Chapter IV

-=-=-=-Nineday the 24th of the Month of Rage, Day of the Sun-=-=-=-

It is so late in the night now, or should I say early morning? It all feels the same. Pieces of parchment is expensive here, I just figur'd out, so I'll attempt to squeeze everything nicely here and make the most of it. Ink is a treasure; so scarce now, these simple things. It seems the War is pulling every musterable effort it can to stay together.

It was late yester-morning when I left our old farm to come and serve here. Mother Dear seem'd such a nervous wreck when I left. It saddens me, but there is no choice. Of course, Papa decided to work in the fields extra early that morning; I don't think he could bear to see me away. That's fine, I know how much he cares, rough as he is. I'm finding things very difficult; the food, accomodations, and especially the training. I always seem to fumble around with the weapons (especially the crossbows, what odd little things!) . The older men say I have "the shakes" and it shall pass with time. Frankly, I don't want enough time to pass for anything of me to erode. Ah! How I miss Mother Dear, and Papa too. It's so late, but I can not sleep due to my body's aching. Such a torment. I feel so strange, as a foreign man does when he is displaced to new lands; I really don't think all this war is for me. Oh how I long to be home! The only comfort I found here was a bright novice witch-girl and my cot. The girl calls her self Lydia, and has an amazing amount of energy. I suppose they need it, what, with all that chanting and dancing and so forth. Lydia says she is the apprentice of the witch-woman Elsa, whom I've the vaguest hint on the name. At times I think I fancy Lydia, though she can come off as a bit of an annoyance.

Alas, I am called by the Commander! So late in the night (or early morn)? Off to the strategem tent with me...

Later:- They say with the growing skill of writing in these journals, I can recall almost exact conversations. Let's put that to the test, shall we? I was assign'd a special sort of mission by the commander, I think.

I immediately noticed the intense smell of burning incense as I stepp'd through the tent door-way. The commander and captain greet'd me with swift salutes, and I did the same. Sitting on the ground was another person, a women seemingly in her mid-twenties, dress'd strangeley in a silken dress of deep violet, with serpent braces of gold adorned along her slender, dark arms, which were otherwise nak'd. Smoke from the incense arose and danc'd near her deep emerald eyes, but they did not tear, as though they were accostum'd to such. Her hair was long with braids reaching far past her shoulders and down her waist in black glimmers. She nodd'd her head to me in greeting, and I quickly snapp'd back my look elsewhere, for I must have been staring. The commander quickly gave the introductions with all haste. He seem'd a hasty person, slender with aubourn hair and a few scars here and there.

"Private Third Class Aurius, Riccardo, that is the witch-woman Elsa, and that is Captain Vaquero, Jefferson."

And as to seperate himself from the rest, he made a half attempt at a haughty gesture and gave his own introduction.

"I am Commander Cruz, general of this squadron, although I am sure you know that already. As you know, we're fighting the War in combatance of the Children, those beings of extreme power who appear like children in their teenage youth-years. We've learn'd of the appearance of a Child, thanks to Elsa. It is the Sixth Child and the only Child to have been destroy'd in the last Great War, thus ending it. Your mission is simple: Seek out and destroy it. Since it has just appear'd in making, it should not have any capabilities of harming any one, and should be fairly easy. The location of the Child has been narrow'd to the city slums of West Van Buren. Private, you will be backing up Captain Vaquero, and Elsa shall guide you to the exact location. Gather what you will and prepare to take leave at 0400 hours."

"Yes sir," the Captain and I both said, and salut'd. We all left the tent, and I am here now making final preparations to depart to West Van Buren, less than two leagues away. No sleep for me it seems, not as if I was on the way to the Land of Dreams anyhow.