Chapter Three: The Belcourt Reception
Kiresk, Galaan and Salena stepped off the ship to the passport check. After the guard checked them over, they proceeded to enter the new section of town.
Kiresk had left to get their luggage to the military barracks where the three had been given free lodgings. Salena had left the city to see the St. Belcourt bluffs and the Bay of St. Belcourt. Galaan however, preferred a more social scene. He headed to the grand hotel, where a military reception party was to take place. Beside the hotel was a small diner and bar.
"Barkeep!" yelled Galaan. "Get me a beer. I've been eating military slop all of two days. All there was to drink was water."
"That's rough times," joked the bartender. "This one's on the house. As long as you're buying food.
"Thanks, man," Galaan replied, in the most pleasant tone he could possibly muster. "I think I'll order the weekly special."
"One special!" The barkeeper bellowed. "Hey! Quit slackin' off! Overpaid slack-artist."
After Galaan finished his meal, he left money and a tip on the counter, then, completely unseen, left the diner to the streets. He ran through a few back alleyways and got to an old two story house. It looked to be in good shape except some of the white wash was gone. He knocked on the door a couple of times, and a middle aged man opened it.
"Yes? Who is it?" the old man called out. "Oh! Galaan! You've come back from your trip. I hope all went well."
"Not everything was well, father," Galaan replied. "I killed Kareena's father. Kiresk forgave me for it, but, do you think Kareena will forgive me?"
"My boy," Galaan's father told him. "When Norrah takes your spirit to death, I'm sure Kareena will be waiting for you, and she will forgive you, because she has to. Well, enough about family politics. How is Kiresk? I hope he is well."
"He is well, in mind, body and spirit," Galaan mentioned. "He has re-enlisted and is planning on re-opening the 7th Legion. I have joined up, and a woman we met named Salena is the Mage and Field Advisor. He hopes that we can bring down some of the rebellions and rid the plains of the unnatural beasts created by Lucifer's troops."
"I see, Galaan," his father said, smiling. "I'm very proud to see you have joined up with him. Now, tell me about this 'Salena'. You have met her, right?"
"Of course, father," Galaan began. "Salena's a very happy-go-lucky type. She is an excellent mage and quick-witted. I find her choice of weapon a bit odd, though. Instead of a steel staff, or a magic rod, she uses a silver staff with a Phoenix emblem on it. The phoenix holds in place a sapphire."
"A phoenix emblem!? Are you sure?" his father exulted. "Listen Galaan, she is very important. Kiresk has made an excellent choice as to his advisor. I'm going to work in my study now, but please tell Kiresk what I said."
Galaan tried to ask about Salena's importance, but his father would not give details of any kind, so he left him to meet Kiresk and tell him what his father had said.
Salena, on the other hand, was enjoying a day of serenity and peace. She watched off the bluffs in silence, as the waves slowly rolled onto the shore. The tranquil scene was quickly ruined as the seas had literally ripped wide open in front of her. She watched fearfully as the water grew fingers to reach up and touch the heavens. Then, as if she asked in just the right way, it stopped. Her mind was in shock. She walked towards the city in search of Galaan. She walked through the residential sectors oblivious to the fact that she was bumping into people. She just kept walking like a zombie, calling for Galaan, until finally he had found her, while stepping out of his father's house.
"Salena, snap out of it!" he cried. "What happened?"
Salena blinked for a moment, took a deep breath and began to tell Galaan what happened.
While Galaan and Salena were about their business, Kiresk took Galaan and Salena's papers to the General.
"Kiresk, these two will do more than fine, especially if this 'Galaan' is everything you say he is," the General stated. "This other one, the mage, she will make a fine advisor, so I approve to recruit both of them. If they meet your standards, Kiresk, then they must be suitable for the job. Congratulations, commander, you have begun to rebuild the most famed and feared battalion in all the world. Here are some other candidates you may want to look over."
"Yes, sir," Kiresk acknowledged. "I will see if any are to my liking. If there are any, they will report to you after the mission."
"How did you know that you would have people to do this task with before the mission, commander?" the General asked, confused.
"People join a person when they do not know that he has an intent, sir" Kiresk explained. "These are the words of my old second."
Kiresk picked up the other letters and forms, looking them through. He cleared out a spot on the general's desk, recklessly spilling papers about the room, and started sorting them into piles. When he was finished, he gave the commander five sheets of paper.
