Meeting Commander

At the distant end of the camp, there was a grand pavilion tent, and that's where my unnamed guide led me. Upon arriving, I heard Alyssra's voice inviting me in. I entered and was guided to a seat between Drevolan and Thaleia — a rather uneasy spot, to be honest.

Across from me sat Alyssra and the Necromancer. It was clear I had interrupted some intense conversation: Thaleia looked ready to explode; Alyssra's forehead was creased with concern; and Drevolan kept eyeing his cousin as if she were some strange creature that had suddenly appeared. The Necromancer seemed almost absent; I wondered where her thoughts were and suspected I was better off not knowing.

"Well, Viktor," Drevolan began after I was seated with a glass of subpar wine, "How are you finding the soldier's life?"

I shrugged. "Opal seems to enjoy it more than I do."

"I've heard," Drevolan replied, "that he's become a mascot for your company."

"Yeah. He's unbearably proud of it."