It was Makile's first time heading to a battlefield. It was unlike the march that the thousand soldiers had made to Fingur. This time, the tension in the air was stifling and the excitement made one feverish. He had gnced into the ranks, but had seen few soldiers of his age participating in the ost. The others had to stay in the capital. Maybe not ready to fight for real yet. So, did that mean he was ready?

  Step by step, he approached the front lines. It was still imperceptible, the ndscape did not change, but in his head he was moving a little closer each time towards an armed enemy pointing a bde at his throat. He was afraid.

  The boy looked around for a comforting figure. He saw General Drought walking in front of him. He could be seen from afar with his gigantic horns, and his taller than average height due to his long legs. Or perhaps it was because of the two bannermen escorting him. Makile was still shaking as he thought back to the previous events. His idol had killed someone in front of his eyes, and nearly done the same to one of his friends. It was horrible. But still, in a way, the young soldier found it fascinating. Forgiving mistakes but not insubordination. Encouraging soldiers to be rexed, to take the initiative, but showing them that resistance was futile. That was what Drought had shown him since Makile had met him. A high-ranking officer, but someone close to his soldiers. Many treated him like a friend, and he let them act and show their talents. There was only one thing he never let go, and that was the rebellious attitude. Yes, this pacle had the makings of a great leader, the boy was convinced of it. And he admired him even more.

  When evening fell, the ground had changed under their feet. The sand dunes and rocky canyons had given way to a muddy earth from which a few dry pnts grew here and there. It was the first time Makile had seen a ndscape of a different color. No yellow or ochre, only gray and brown with a little greenish. It was as if the pigments had been removed from a painting, as if everything was dull.

  The convoy paused for the soldiers to change their shoes. They took off their boots with their ft, wide soles, which prevented them from sinking into the sand, and put on another pair. Many had never walked with a shoe that really fit their foot, and the first steps were shaky and painful. Except for the pacles, of course, who didn’t have this problem. Some used their magic to create an air cushion under their hooves, in order to get used to this different ground more quickly. The bodars picked up handfuls of mud and pyed, throwing it at each other’s faces. The knights paid them no attention, used to their childish impulses. As long as it didn’t disrupt the march, they could break each other’s legs while they pyed. They didn’t care.

  Makile turned mechanically to Icy. The little white and blue humanoid was hopping nervously on the spot as he looked at his fellow bodars. He too had a hard time resisting the call of the game. Without even looking at him or slowing down, Deadly took some dice out of his pouch and waved them in front of the bodar's nose. The tter's eyes widened, a big smile appearing on his lips. They started pying dice while walking. The pacle didn't even look at her results, contenting herself with rolling the two small cubes at regur intervals in Icy's hands. He announced the scores, wriggled with happiness when he got a higher number, and announced forfeits for the loser, but neither pyer actually counted the points. It didn't seem like a real game, but more like a mother reassuring her child. It was both curious and comforting. Makile had never expected to see this in the ranks of the army, and especially not between a pacle and a bodar.

  It only took a few more hours to reach the base camp. The previous commanders had built it on a small hill, to protect it from the humidity of the ground. In the distance, maybe a kilometer away, you could see the vegetation becoming denser and denser, and marshes and peat bogs forming. It was the limit, the demarcation of enemy territory. There lived the samaltas.

  - If the kid panics before we even start, we might as well leave him here before he messes up in the middle of the action.

  Makile turned to Deadly, his cheeks flushed.

  - Hey, I heard that !

  - You were supposed to.

  The pacle wore a mocking smile, and her small eyes sparkled behind her curtain of hair. Despite her size, she was at least a head shorter than the boy, she didn't hesitate to tease him from the beginning of the journey. And it was starting to get on his nerves. But of course, he wasn't going to say anything since he was the st one to arrive. And then, even if she was very different from what he imagined, she was still a famous person. When someone is famous for being a reincarnation of the goddess of death, you avoid upsetting them.

