Third Member

The small loaf of hard bread dipped into lukewarm water. A roach crawled over his bare feet. Toes scratched a dust plume. He hunched over his plate. A small serving of beans clung to his wooden spoon. He devoured them.

Key latch clinked. Metal door slid open. The controller entered with an upright military trained posture learned in the officer’s academies. His uniform remained fresh despite the approaching sunset glaring though the bars, “Did you find your man?”

“I have options, none of them good. But I haven’t seen everyone. You’re holding out on me. There’s a man in the red brick tower. I want to speak to him.”

“Him?” Brunswick rubbed her fingers, “How did you learn about him? Who told you?”

“So, there is someone in there?”

Brunswick soured, “You’ve known for a while now, haven’t you? He’s a stone mage who vows revenge on the house of Hannover. He killed their eldest son. As a threat to the state, he’s under consideration for the death penalty.”

Kurl stuffed the rest of his bread in his face, “As am I, on both counts, your point?”

“No, it wouldn’t work. He’d never listen to orders. His thirst for revenge is unbroken.”

“Hannover is far from the front, and he has a sigil on the back of his neck. He’s not going anywhere unless he wants to die.”

Brunswick clipped his heels together, “If even one of you deserts, you’ll all be executed on the field, without trial, without regards to your abilities.”

“Even you?”

“Once the unit is formed, your sigil will be primarily under my control. Should I lose control of the unit, my death will cascade into your deaths.”

“I’m not expecting a picnic,” The tray smacked against the wall, empty implements scattered across the cell, “I want to speak to the mage in the red brick tower. I’m calling the whole thing off otherwise.”

“You do not set the terms here!” the controller clenched his gloved fist, “Hmm. But you do, and you know it, traitorous bastard. You can speak with him tomorrow morning. I want your decision immediately after. Keep in mind the consequences of a unit cohesion break.”

“The consequences are death,” Kurl rested his arms as he stared at the overturned tray, “Our leaders aren’t very creative. And one more thing.”

“Yes, what is it?”

“I want you and Roxanne to come with me. If you’re leading this unit. It’s imperative to our cohesion.”

“You’re leading the unit Kurl. I’m simply your controller. But fine, I’ll go. I’m trusting you to be on your best behavior. Do not take my trust lightly. I’ve gone through the trouble of dealing with the warden to give you great liberties. Betray me, and I’ll kill you myself.”

“So long as my family remains well. Nobody has anything to fear from me.”

“They are not free, but they are well provided for. You have my word. Rest easy tonight, we’ll visit your candidate tomorrow.”

-----

The tower stood separately from the main prison. Kurl and Roxane followed a guard across the path, hands and feet shackled. Brunswick followed behind, accompanied by two guards. Red brick walls surrounded a red brick tower. The gate was made of iron; the floor of the yard was compact clay. A portico of red bricks surrounded the tower. A red wooden roof was braced by iron brackets. Clay mortar held the outer walls.

They filled the yard with supply crates. Bags of clay sat by a large brick kiln in the far corner.

Before entering, they were required to wash their feet, clothes were swept, and pockets emptied of debris. A rusting iron staircase circled to the cell. The sun baked the stale air inside, with the heat rising through the vents in the brickwork. They all dripped sweat on the climb to the only cell.

A man in the white prison uniform sat on a chair at a wood writing desk. His face was neatly shaven and his form displayed vigor. A quill spread ink across paper.

“That man hasn’t seen a day in the quarries,” Roxanne said.

“I can hear you when speak out loud like the peasant you are. Why would they put me in the quarries?”

“And yet there’s chalk dust on your fingers.”

Brunswick narrowed his eyes and took a step back.

The prisoner wiped his hands on his uniform while glaring at Roxanne, “They don’t clean properly.”

“Can we enter?” Kurl asked.

Brunswick stood with his arms behind his back, “Your permission ends here. You have five minutes.”

