Tucker stared at the empty glass and swirled the last bits of ice before putting it down on the polished table. The gentle clink drew Luka’s attention. He rose from his seat and adjusted his cloak before placing a dull silver coin beside his glass.

  “Leaving already?” Luka asked.

  “Yeah, I should probably get going. Collect my thoughts for a bit somewhere quiet,” Tucker replied.

  ”I see.” Luka rose from his seat and held out his hand. “You probably won’t see me for a while. I’m being sent to one of the fortress cities on the front lines.”

  Tucker raised a brow. “So soon?”

  “Yeah, I didn’t want to just sit around. Plus, it might help me get my mind off things.”

  “Which one are you going to?”

  “Stafford. One of the seven bastions of the south. A nice, safe location for me to contribute to the war.” Luka grinned as Tucker shook his hand. “If you get bored doing what you’re doing, you could join me.”

  “Nice joke pal, but odds are… we won’t be seeing each other for a while.” Tucker let go of Luka’s hand and forced a smile. “I’m most likely going to be suspended or something.”

  “Ah… because of your previous mission?”

  “Yeah… my new teammate was furious… rightfully so too, I guess.”

  “Makes sense. It’s not every day you nearly draw your blade at your comrades.” Luka chuckled and patted Tucker on the shoulder. “You see, I did always say you should have been a knight. It would’ve been better suited for you.”

  “Perhaps, but there’s no point in regretting it now.” Tucker patted Luka on the back. “You’re doing great. Take care of yourself.”

  “I will, I will. I should be saying that to you. You were always the more reckless one of the bunch.” Luka watched as Tucker walked down the hall. He didn’t expect the man with such an ego to admit he was wrong, and if John was still here, he would have burst out in laughter. But as Luka stared at the filled glass resting peacefully on the table he quietly sighed. Wishing he had done more.

  “More? He can do more? He’s a fucking liability.” Blare’s voice was seething as he paced back and forth in the room. “There isn’t a shred of camaraderie and loyalty to the cause.”

  “That’s a lie, Blaire, and you know that,” Alex protested. “He saved your life and mine, not once, but twice. Those knights would’ve ambushed us if it wasn’t for Tucker.”

  “We would have found a way around it!” Blaire snapped back.

  “Bullshit, you don’t know how that would’ve turned out and even if we did survive that ambush, then what about the mages?” Alex glared at him while leaning forward in his chair. “We both know that those mages wouldn’t have let us go even if we crossed the border.”

  “He was fucking lucky! You think he somehow knew that they were after it?”

  ”That wasn’t luck. It was calculated, and I know for a fact that Tucker had planned it.”

  “God dammit Salamander! Why are you so insistent on protecting him? Is it because of what happened with your last rookie—”

  “Enough!” Dale furiously slammed his fist into his desk, shattering the surface of the wooden table as pages fell to the floor. “I have heard enough and Blaire, you have no right to comment on Salamander’s previous partner.”

  Blaire gritted his teeth, but upon seeing the sharp killing intent hidden within Alex’s eyes. He knew he had gone too far. “I’m sorry. I overstepped my boundaries.”

  Alex shook his head and averted his gaze. “Forget it, let’s just focus on the matter at hand.”

  “Right, so that brings into question, how would you like this to be handled, Salamander?” Dale asked beneath the candlelight. His black eyes stared at the veteran’s weakened state and as Dale touched the scar that crossed from his forehead down to his eye. He knew that Alex was hesitant. “Feel free to state your thoughts. If I find them inadequate, then I shall elevate the punishment.”

  This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

  The old man let out a deep and long sigh. He seemed to have aged several years as his grey hair and beard seemed more white than usual. “I know Tucker has overstepped himself here and I know he is wrong.”

  “Then?” Blaire looked at Alex, waiting for a response.

  “But I don’t believe he should be relieved of his duties.”

  “Do you hear yourself Salamander? What he did was akin to treason!”

  Alex clasped his hands together and closed his eyes while resting his forearms on his lap. “I know, but it’s not like he doesn’t have the capabilities to fulfill his tasks.”

  “Then what would you suggest?” Dale asked.

  “We remove him from all missions beyond the enemy’s front lines,” Alex replied.

  “You think that’s enough? He knows nothing about what our men on the front lines have to sacrifice to hold a single inch of soil.” Blaire shook his head, his voice heavy with contempt and disbelief. “He’ll never be able to even sacrifice a tenth of what our soldiers do on a daily basis.”