  The soldiers were slowly starting to enter the camp. It was huge, perhaps even bigger than the citadel of Fingur. The fortifications had been created using everything that could be found. The walls, several meters high, were made of earth, mud, wood, stones… Here and there, you could even make out a few pieces of broken armor. It was clear that they had been erected in a hurry. Inside, tents and makeshift barracks covered the entire floor space. Some shelters were even stacked on top of each other, and it was easy to guess from the missing dder that these were bunks for the bodars.

  There were also enclosures here and there were mliniaks and dzimdads grazed, their war harnesses resting on the fence. These animals, which were almost twice the boy’s size, seemed nervous when the soldiers approached. “It’s normal, they’re battle animals”, Makile tried to convince himself as his gaze met that of one of the beasts, whose powerful hind legs resembling human hands gripped the fence of the enclosure, as if preparing to tear it off and charge at the boy. The mliniaks had always been the most terrifying animals for the young soldier. Huge brown draft beasts with a long ft face, horns on the side of their heads that formed an angle towards the front, no ears but only two holes, bright yellow eyes with a rectangur pupil, and their two short front legs with powerful muscles allowing them to crush everything under their hooves. But above all, the most terrifying, their hindquarters higher than the rest of their body, resting on two enormous legs ending in hands. It was a sight of horror. And, to make matters worse, they had a temperament that perfectly matched their physique. That is why they were preferred in military campaigns, as opposed to their close cousins ??the mlinzii who were everywhere in the capital, and to whom Makile was accustomed. They were smaller, softer than the mliniaks, and more beautiful too, with furs that could take on different colors and patterns. But of course, there was not a single mlinzi here.

  By comparison, the dzimdads looked almost like statues. Clumsy, docile, idiotic, their rge eyes as blue as the rest of their bodies turned in their sockets as fast as the clouds crossed the sky. Painfully slowly. The only thing that might have seemed terrifying was their size, easily that of three or four adults mounted on top of each other. But again, the effect was spoiled by the thick fur that covered them, like gigantic carpets. The only advantage they offered, and it was a huge one, was that they were a very useful means of locomotion. So rge that thirty soldiers in full armor could travel on the back of a single one of these beasts, but above all with thick hairs in which circuted a liquid that maintained the animal's temperature. Warm in winter, cold in summer. A perfect way to hold out against all seasons. That’s why the dzimdad was a luxury transport in Héliomenrès. And Makile had been able to take advantage of it several times.

  The two commands that had just arrived were distributed wherever there was room. Two families here, a regiment there… It was in these moments that the young soldier was happy to have fraternized with Icy, Deadly and S’rinj. He probably wouldn’t have been able to stand being alone in this dirty camp, with this atmosphere that could be cut with a knife. It was as if one expected to be attacked at any second.

  Icy was skipping ahead, moving closer to the tent they had been assigned to. Deadly was in the back, talking quietly to S’rinj, and Makile in the middle was just following suit. It was then that he noticed all the stares on them. Silence had fallen over the camp, and people had even stopped in mid-action. A soldier who was removing his uniform stood with his arm raised, his armor hanging halfway off his torso. Another who was pouring water into a dzimdad’s trough had stopped moving and the container was starting to overflow. The boy felt like his skin was going to catch fire, the stares burned so much. They felt like that many stabs. He suddenly remembered his situation. He was just a child participating in the ost, fresh flesh, yet he was hanging around with familiar faces. Was that why?

  - Don't worry, it's because we're the only inter-race family. It's already rare to see humans, pacles and bodars working together, but that they also get along outside of work seems incredible.

  Deadly had whispered in Makile's ear. He blushed even more when he felt the pacle's breath on his neck and her hair brushing his arm.

  - I-It's true that now that I think about it, he stammered, I had heard t-talk about each of you, but never at the same time. I-I never would have imagined that you would all work together.