“Five minutes? My first visitor since arriving and it’s five minutes. Shame. I’m Adam Rantzau, son of the Duke Gustav Rantzau and heir to his domain. May I have the pleasure of your titles?”

“I’m Ritter Von Morlbero. Call me Kurl.”

“I’m Roxanne Dessinger, of house Dessinger.”

Adam soured, “Oh, a couple of commoners for all proper purposes. What business do you have with me?”

Kurl glanced at Brunswick, “I see it too. Don’t kill this man. I might want him.”

“Kill me? Is this my execution?”

“It could be,” Brunswick said, “Are you planning an escape?”

Kurl’s sigil glowed slightly as a gust of heavy vapor pulled bits of limestone from between the cracks in the brick floor.

Adam turned pale, “This isn’t what it seems. Ah, forget it. I guess I’m breaking out now.”

“What!?” Roxanne shouted.

Adam’s sigil glowed with a dimmed, chalky, luminescence. Repeatedly, a drill of loose stones struck against the wall of his cell. A hail of stones flew between the bars. They flew against the guard near Roxanne, knocking him down the steps. Heavy vapor cushioned the hail of dust and small pebbles.

“The idiot is choking his sigil,” Brunswick shouted, “If he activates the fail safe. There’s nothing I can do.”

“Open the cell!” Kurl commanded, “Let me deal with it!”

Brunswick ordered the cell opened.

Roxanne jumped in front of the guard shakily pulling out his keys.

Amidst the hail of small stones, Kurl used pockets of heavy vapor to slow their sting. A wall of Zinnian compressed in front of bars to prevent a fatal strike, but the force of the stones didn’t reach a deadly velocity. They distracted and stung.

Inside the cell, the outer wall crumbled as Adam struck it with the bulk of his power and available affinity material. Again and again, powder circled into an even finer chalk. With a single kick, Adam pushed the bricks aside. A hole fell from the wall, but it was a long drop. He pulled the clouds of chalky stone powder back into a compressed form.

“I’ll see you in hell, or as they say, Hannover,” Adam almost tumbled to his death as a burst of heavy vapor pushed his cloud away.

The iron bars slammed open, Roxanne rushed in and grab his arm, flinging him over her head and slamming his body into a firm bed lined with thin sheets.

“Don’t you see!” Adam yelled, “I can free us!”

A cloud of white powder compressed like a fist struck her forehead. It then swirled to the sigil on her neck. Roxanne yelled as powder penetrated the skin like needles. A coating of compressed heavy vapor pushed it away. Swirling chalky needles dispersed against the zinnian pressure patch.

Roxanne’s fist connected with Adam’s nose. A crack echoed through the cell, followed by the splattering of blood over the bed.

Kurl stepped forward and held Roxanne back from another strike while Adam rolled, clutching his bloody face, “You injected affinity into your sigil.”

“You assaulted me!”

“Did you honestly think that would work? How far did you plan to get before your head turned to mush?” Kurl lifted Adam by the neck, stepped on the bed, and slammed him against the wall, “Get the chalk out of your sigil! Now!”

Blood dripped over Kurl’s hand.

Adam took a deep breath as he faced the snarling soldier. Small swirls of chalk left the imperial sigil on the back of his neck. The swirls compressed into a small stone that he dropped on the floor.

Kurl dropped him, “Survival is the greatest revenge. I want you in my squadron. We’re hunting vampires. Say yes, do it now. Otherwise, deal with the consequences of your mess.”

Brunswick looked over the situation, “If he says no, he dies. If he says yes, he lives until he tries this again. But he won’t be the only one dying.”

Adam spit, then gulped as he felt his smashed nose, “You’re crazy. A penal squad? You’re all crazy. Are we that desperate?”

“Yes. Your five minutes is up,” Kurl smiled, “I need a sniper. Are you joining?”

“Why the hell not. I’ll do it,” Adam laughed through tears.

“Welcome to the shattered blood squad.”