  “We won’t know until we try. Put him in a different environment and strip him of his chances of hurting our operations behind enemy lines.”

  Dale rose from his seat and faced the map behind his desk, falling deep into thought. “It’s possible, but not nearly enough of a punishment.”

  “Then we strip him of his current achievements and scarlet seal his records,” Alex added.

  “Scarlet sealing his records would erase him from the Order if he dies without merit.” Dale stroked his chin before turning to Blaire. “This would mean that the moment he dies, everything he’s done. Everything he’s built would be forgotten unless he proves himself worthy. Is that satisfactory with you as a punishment, Owl?”

  “Only if he doesn’t know about this condition,” Blaire said.

  “Very well, since this is to test his character and whether he deserves to remain here, he will only be told that his current achievements have been stripped and any future achievements… revoked.” Dale gazed at Alex. “Are we in agreement?”

  Upon seeing Alex silently nod, Dale smiled. “Good, Owl you are dismissed. Salamander, stay here for a bit longer.”

  “Yes Head Administrator.” Blaire saluted Dale and just as he passed Alex, a voice called out to him.

  “That reminds me, you’re still a team, so try to get along.” Dale’s voice drew Blaire’s gaze. “Break the news to the kid and while you’re at it, have a meal or something.”

  Blaire frowned at the notion, but soon nodded once more. “Understood.”

  The sound of footsteps fading into the distance, followed by a door creaking and shutting, entered their ears. They were now alone. Dale stared at Alex and let out a heavy sigh. Looking at his mentor who seemed to be a fragment of his former self. It had been years since Salamander’s last rookie and a miracle that he had convinced the old man to take Tucker under his wing.

  He knew Alex had gotten soft and added Blaire to their team to balance the dynamics, but he would have never imagined such a thing would happen. It was an act akin to treason, and, to an extent, he should have known better.

  “I thought that with time, I would be able to forget what happened with Richard.” Alex’s once proud voice wavered. “It seems like I still haven’t moved on.”

  “Perhaps you don’t need to forget about what happened, but instead forgive yourself for the incident,” Dale said with a soft tone. “That incident… it wasn’t your fault. No one would’ve known that Richard would do such a thing.”

  “I should have known. I spent the most amount of time with him,” Alex refuted. “But I didn’t realize that I was all he had. I should have never given up on him.”

  Dale rubbed the back of his neck with a heavy look in his eyes. “Is that why you’re so lenient with Tucker? He isn’t Richard and I know the child to some extent. He isn’t a weak lad.”

  “Richard wasn’t weak either, he just… felt like the entire world was against him and against such pressure. What can a man do?”

  Dale remained silent, unable to utter another word. It was the first time such an incident had occurred within their ranks, and there were no words he could say to make the situation any better.

  Alex’s gaze slowly trailed up from the floor, meeting Dale’s. “I won’t give up on Tucker.”

  “Why would you go so far?”

  The old man fell silent for a moment, then replied. “Because I know how much being a watchman means to Tucker, and I don’t know if he’ll give up on himself, but if he did. Then I’m the only chance he has. The only support he has. He struggles with the most basic things and makes mistakes, but at the same time he has constantly delivered.”

  “If it was anyone else mentoring him, he would have been dismissed.”

  “I know, but I believe the issue is the nature of the missions we’re giving him. Suppose we take away the moral dilemma and place him in a situation where it’s clear who is right and wrong. Then I don’t see any issues arising.”

  The Head Administrator nodded, recalling the cut-throat background the rookie came from. “Then where should we send your team?”

  “Perhaps to one of the bastion cities.”

  “I see, then I’ll send you word about where you’ll be stationed. For now, go get some rest,” Dale waved his hand to dismiss Alex. “That reminds me, as for the child you three brought back. She’ll have to wear mana draining shackles for the time being, but besides that. You should figure out what to do with her.”

  “Understood.” Alex stood from his seat and saluted Dale before turning around.

  The Head Administrator waited until Alex left the room and soon turned to the map once more. Everyone had a burden placed on their shoulders, and so far from Tucker’s accomplishments, it would be too much of a waste to dismiss him. However, if others were to hear of his stunt that was pulled today, then discord would spread through their ranks. They were only so strong because of their unity and if that were to break… then there was no telling what would happen next.