Debriefing The Pain

Samuel's breath was heavy and exhausted and he could hear everyones yelling like ringing in his ears, before Sarmah was the one that knelt down in front of him, he had laid Bregane and Sonya on the floor. So she was the one that shook him back to reality. "What happened?" She asked in a concerned commanders voice.

It helped trigger Samuel's military gears to spin again as he looked her right in her eyes. "Bregane took a hit to the head, I stabilized him out of imminent danger and Sonya needs rest and healing. I am sorry!" He shook his head, "Mage Teric lost his life trying to cover for all of us." He gently let go of Teric and turned around to lay him down gently on the floor.

He turned back with tears in his eyes, "Im sorry... I couldn't - I couldn't leave him there!" Samuel struggled to speak as he felt something stuck in his throat, he swallowed several times before managing to speak out, "Mission Complete!" He let his look finally fall to the floor watching Teric's face.

Just another life he had failed to save, he could have easily done it if he had joined the mentors with his full power from the start. He felt regret and shame, but the lieutenants of the fort all looked relieved, the mission was complete. The armies would move in and crush the horde that would fall into chaos.

Unbeknownst to them the horde was already in chaos and tatters from a huge blue dragon that destroyed half the camp. Sarmah quickly yelled for the soldiers to help the healers transport Bregane and Sonya to the infirmary and to transport Teric's body away, Ulma and Erica both wanted to stay and hear more and help Samuel.

But they had to help the healers so with worry in their hearts they left, although Ulma hesitated but Tere looked at her and gave her the nod to leave. "I will hear your full report in an hour in the war room, eat something and rest for a bit first, gather your thoughts!" Sarmah said while patting the young mans shoulder.

Samuel looked at her and nodded, he could see the pain in her eyes, but a burden of being in command was the fact that she couldn't show any fear or remorse of even cry until the job was said and done. Sarmah stood up and almost instictively leaned on Tere at first before assuming her usual pose with a straightened back as she started issuing commands to the lieutenants.

Tere took Samuel under the arm and helped him stand after the others walked away. "You are not injured I hope?" She worriedly looked at his robes that were stained with blood. Samuel shook his head and sighed. "I don't..." He started to speak but Tere hushed him.

"No need to speak now, gather your thoughts! You did admirably, carrying all of them here by yourself, but we still have a job to do!" Samuel could hear the pain in her voice as well, he remembered her referring to Teric as one of her precious children when they had first met him. Furthermore Bregane was her partner, so she must be worried sick about him. But she didn't let it show and kept going instead. Honor and Duty.

Samuel was taken to a small room where there was a bed and some food, he was left alone in there. He took some simple bites of the food and leant back to rest a little bit on the bed. "Thank you Night!" He whispered to the one that had turned from horse to tiny dragon again, she simply lay on his legs being there to support him.

Before long a knock was heard on his door. "I am sorry sir mage but I am here to escort you to debrief with the commanders." Samuel opened the door and was greeted by a female guard that looked at him with an unusual look. Samuel nodded for her to lead the way and soon enough she had led him through the fort to the war room.

She announced their arrival and opened the door for him, not following him inside. Samuel entered quickly and saw Sarmah and Tere'he sitting behind chairs, he also saw another man with bandages all over his body. He wore the insignia of second commander, he seemed to have gotten healed enough to survive and even attend the meeting.

"Sorry if I don't stand up for you kid, my legs are kinda fucked up right now! Names Trix Freefoot, I am the second in command at the fort and a mage like you... I am simply not wearing my mage insignia right now as it was destroyed when I took a ballista bolt to my stomach." Trix who was a regular human coughed at the end of his introduction and wiped off some sweat off his brow.

"Samuel Fayt Gillfall! Mage Apprentice, College of Azal!" He introduced himself while doing a small salute. The vice commander chuckled which turned into a cough. "No need for formalities here kid, hell of a job you did son. I don't have the energy to be up and about for long so please do debrief us of how the mission went!"

Samuel looked around the room and felt more safe now that they were the only four inside the room, he quickly started off the mission and played it how it had gone up until they got all the way inside the leaders tent.

He then explained how Bregane and Teric had set up a plan that was thwarted by the werewolf that had instantly turned the tables by taking out Bregane and killing Teric on the spot essentially. He explained how valiantly Teric had used the last of his magic to remove the horde leaders weapon. Samuel then proceeded to open his pocket dimension much to the three peoples surprise.

They all looked a bit shocked to see someone so young that had a dimensional item, but they assumed it was because he came from the rich Gillfall, but Samuel brought out the greatsword that had impaled Teric. "I felt some sort of magic from it, the werewolf played being hurt perfectly while the sword had probably blocked all the damage. If only me and Sonya had helped from the beginning they wouldn't be..." Samuel sighed.

"No need to fret kid, shit like this happens... you must remember that you can't always save everyone, as much as it hurts." The vice commander coughed but nodded approvingly. Sarmah nodded as well as she took the sword and put it in front of her, it would most likely go to the state. "So how did you manage to defeat her if she so masterfully took out both mentors?" Sarmah asked, with a trace of suspicion in her voice, it wasn't disbelief however, she very much believed Samuels report so far. She had known him for a year and knew he wouldn't lie about that after draggin home all the other three.

Samuel looked down at the table pondering his final answer, which he had been thinking about for almost an hour straight. He decided to trust the three in the room. "Sonya became enraged and turned into a dragon."

The vice commander started coughing in surprise when he heard that and Tere looked confused but Sarmah nodded. "The dragon curse she carries... I knew about it, but I was under the knowledge that it was fine... but then again..." Sarmah deepened in thought as she remembered just how long Teric had been there for Sonya and helped her.

Samuel continued, "She destroyed at least half the horde in her rage, I was barely able to snap her out of it, because I wanted to get Bregane and Teric out of there...." He looked down in shame. Trix chuckled a little, "Kid you're saying you stopped a dragon from wiping out the horde entirely for the sake of your master and friends sanity..." He disappointedly shook his head, "Tch, If you didn't do that then a lot of work would have been saved, but then again... you chose what was more important, you have earned my respect kid... I just want to know how you managed to get an enraged dragon to comply!" He was clearly intrigued and curious.

"I punched her snout with all the strenght I could muster, and then she sort of... collapsed and turned back although unconscious." Samuel was met with disbelief in their eyes, yet Samuel's eyes were telling no lies, so they all looked at eachother instead and nodded.

"Then... I took all of them home..." He sighed again and struggled to keep himself composed. Sarmah nodded. "Take some proper rest, you've earned it, I commend you for your effort and praise your success, not only was the job done but you also saved lives. We will mourn when this is all over. Dismissed!" Sarmah said.

Although she did have more questions she knew she couldn't pressure him into it right now, she saw the struggle in his eyes. Thinking of what he could have done differently or should have done instead. A thought that had come to her many a times and even sometimes now still did.

In fact even in that very moment she considered that it was a mistake to send Bregane and Teric off alone. But she had been the one to do so, she blamed herself but she felt a gentle hand on her scaly shoulder and she turned her head to see Tere shaking her head with a gentle smile.

Almost as if saying you didn't do anything wrong. You did what you thought was correct. Indeed there was no shame in that, but it didn't help the pain any less.

Samuel quickly left the room and went back to the quarters he was given and walked in and instantly went to get some shut eye, he was exhausted in every way at that moment. He fell asleep quickly but unfortunately he was plagued by nightmares of what could have been done instead, he could have saved him, he was haunted by the spirits that blamed him. After several nightmares he couldn't sleep anymore and woke up.

At least he had slept for a few hours.