Fire and Steel

Interlude: Conscript Twenty Eight

Twenty-Eight

The air from the third storey of The Tusk was brisk and clear, free from the humidity and weight of the lower levels. Twenty-Eight breathed it, letting it bring cooling respite to the crackling that flowed through his nerves. 'What a privilege it is, for me to stand here and breathe this air,' He thought, walking along the ramparts. His ears could hear the roiling wind that rushed from the tower's peak. A regular person's ears might have fallen victim to frostbite from the cold here, but Twenty-Eight was no longer a regular person so whatever damage the cold tried to do to his body, his craft repaired. He longed to go higher, see the source of the permafrost wind that the tusk breathed onto Rudira and pay respect with his own hands to the person whose sacrifice was responsible for it. All he needed to do was think it and he could scale the tower in less than a second. However, it had been forbidden by the High Commander and that was all the reason he needed to keep his distance.

Twenty-Eight felt the approach of his keeper before he heard it. She approached quietly as always, but Zain did not need eyes to perceive people anymore. Part of the abilities granted to him through his Crafting was to sense the aura of electricity that flowed through and emanated from people's bodies. He Turned and grimaced to note Gale's approach. He had nothing to say to the soldier assigned to his care but he did not allow her the misbelief that she was not noticed. Her presence was an irksome thing to Twenty-Eight, a reminder of the mistrust of the crafted that had sprung up since Twenty-Nine's defection. The last time He had seen Gale she was a bodyguard to the High Commander, with a stern pale face and the demeanour of a spiteful corvid that matched her raven hair. They were both older now, and while Twenty-Eight could not see the wrinkles on her face, he did hear the weariness in her voice.

"Heavens Zain, you've even begun to sneer like the High Commander, how do you even practice that without your sight." She mocked scorn was something she shared with him.

The use of his old name was just another barb she jabbed at him with and Twenty-Eight hated how quickly it managed to rot his previously tranquil mood. Electricity buzzed like captive wasps under his skin, eager to be unleashed but he controlled himself. This was simply another test, a trial to prove his mettle to the High Commander. He would not let himself seem incapable of controlling his impulses.

"Do you have anything of value to say or are you simply here to test my patience," Zain grumbled.

"Please, testing your patience is always of value. But as much as I enjoy our conversations, I was sent to bring you to the High Commander. It seems he needs his war dog to go play fetch again." She remarked snidely. They had never been on friendly terms but Gale had become far more vicious towards him after his Crafting. It was evident that she believed he did not belong. However, everyone who proved themselves had a place in the High Commander's Legion. And Twenty-Eight had proven himself worthy whether she believed it or not.

As he walked past, he could sense her distance from him and how her breathing tensed even as she feigned confidence. The fact that it would take less than an instant for Zain to end Gale's life never left her mind; Zain took satisfaction in the knowledge that all her barbs amounted to little more than bluster. He jerked a hand towards her, and though she denied him the satisfaction of a yelp or scream, she did jump away from him. Zain did not miss his sight often, but being unable to see her frightened face did make him crave vision, if only for a moment.

Twenty-Eight stood at parade rest in front of the large ashwood door that led into the High Commander's study. Staying still had become a challenge for him since the crafting, especially as his eagerness to find out why the Commander had returned to the Tusk stirred the electricity within his blood. He forced himself not to pace, but the urge to act, to move, to strike out buzzed in the back of his mind like a nest of wild hornets... Just as the urge to move became too strong to ignore and Twenty-Eight began to take a step forward, the single chime of a bell rang out signalling for him to enter the study. The room was warm with heat radiating in through metal rods that lined the walls, ever since the fire that took the facility, the commander had avoided open flames in his study. The room was quiet, save for the sound of something metal rolling on a wooden surface.

28 could sense the electric presence of the High Commander sitting at his desk, but he also felt something else close to the commander. The object making the rolling noise seemed to capture an amount of the Commander's electrical energy within it. Seeming to notice 28's attention the object The Commander stopped moving it.

"I see you can sense the differences in this sphere even without sight." Commander Hurain began, an uncharacteristic lightness to his voice. "We procured this courtesy of General Song's raid on an Empire vessel sailing out from the Sunlit Peninsula, hold it for me 28."

28 reached out a hand and felt the orb being placed into his palm. It was about the size of his closed fist, and impossibly smooth. Further, it was dense requiring a firm hand to keep the orb aloft. Immediately Zain felt like the orb was drawing on his craft, like a sucking sensation starting in his palms that he felt all the way in his chest. Experimentally, he let some of his electricity flow to his palm. The orb instantly pulled the electricity into itself, holding it like a vessel. He could feel it like he felt the craft within himself and now that it was seemingly at capacity it felt like the orb had become an extension of his own body, capturing a sliver of his own essence within it.

"Now hand the orb back." The high commander ordered, and 28 complied.

As he let go of the orb, he felt his inner strength replenish, replacing what he had deposited into the orb. The orb itself continued to thrum with electricity.

"Fascinating isn't it? A metallurgic augmentation of Cold Iron that serves the opposite function. Rather than repelling magic it contains and conducts it. This acquisition is very good news soldier." The High Commander explained with something close to excitement. Then his voice turned grim. "Unfortunately we are not in a position to celebrate just yet. Conscript 29 remains unapprehended and 30 has stopped responding to communications. Take whatever legionnaires you need and get to the bottom of this."

"Yes, Commander." 28 said, quiet rage at the mention of 29's treason building into determination.

"Steadfast we march." The High Commander called.

"Steadfast we march" 28 echoed.