  The pacle hissed something like “Logic, that would ruin the propaganda,” through her teeth, but the boy preferred to think he had misheard. After all, soldiers of the Fire Empire fighting for their homend could only adhere to its doctrines, right ? He, in any case, was certain that everything the state announced was true. The differences between the races were so obvious that one would have to be blind not to notice anything. The pacles tended to stay on their side, maintaining their noble status and preserving the purity of their lineage. They were descendants of the goddesses who could use their magic, living miracles that everyone had to admire. As for the bodars… Beings more idiotic than average, with an instinct rooted in them that screamed at them to cause chaos. And even their wings could not grant them enough respect compared to the mess they made when they were in the city, or anywhere other than a battlefield. Makile shook his head to clear his thoughts, and realized that Icy had already disappeared into the tent. He came out a second ter, almost jumping, his feathers bristling with excitement and his eyes shining.

  - Our barracks are even better than during the Akéras campaign ! The trines are three tents away, so we are close without having the smells, and we even have a real bed each !

  S’rinj and Deadly exchanged a knowing look, then cried out at the same time “I’ll take the bed opposite the bird’s head !”, and began to run towards the shelter. Makile remained alone outside, a little lost, then followed them.

  The fabric of the tent was in reality a tanned animal hide, resting on a support made of wood and dried earth. The dusty floor had not even been covered, but there were four old rickety bunks, wooden frames with canvas stretched between the boards. They looked like shabby hammocks. Nothing to do with the real beds Icy had spoken of. Deadly had thrown the bodar’s things on the straw mattress closest to the entrance, and had in down on the one at the back, as far away as possible. S’rinj repeatedly touched the pacle’s nose.

  - Come on ! I’m the oldest, I’m almost an ancestor! Let me have a hope of sleeping well.

  - In your dreams, uncle !

  - You have to be nice to the elderly !

  - Unfortunately you're not going to die soon, I have no obligation to please you.

  The physicist burst out ughing thunderously.

  - Okay, I'll let you have the one at the back. But then I'll take the one right next to you. Kid, do you mind sleeping next to the feathered one ?

  Makile shook his head.

  - No, not at all. Where I sleep doesn’t matter much.

  Deadly chuckled, her shoulders shaking with the ughter she was trying to suppress.

  - I don’t even give you two days before you’re begging us to move!

  Suddenly, the torches and candles in the tent lit up. It was at that moment that everyone realized the sun had already disappeared from the sky. Drought poked his head through the entrance to the barracks, his horns dimming.

  - If you’re done putting your stuff down, come out. It’s time to eat.

  His head disappeared from the entrance. Deadly stood up with a sigh and grabbed Icy’s colr, who was hiding his cards and dice under his bed, then dragged him outside. At that moment, the general reappeared.

  - By the way, Deadly, be nice to the new guy and sleep next to Icy.

  - No, seriously !

  But he was already gone. The pacle turned to Makile, her eyes narrowed with anger, and her sneer of hatred revealing her sharp canines. But unable to do anything about it, she simply went out, squeezing the bodar's neck a little tighter, who was beginning to struggle. S'rinj and Makile followed suit. Outside, night had fallen, lit only by the torches regurly pced on the paths of the camp. In the middle, the ground had been cleared to set up a few tables of odds and ends, as well as bnkets on the ground for those who could not find a pce to sit. Two rge boiling pots gave off the aromas of root soup, to which a few pieces of meat had probably been added for show. The thousands of soldiers obviously couldn’t all fit into this food court at the same time and some of them, those who had participated in the first service, could be seen walking away chatting or stroking their bellies, a sign that the frugal meal seemed satisfactory.

  Without hesitation, Deadly headed, still dragging Icy, to a table off to the side, where Drought was already starting his dinner with rge gulps. The family sat down together, which did not fail to make Makile smile. This time, unlike when he arrived, he was proud of the hundreds of eyes that were falling on him. And what did it matter, in the end. He was eating at General Drought’s table. The tter handed the small group four bowls, which he had already set aside.

  - Deadly, it would be nice if you could release the bird. It won’t fly very far if there’s food in front of it.

  The pacle looked at her hand in surprise, apparently having forgotten that she was holding someone. She pulled away with a loud “Yuck !” and the bodar took a deep breath.

