The Eight Pillars of Magic (The 8... of Magic Series 1)

The War in the North 2

It happened during one summer that the Stranger broke one of his highest oaths. Sometimes winter ruled forever, like the last two decades. As a lone wanderer, the Stranger was not safe from being recruited into the royal army. But he had always escaped military service through his many travels. Not this summer, no, this time he had been caught. The Stranger had been put into the 44th Infantry Unit, right on the front line.

He had given his name as Eraukaun Calaahn, they did not know that the Stranger was not the real one. But he had known the real Eraukaun Calaahn, a healer from the village of Magunnus. He had chosen Magunnus as it was a small village on a small island in the middle of a lake. Hardly important and difficult to reach. The settlement itself looked magnificent. With its silky oak wood rooftops, chiseled stone walls and the native bird species, Magunnus had a entrancing atmosphere. Eraukaun had been a friend and teacher in the arts of healing to him. After his death, the Stranger had assumed the identity and continued to care for the people of Magunnus. That was his mistake and the reason why he was now on the battlefield, in the future the Wanderer would never stay in one place that long again.
For two days it had been raging on the field between the 44th of the Indolaynean army and 11th Khadetaaph of the Hgh-Frw. It had taught him the difference between Feiyr and Hgh-Frw, that the Hgh-Frw were far more dangerous than assumed. Eraukaun had thought for a long time, that they solely posed a spiritual threat, a danger to the Beliefs of his People. Since sunrise he had been busy rescuing and treating the injured soldiers. The dead and wounded of one side were spread around the landscape and the faces of the fighters wer filled to the brim with hope in their hearts and their  muscles began to tense and anxious, they fight their enemy in an equal battle. The toll on both nature and humanity was already disastrous. It likely would take generations before this field would recover. It was clear that rubble, weaponry and bodies had taken the place of roads, homes and parks. Eraukaun held back as far as possible in battle. And continued to play the act of a healer. His nose had become numb to the smells of intestines, blood, and the putrefaction of death. He was equipped with the standard armor and a matching light orange colored helmet of the istan army. If it weren't for his icy blue eyes, he would have looked like Crouv, the god of charisma and strength. A crude broadsword was hanging from his sword belt; it had been his choice to further disguise his abilities. In reality he was a virtuoso with a stilett or a rapier, but nobody here was allowed to know that. He had seen already so much in life that would've made lesser men be weary of life. A knew body rolled in on cart to the medical tent of Eraukaun. Eraukaun grabbed one of his magnifying shards and studied the brought in soldier. He bandaged the wounds with oiled cloth and went outside of the tent, just as a breather but then he saw another man in peril and rushed onto the battlefield without thinking a thought.

An obvious Mistake.

Eraukaun had only in mind to retrieve the soldier that he forgot the sorroundings until it was too late. A boulder shot by a catapult hit the ground next to him, burying Eraukaun deep underneath the rubble.

When the dust settled, Eraukaun awoke in the dark. His vision was troubled by all the earth and sand raining down on him. An equaly battered HgH-Frwr sat directly in front of him. The Feiyr was trapped by vines. On all fours, crawled the Stranger over to the enemy soldier. A quite straining experience, despite there not being originally much distance between the two. He took five or ten, Eraukaun was rarely finding air down here. With a Fireball-Spell, he might've seen more but also robbed both of vital breathable air. Eraukaun checked his body finding his knife and began cutting the Feiyr free.

„Can we just... get along?"
Silence.
„Look, we're kind of stuck together here, so best we might make good use of it. Besides I hate fighting even against those who wish me unwell"
Silence.
„Or you just not talk to me.. that do too."