| The Barracks
Trinsic
Feb 15th
To: Mr & Mrs Fredrikson
Castle British
Britain
Dear Mum and Dad,
Sorry for not writing for a while. I picked up a bug and was sick as a dog for most of the last week. But I’m fine now and hope you both are too. I have some news: as of last Tuesday I’m promoted! Finally I’ve made it to Armswoman. I don’t know how long I’ll stay here, but I’m really trying my best. It’s easier without Captain Mainwaring – I suppose he’s still around? I’d ask Dad to drop something nasty in his soup but I know that’s pointless.
It was quite an exciting evening all round really. I got ordered off on an expedition to find a black box which is something to do with a mad mage I locked up just before I went sick. So I joined up with a bunch of strange people (they were nice enough, but most of them definitely over the outside edge of normal) and off we went. Through moongates, miles of stinking swamps, piles of skulls and bones, mountains with twisted dead black trees and elemental things attacking on sight. Then had to say a magic word (which I’ve forgotten) which took us into a seriously weird place, like a stone floor suspended in the middle of nothing, just black sky full of stars. The woman leading us had a sort of vision and then collapsed. She must have fallen pretty hard because her bracelet broke when it hit the floor. But she was fine when we helped her up.
So then we went to find a creepy tavern with no-one in it but apparently the box was there – I didn’t see it myself but I saw Taggart running off and the others said he’d taken it. So we went through all of that and then Taggart nicks the box. Anyway, we didn’t get it back. And it took me ages to get the swamp mud off my boots. But it was after I reported back that I got promoted so I guess it was worth it.
Went straight from that into defending against another attack from Vesper – makes a change from Yew, though they seem to have given up now. Not surprising really, there was no way they’d ever take Trinsic. I’m fine, just a few bruises here and there, so don’t worry about me.
The mad mage has gone now by the way. Escaped, or maybe someone broke him out, I don’t know. But when I went to take him some food last night, the bars were all broken down and there was no sign of him. I don’t think Taggart’s been seen since either. It’s all a bit weird, but I’ll just keep on being a guard and let other people worry about it.
Best go now, I’m on duty shortly. Take care of yourselves and I’ll see you soon.
Lots of love,
Hildy
__________________  When the idea of any pleasure strikes your imagination,
make a just computation between the duration of the pleasure
and that of the repentance that is likely to follow it. - Epictetus |