  - Thanks boss, I thought I was going to die!

  Drought burst into a sing-song ugh and handed him a spoon.

  - I wouldn’t have let her do it, I love you too much, you birdhead.

  S’rinj had already brought the bowl to his lips and swallowed half of its contents, most of it clean. He finished it before Makile had even started, then pulled a cigar out of his pocket and winked at Drought, who lit it with a simple gesture. He then cleared his throat and began to smoke in silence. The young soldier watched the hundreds of men and women eat beside him, the sounds of swallowing filling the night air. It was scary in a way, intimidating to know that all these people were here to fight and potentially die. Makile felt a shiver run down his spine. He wasn’t used to this much emotion. And, now that he thought about it, this was the first break they’d really taken since the capital. The first time he’d had time to gather his thoughts, and realize how much he missed his comforts in the city. Especially his father’s voice, always telling him stories at mealtime.

  - A problem, kid ?

  S’rinj had noticed his nervousness and smiled kindly at him. He was very different from Makile’s father, more direct, more jovial, taller and imposing too, but there was something about him that made him feel at ease. The young boy thought he knew why everyone called him “uncle”.

  - It’s just that…, he hesitated, my father always told me stories at mealtimes and… No, forget what I said, it’s stupid and immature!

  The little human buried his head in his tunic, trying to hide his crimson face. The st thing he wanted, when he had gotten so close to them, was for these fantastic people to treat him like a child. And too bad if he had to shudder and feel nostalgic. But S’rinj’s voice echoed in the silence, as if the forty-year-old had always been waiting for this moment.

  - A long time ago, before the creation of the world, four sisters ruled over all things.

  The myth of the creation of the world. The story of the goddesses. Makile began to eat slowly, to make as little noise as possible, in order to happily appreciate this story that had shaped the Fire Empire, his nation. It was his favorite tale, one he never tired of listening to. He could recite it off the top of his head, but hearing someone tell it was something else. The boy furtively scrutinized the physicist. The tter was not turned towards him, but their eyes met nonetheless, and a knowing gleam lit up in S’rinj’s eye.

  - Héliote was the eldest. Goddess of fire, sun, day, courage and hope. Then came Noctate, goddess of nights, dreams, the moon and stars, as well as maternal instinct. Together, they created Ektrikesadelf, our world. Héliote made all pnts, crops, food, and Noctate formed animals and people. Everything was in harmony, but their creations lived a perfect and insipid life forever. It was then that, from the need to make a just and meaningful world, two other sisters were born.

  He stopped for a few moments, took a deep puff of his cigar, and exhaled the smoke that lost itself in the cool night air. Makile was shivering a little, he had grown up in the desert, and had never been so cold. But since getting a coat would prevent him from listening to his favorite story, he prefered to grit his teeth and listen. And this feeling, this vigil in the company of his idols, he wanted it to never end.

  - First came Aphrolotes. Goddess of water, life, love, social bonds and games. And finally Thanatolis, the goddess of death, winds, deserts, obstacles and trials. In those times, life was not perfect. But it was beautiful and had meaning. Because it was by going through adversity and trials that humans found happiness.

  S’rinj looked down, his face darkening.

  - But this happiness was short-lived. Humans lived and pyed during the day, but only slept at night without appreciating her aura of calm and mystery. This made Noctate mad with rage. Hoping to gain some of her powers, and therefore the respect of humans, Noctate tore out a piece of Héliote's heart and took it with her, to the swamps that were her home. But this piece of heart, which was so pure when Heliot had it in her possession, was corrupted by Noctate's power. All the creatures around her began to transform, to take on the appearance of beasts, and soon the humans became unrecognizable. They were the samaltas, Noctate's children.

  A crowd had gathered around the table, curious soldiers had approached to listen to the physicist's story. Everyone knew it, of course, but no one could help but listen. S’rinj looked at them in turn as he spoke. He was an excellent storyteller.

  - Samaltas are beings cursed by the power of a goddess. Even in their next life, they cannot become human again. Unless they die as humans.