"These ones, sir," Kiresk told him. "Find them, and tell them they're in my legion."
"Of course, commander," the general replied, picking up his papers off the floor. "Just prepare for the reception tonight. Oh, and Kiresk, make sure Advisor Salena and 2nd Commander Galaan are with you."
Kiresk said nothing, but shook his head and waved on the way out.
Later that night, at the reception, after Kiresk intoduced Galaan and Salena to the general, and a few speeches had been made, the floor was cleared of tables, and music filled the halls. Soon, couples were covering the floor, laughing and having fun dancing the night away. Galaan sat quietly on the side, playing with his knife.
"Galaan! Why are you just sitting there?" Salena scorned, in a playful tone. "Dance with me, it'll be fun! And put that away!"
"I don't dance," Galaan said, firmly, putting his knife away.
"Maybe one of those soldiers over there will dance with me, then, since you won't," Salena taunted, mischievously.
"Fine then. I'll dance," Galaan gnarled. "Just so the soldiers don't get a chance to dance with you, though."
"I knew you'd see it my way," Salena laughed, grabbing Galaan by the hand.
Galaan's ability to dance surprised Salena, and soon he was leading her around the floor, weaving his way through everyone, still maintaining his pattern properly.
Near the end of the night, two rebel swordsmen busted in and killed both door guards, demanding to see the general. Both Kiresk and the general stood up and began to laugh. The rebels turned white with fear as Kiresk marched towards them. After explaining to the two that the general was unable to come to the door, they grabbed their swords from their belts and tried to swing at him, but he easily dodged the blades. When he got bored of them trying to kill him, he grabbed the two by an arm each, and pushed them away. The door burst open again, this time with more rebel fighters on the other side. Kiresk turned back to the general, who was sitting at the back of the hall, watching him fight. He then turned to Galaan and Salena. Immediately, both of them rushed up to help, Galaan holding his hands in his vest, salena focusing on her staff. Before either Kiresk or Galaan could say anymore, Salena's staff released a burst of blue flames. Those on the other side of the door that weren'r dead ran off into the night.
"What was that all about?" Galaan exulted. "But, Salena, how did you just do that? I've never seen such a powerful spell, and I've seen powerful magic before."
"Ah! Uh? Heh..." Salena mumbled, as she had fallen to shock again. Galaan quickly snapped her out of it.
"Could it possibly be," Kiresk began. "That Salena's staff has spme amount of energy in it as well? It would explain why she was able to exert such a large amount of energy. I thought it was just an ornate staff. Where did you get it?"
"I was assigned to find it on a treasure hunt designed by my magic tutor," Salena explained. "When I saw that he wanted me to find a staff, I searched for the finest one I could, and this was what I came up with."
"Salena, I should pray to the Spirit of Chaos that you never lose that staff," Kiresk remarked.
The three left the extravagant hall to their private barracks. The barracks was a very basic living quarters. It had four private, sound-proof sleeping chambers, a kitchen with some staple foodstuffs, and a small, open space on the right side. Outside, there was a small firing range at the back, while out front, there was a dirt road with barracks just like theirs on either side. They stood there perfectly, as if the scene were a painting.
Galaan woke up the next morning to a loud crash. He got up slowly, opening his eyes to the sun coming through a hole in the blinds covering the window.
"Who's the blind half-wit that can't hit the target if his life depended on it?" Galaan muttered, as he slowly walked over to the shattered window.
"Sorry!" yelled a tall ,man wearing dark clothes. "Idiot beside me pushed me as I took my shot."
"Here then," Galaan snapped, as he tossed the arrow through the centre of the target's back. "Bull's eye?"
"...Yeah!" the man exclaimed, with a shocked look on his face. "How did you do that?"
Galaan didn't answer, but instead went back to sleep.
"Wake up, Galaan," Salena whispered. "Galaan, wake up. It's mid-day.
Crack! Galaan felt a heavy pain in his ribs.
"I'm getting up!" mumbled Galaan. "You didn't have to hit me with that, you know."
"I've been shaking you and yelling at you for five minutes!" Salena stated, angrily, leaning a broom up against the wall. "Even if I didn't have to hit you, you deserve it! Besides, the briefing is in one hour."