Darius took Castus to a room adjacent to where he had slept in. There Wyden was standing next to a large ovular ring that merged with the wall behind it. The ring contained numerous symbols seemed to ever so slowly move about the ring. Darius stood to the side as troops of armored clergymen marched by and lined up in the room. They all wore white robes with stitched in flames that started from the bottom of the robes. Some had larger flames than other. A man at the front, who Castus assumed was the leader had flames that rose up highest. They reached around his upper thighs and were far more ornate. The leader of the troop was a tall man with green hair and a wiry frame. He nodded to Wyden, who quickly glanced down at a sheet of paper and began moving his hands next to the ring. It hummed to life and soon a portal, much larger than the one used before opened. When the portal fully formed the symbols stopped their meandering on the ring, firmly fixating where they were. The troop leader moved his arm forward signaling the troop to march forward. They marched through with perfect rhythm creating an oddly appealing scene. Once they made it all the way through Darius and Castus followed behind.
Darius turned to Castus. "You will be training with Sacred Flame Grant. Behave and you should survive just fine." With that Darius turned and returned to the portal. It was momentary, but as the portal closed Castus felt something warble in the collar around his neck. Ever since he had found the mana within himself, he had felt strange disturbances around him. He wasn't sure what they meant yet, but his running theory was that was the ambient mana around him. Castus hadn't had much time to learn about mana and how to utilize it yet. After finding the mana within himself he had been flying blind.
Castus walked slowly up to Grant who was bellowing out orders currently. "...Squad C your hunting in the southeast. Squad D you're to the southwest. This is a six-month excursion. If you run into anything well beyond yourselves fire a signal flare and I will be on your position in under thirty seconds. If you die out here, Sol will abandon you for your weakness and cowardice. Now MOVE!" Upon finishing his orders, the soldiers quickly fell into four smaller groups of eight and moved into the surrounding woods. Grant's gaze then fell to Castus.
"You're the new special runt eh. You'll be with me. Darius let me know your useless in a fight. I'm going to beat everything we find into an inch of its life and then you will deliver a killing blow. Doesn't have to be pretty." Castus nodded, still half asleep from the abrupt wake up and crappy sleep. Grant continued. "I also know all about your blessing. We may stop to check limitations for my report back to the Grand Sacred Blazes." Grant then looked away from Castus and started surveying the surroundings.
Castus noticing Grant's gaze finally took in the surroundings. It was a marshy woodland. The ground was wet and Castus could see areas where water overtook the ground. It was flat and the tree obscured vision beyond a hundred feet in most directions. The clearing they were in right now had a large flag with a blue flame surrounding a compass on it. Clearly a marker so the soldiers knew where to return. Castus could hear the soldiers that had already entered combat as the clanging of metal and the sounds of chanting were barely audible from his position. The trees overhead created a dark shadow over the ground, killing most grass and plant life. Moss, however, was thriving, and it covered everything like a velvet carpet.
Grant slightly frowned and then pointed in a direction. "Runt, there doesn't seem to be much here. We're going that direction. Start running. I'm using you as bait. Whatever you do. Don't. Stop. Running." Grant then vanished with a breeze where he once was. Castus was doubtful and almost didn't start moving when the collar started to buzz on his neck. Remembering the pain from before Castus sighed and started a jog.
Castus was starting to pant heavily. At this point it had been thirty minutes since he started his jog. So far, he hadn't seen anything and Castus was starting to think Grant had left him to die in this marsh. The ground beneath Castus' feet sunk with each step and sucked at his feet making movement difficult. He was glad he had continued to train in that prison cell for two months though. Based on how long he had been running Castus firmly believed he would need more stamina. He steps started to slow down when Castus' left foot dropped. One second the ground was there, the next a jaw was shooting out of the mud attempting to swallow Castus whole.
Castus' tired mind lapsed, seeing the jaw come at him and slowly close he felt instincts take over as he let his right leg drop to a knee and roll to the right. It wasn't enough though and the jaw was still going to get his left foot. Castus grit his teeth awaiting pain. A gust of wind and a loud crack sounded out. One second that thing had been there the next it was gone. Looking around Castus found Grant. He was holding the creature by the nape of its neck. It was bleeding profusely. Finally able to get a good look Castus shuddered.
It was a 6-foot-long reptilian creature. It resembled a salamander with a fanged mouth. It was brown and covered in mud and its body was flat. That flatness had allowed it to lay in the mud awaiting Castus. As he stared at the slimy creature Grant gave him no respite.
"Kill it already! I don't have all day to stand around."
Castus gulped, hesitating to take steps toward the creature. As much as people claim they had changed and moved past what had happened to them, everything leaves a scar. Sometimes that scar is a fond memory of happiness and sometimes, like now, it was a painful memory. The day Castus had killed the goblin with Ben surfaced in his mind. 'I don't want to kill things. I just wanted a peaceful life here. Being a hero or an adventurer is dangerous and pointless. Why do I have to risk my life. Why do I have to fight?' The thoughts in his mind raced.
Grant felt the salamander in his grip struggle. He had beat it nearly to death, but it's will to live remained. Sighing and muttering curses under his breath Grant pulled a small knife out of his boot.
"Kid you've got to be kidding me. Listen, I know you transplants aren't some weak-willed childen under all that. So, man up and do what needs to be done."
Grant handed the small knife to Castus. He held the weakly twitching creature up to Castus. He breathed deeply. The collar around his neck started to buzz, giving Castus some mild pain, but he paid it no mind. The memories of the goblins fear and anger replayed over and over. The pain in his collar was now at a noticeable level. Seconds pasted and Castus thrust the knife forward while turning his head away. A squelch followed. Castus felt the tensed muscles of the salamander slowly relax and eventually give out.