  A soldier who probably wanted to show off to the others waved his belt. Light, triangur things hung from it. They were dried, and Makile wondered if they were pieces of meat. But he quickly got the answer, from the soldier himself.

  - That’s why before killing them, you have to tear off their wings and cut off their ears. It’s the mark of an honorable warrior to allow one of these monsters to be like us in his next life.

  The young soldier turned livid. Of course, he had heard of soldiers who cut off the ears of samaltas and kept them as trophies. But he had never paid attention to it, he thought it was too crazy to be true. At least until today.

  - Is it… Is it really…?

  - Do you want to touch it ?

  The man approached to show him his ornaments. Makile held back a gasp of amazement and disgust. These triangur things, seen up close, were indeed ears with a hairy pointy tip. And, if you looked closely, you could see that the skin had once been blue.

  - In the name of Héliote… These really are samaltas’ ears !

  Makile was trembling. He had only seen these creatures in books, and even now, finding himself in the army in the midst of conflict with them, he had more or less managed to persuade himself that the rumors were exaggerated, and that they were not so monstrous. But once again, like many other times since he had left Héliomenrès, his certainties were changing.

  Drought patted him on the shoulder, giving him a comforting smile. Then he cleared his throat and gracefully leapt onto the table, immediately capturing the audience’s attention. His ochre skin, in the light of the moon and the torch, gave him a mystical air. He pressed his ears against the back of his neck, creating an authoritative and fearsome look. The general scanned the crowd, making sure that each of them had eyes only for him. Silence had fallen again.

  - Tomorrow we will fight. It will be horrible, terrifying. We will have to hold these lines while our comrades are killed before our eyes, sometimes even alongside us. But despite everything, it will be our duty to continue again and again. Because we are the front line, the bulwark between the monsters and your children, your family, all those you love and who matter to you. We will have to be strong. But I will stand with you. I will be there for you. So be there for me.

  He punctuated his tirade by raising his gss, filled with cactus wine. All the soldiers imitated him with a solemn air.

  - Cheers ! And to our life, may it be filled with joy but above all with pride for ourselves and our nation !

  ***

  Makile couldn't sleep. He was at the back of the tent on his bunk, but no matter how much he tossed and turned, he didn't close his eyes. And it had nothing to do with Icy's snoring, the fact that he was talking in his sleep, or his sudden movements sending his bnket flying. It was more because of Deadly's silence. Not even the sound of a breath. It was as if she were dead. The young boy tried to find expnations, but the rumors echoed in his head. The goddess of death... He didn't know how much time had passed when he got up. But he finally did, worrying about this supernatural silence. He approached stealthily, trying not to wake S'rinj who was half asleep on the ground, only one leg still on the bunk. When he reached Deadly’s bed, he leaned over her and stifled a horrified cry. Her eyes were red. Not as if they were gouged out, but a bright scarlet, casting nightmare shadows across her face. The boy jumped back, knocking over Icy’s canteen and boots, waking him instantly. Makile was still staring at the pacle, who didn’t move an eyesh. Then the bodar gently wrapped his arms around the boy’s shoulders and whispered in his ear :

  - By the way, we never told you why we took you on the team, kid. You don't even know what this family really does, or what our missions are. But most importantly, each pacle has their own form of magic, and yet you never asked what Deadly's was. Don't you think you're a little naive ? Or just stupid ?

  The little human was shaking, unable to take his eyes off the sleeping girl, as if hypnotized. The pacle's bck hair seemed to alternately grow and shorten, it waved as if it were breathing. It was only at that moment that he noticed the twisted horns, no longer than a finger, which sparkled with the same red glow as her eyes. She was using her magic. And this power seemed terrifying and inhuman.

  Icy patted Makile's head.

  - Okay, let her work. Don't wake her up. We'll talk to you.

