currently in my office, he’ll be leaving shortly.”

“Thank you, may I go see him?”

“Of course.” Holland said, directing Wil towards the Fort with a wave of his hand before moving to one of the other Auxiliary groups.

Wil said goodbye to his companions before leaving the courtyard at a brisk walk and entered the main Fort. Climbing the stairwell, he moved to the top floor of the Fort and in through the open door of the Commander’s office.

Entering the room, Wil saw Greaves standing in front of the narrow window. He was looking out over the courtyard. Dressed in quilted armor with a layer of chainmail, Greaves had a sword strapped to his waist and the Brookmoor house symbol was prominent on the left portion of his chest.

“Was father so disappointed by my continued survival that now he’s sending me west?” Wil said as he stormed into the room.

Greaves turned away from the window. “Young Master Wilhelm, you must be mistaken. You know your father cares about you. He’s only worried that returning to the capital so soon will stunt your progress.” He said, with a slight smirk on his face.

Greaves moved away from the window and took a seat in front of the commander’s desk.

Wil snorted at the comment, closing the door behind him and sitting down across from the man. “We both know he could care less about my well-being.” Wil sighed, looking Greaves directly in the eye.

“If he wanted me dead, there’s easier ways to do it. So, what does he want?”

Greaves sat silently for a moment, before visibly relaxing his posture. “The Earl is rolling the dice on you Wil. He’ll keep sending you into the thick of things. You either come out stronger for it, or you die.”

The older man got up out of the seat and moved to the side of the room where Holland had a bottle of wine and several glasses.

Pulling the cork, Greaves smelled the bottle before pouring himself a glass. He turned to Wil and gestured with the bottle towards the second glass.

Wil nodded and Greaves poured him a glass as well. He handed it to Wil and sat back down, adjusting his sword as he did so.

Wil took a long swallow of the wine, blackberry, before continuing. “What are my options, Greaves?”

He had always trusted his opinion. Although he was his father’s retainer, Greaves had always cared for him. When he was a child, he saw more of the man in front of him than he did his own father. He resented that as a child, but now he was thankful his father was always away.

“Well…as I see it, you have three choices.”

“One, you keep fighting in the auxiliaries and hope that someday your father decides to let you come home. Although, you’ll likely die before that happens. I’d give you a fifty/fifty chance.” Greaves took a sip of the wine, placing the glass back down on the arm of his chair.

He idly tapped the side of the glass with the gold ring he wore on his left hand, the Brookmoor house symbol distinct on the front.

“Thank you for the great odds.” Wil said sarcastically.

Greaves smiled at Wil. “Kellerman told you about his time in the Auxiliaries before you left the capital?”

Wil nodded, taking another drink. “He told me he did five Nights in the Auxiliaries before he joined the guard.”

“Odd isn’t it, only five months in the Auxiliaries but he was already a veteran?” Greaves asked, looking at Wil for an answer.

Wil nodded at the question. He hadn’t really thought about it at the time.

Most people who join the Auxiliaries only stay for a few Nights before they either retired with a purse full of gold or they joined a Lord’s guards. It was less money in the guard, but Kellerman had said he was grateful for the position.

He started to put things together in his head. The large amount of money paid to recruits to entice them to join the axillaries. The horrible causalities they had suffered here in Whitewater. The fact that the highest ranked auxiliary he had met here was only a Rank 3. The majority were young first ranks, a handful of rank 2 and only a couple Rank 3’s.

“Fifty percent is the odds they give every Auxiliary, isn’t it?” Wil finally said, looking up at Greaves.

Greaves nodded, taking another drink. “Not just the recruits, but every single one of them. The higher ranks get the harder jobs, no easy placements in the Auxiliaries. It’s why the Houses recruit from them, they survived for a reason. They’re stronger, faster or smarter than the rest.”

“Or luckier” Wil said dryly, taking a long drink of his wine.

Greaves nodded, getting up to grab the bottle and pouring each of them another glass. “Luck is a part of it, for sure.” He sat back down before lifting his refilled glass to his lips.

“What are the other options?” Wil asked hopefully.

“You can run. Change your name, leave the Empire. You can start new somewhere else.” Greaves said, stretching his legs out, placing one boot on top of the other on the carpet of the office. “Khmer is supposed to be nice.”

“Not an option. I won’t let him run me off, force me out of what’s mine! What my mother left for me!” Wil said angrily, getting up and pacing the office.

Greaves nodded slowly. “The last option is to fight for what you want.”

Wil stopped, turning towards Greaves. “

“You won’t let your father deprive you of what’s yours? Then you’ll need strength to seize it. And not through retainers or hired swords. I mean personal strength that only having a high rank can give you.”

Greaves stood up as well and faced Wil. “Staying in the Auxiliaries is dangerous, but the higher the risk the higher the reward. You also have other options. The adventure’s guild is always looking for talented people. It would mean leaving Illyria, but you could select your own contracts.”

Draining his glass, Greaves set it down on Holland’s desk, before moving to the door. Turning briefly, he looked back him. “Remember, it’s your choice Wil, not your fathers. If you decide to go west, do it for you and not for him.”

Greaves closed the door behind him, leaving Wil to his thoughts.