  He picked up one of his boots from the ground and threw it at S’rinj, who jumped awake with a loud snore. The physicist turned to the two men, the lost look of someone waking from sleep pstered on his face. In response, the bodar pointed in turn at Deadly and Makile, who still didn’t move, and whose eyes were also starting to take on a red tint. S’rinj sighed apologetically, then stood up.

  - She must not be disturbed when she is working. And it is too confidential to talk about it outside. Let's go see Drought.

  Icy nodded and grabbed Makile's arm to drag him outside, without even taking the time to get dressed or smooth his feathers. Once away from Deadly, the young boy seemed to wake up from a long sleep, discovering Icy's bare, white torso, covered in scars. Before he could ask what was happening, the bodar put his hand in front of his mouth, ordering him to be silent. The physicist followed them without waiting, even passing them to disappear first into the tent in the center of the camp. That of the main general of the army, the one from the capital Héliomenrès. Icy entered it without hesitation or even announcing himself. Inside, Drought was already talking in a low voice with S'rinj. The two looked up at them together. The long-legged Pacle, who was in a pair of luxurious, shiny pajamas, without any artifice, let out the same sigh as the physicist earlier.

  - I let you do it, but I still don’t think it’s a good idea. I like the kid, and he makes me sad. I don’t want him involved in stuff like this. It’s a really difficult situation.

  Icy brought Makile to the center of the room, then stepped back to join the general and the physicist. Without even answering Drought, he began his expnation.

  - We are a family that is hierarchically above the command generals, since we obey directly to the supreme general. To Drought, basically. You probably noticed it since we are sometimes idiots or insubordinate subordinates, if you know what I mean. But we have a fairly important function, since we are there to solve problems and have ideas. So everything that the other soldiers don’t do.

  S'rinj burst out ughing, holding his nose hoping that would be enough to keep it from being heard. He cleared his throat, gnced at Drought who was not at all amused by the situation. But the tter raised his hands, resolutely. He would not participate in this intervention. The physicist grumbled a little, stroked his goatee, took out a cigar that the general was kind enough to light, then began to speak as well.

  - To summarize, we have various missions, which can range from the release of hostages to espionage, including infiltration or military intervention in neutral territory. It is often dangerous, sometimes stupid, and we must know how to make decisions quickly and well. We were the best when Drought was with us. But currently, as you know, he has other things to worry about. We have a missing pce, and we did not know how to fill it since all the soldiers we meet are much too stupid or narrow-minded for us to even consider taking them with us. But you…

  The old man had come closer, and pointed his finger at a stunned Makile, who hadn’t moved since Icy had started talking.

  - You’re young. It’s just the ost. But usually, the kids in compulsory military service guard the city gates or hunt brigands in the streets, for their first campaign. So why are you here?

  S’rinj scratched his head. Apparently, he didn’t really expect the young boy to answer him. He paced the tent in silence for a moment. His bare feet - he hadn’t taken the time to put on his boots - tapping on the ground marked the rhythm of the air. Finally, he stood in front of Makile again, who still didn’t understand where the discussion was going.

  - I can only think of two expnations. Either Héliomenrès is really short on soldiers for this war, which I would be surprised about because from the moment they sent Drought, they knew it was over. Or you are particurly good. But since we have never seen you in action, there is no way to confirm.

  Satisfied with his own conclusions, he smiled as he puffed on his cigar.

  - I liked you the moment I saw you. Because you are ignorant. And yet you believe in good things. You have no idea what a samalta is, or what it looks like, but you are convinced that we must fight them to protect our nation because you have learned it in stories and read it in books. You've heard of Drought's power but you've never spoken to him, you don't even know if he's good or bad, and yet you consider him a hero and you stick to his ass like a boil, when he has the power to carbonize you by barely moving an eyesh !

  Drought groaned angrily, arms crossed over his chest. Judging by his expression, S’rinj’s analysis seemed to make sense. But he had no desire to admit it. And most of all, he hated the idea of ??Makile being a boil on his buttocks. He already had a small bushy tail above his posterior, which he hid every day with his cape; he had no desire for a pimple to appear underneath. The young soldier, meanwhile, looked in turn at the bodar, the human and the pacle.

  - Wait… I thought you just asked me to come with you because I happened to be there, or because you try to be nice to newcomers. I had read in a book that experienced soldiers sometimes take young ones under their wing…

  - Not at all !

  S’rinj burst out ughing and pinched Makile’s cheek in a fatherly gesture.

  - You don’t know anything. And that’s perfect! You’re an opportunity. You’re malleable, you’re young, you’re not the type to impose yourself, you don’t ask questions when you have a thousand reasons to ask them… In short, we can make you the perfect soldier. And believe me, we need an ideal soldier for some of our missions. That’s what we’ve been missing since Drought left.

  Makile listened, his mouth open in a dazed expression, and his eyes so wide they must have been dry. He twisted his fingers around his suspenders and pursed his lips. His usual pout of indecision, worry and embarrassment. He stared into space, lost in thought.

  - So… You didn’t approach me out of kindness or because you liked me, but because you needed me, to use me in your missions?

  Drought rolled his eyes and then gred at S’rinj. The tter had a satisfied grin. The general growled, annoyed, then turned to the small human to try to reassure him.

  - No, that’s not really it! Of course we like you and…

  - That’s great !

  Makile had cut him off. His eyes were shining, which destabilized Drought.

  - That’s… great ?

  - Yes, that’s too good !

  The young soldier was jumping up and down now.

  - So, from the beginning I was worried that I didn’t deserve your attention, when in reality you had chosen me because you needed me ! I deserve your attention and I even have the opportunity to be able to work with you ! This is the happiest day of my life…

  Drought was now the one with his mouth open and his eyes wide. Next to him, S’rinj burst into a hearty ugh that made his cigar jump out of his lips. It fell to the ground, spreading ash all over the tent. But the physicist didn’t care, he approached Makile to pat him on the back in a friendly way.

  - You got it, man ! And you better not disappoint us, we’re counting on you !

  - Yes, sir !

  The two seemed to get along perfectly, on the same train of thought. Drought was still as surprised as before. He finally recovered, readjusted his pajamas, then spoke again.

  - Anyway, I'll contact you to give you missions. You'll probably have to learn on the job. You just need to start by getting to know your comrades to know how to integrate, and especially how to act in the middle of the action. For example, never look at Deadly when her horns are red. That's advice that will save you a lot of trouble.

  Icy, who until then had been content to listen, grabbed the young human's arm in a gesture that was both worried and annoyed.

  - Like before. To summarize, Drought's magic is fire and heat. Deadly's magic is mind manipution. And if she manages to persuade you strongly enough that you're going to die, you die. So it’s best to avoid getting close to her when she does this kind of thing. She sometimes has a bit of trouble aiming, it would be stupid if you left us so soon.

  Makile began to tremble. He had never heard of such a power. He had come across hundreds of pacles in his life, and their powers ranged from water to fire, including the power to predict the weather or the next carriage accident. He had even once come across a pacle who could make things made of bones appear in his hand. Knives, buttons, coins… He said he made them in his body and then made them come out through his palm. It was impressive, a great craftsman. But controlling people’s minds, and from a distance too ! It was unimaginable. And terrifying.

  - The… The goddess of death…

  The young soldier trembled, imagining all the possibilities, all that this could induce as much for them as for their enemies. Icy snickered.

  - Oh, it’s more like the goddess of pests, or the goddess of aggression. Maybe even the goddess of being a bi…

  - If you open your mouth again, I’ll sew it shut.

  S’rinj had said this with a smile, but he was clearly anything but happy. And his threat was no joke. There was a silent battle between the bodar and the physicist. Which ended when the forty-year-old said :

  - The taste for opening people up runs in my family. Well, to be exact, it almost gallops !

  Icy was taken aback, and could only say a small “Yes, sir…” before disappearing. Drought lit another cigar for S’rinj, then sat down at a small table, made by ying a pnk over two buckets.

  - Well, while we’re here, I might as well expin your next mission.

  AmbreaTaddy