A ringing buzzed inside my head as my body hit the earth. Dust lazed its way went inside my visor. I found my body wanting to stop when I tried to pick my sword again the clouds in the sky swirling... Dancing... Fluttering.


    “Gwuhaha, looks like he had his fill.”


    A round soldier whose black mustache shivers when he made that laugh.


    “Ey, ey. Huff... Huff... Wake up, before the captain sees you a vegetable.”


    A blurry woman took my helm away and lightly slapped my cheeks as she took air.


    “Grant, get me some water before the captain comes here!”


    “On it.”


    Oh yeah...


    Two, or three weeks? I know it''s almost a month since I saw Allan, Neil, and Roland ever since that skeleton chicken incident.


    Right now I found a worried face, darting left and right checking her surrounding.


    Oh shit. I got knocked out, again!


    The sun was mocking me with its burning rays again. Blinking rapidly, I looked around and was glad that May wasn''t here. I quickly rolled and took my sword. Standing up. I found my helmet on the ground and Katherine telling me to hold.


    My hands were shivering on it''s own, and so did my brow drenched me in my armor with sweat. Despite all that, I took a stand against her. She stood up with her own wooden sword.


    “Don''t you want to have a break? We''ve been here for two hours already.”


    She removed her helmet and gave me smile.


    “Not... Until... I knock you out.”


    I smiled back trying to still my hands.


    “You''re still arrogant as ever.”


    With an exchange of giggle, she moved forward. I did my best to keep a gap between us until I was comfortable enough to initiate. I held a mid guard right forward. While she lowered her sword resting on her lap, as if she''s resting and open.


    I''m not going to fall for that again.


    “Haa!”


    I moved forward.


    “Yiee!”


    But someone threw a splash of cold water on me that made me stop my attack!


    “Why would you do that!!!”


    Turning around.


    “Captain on ground!”


    Me and Kath stood up like frozen hair upon hearing Grant bellow it out.


    *Thwack!*


    “You''ll get the pummel dug in your head next time!”


    “Gwuahahaha!”


    “By the goddess...”


    She sighed.


    “And Elfien, let''s go home.”


    I dropped my salute and jogged to her. She was holding a small water skin water and the spare clothes she usually give.


    “Dear me,”


    Frowning she licked her thumb and wiped something off my brow as she gave me the spare clothes.


    “May...”


    I groaned as I could see the men and women around me holding their giggle.


    “I''ll do it in the washer.”


    I tried breaking of from her,


    “Stand still,”


    She stilled me like a doll. Using one hand to hold both my hand and the other tending my dirt.


    “Mom! Come on!”


    Saying that aloud made her lessen her grip. That, I took advantage and quickly ran off to the barracks.


    “Hurry up it up then! Don''t make me wait out all day out the gate!”


    ****


    “Boy, pass me a pail!”


    Mr. Paul opened his curtain.


    “How''s the watch, Mr. Paul?”


    I asked as I opened mine passed him my pail, I was done washing myself anyway.


    “Not much, Elfien. Not much. Winter is coming near, monsters hoard up food by this time of the cycle, not like last week where nimble desperate ones would charge in front of a firing line to get a male. Heh.”


    He replied as he began dousing his bald head with water.


    “How about you, getting comfortable in the barracks, again?”


    “Ey, shine head, give me the pail and use your hands if your going to chit chat.”


    “You use your hands you bush chest bear!”


    “Well, I think I''m getting hang of it.”


    The hardy men and women, their humor ranging from dark to light, the hard food that must be eaten quick, and the heavy wooden training equipment.


    I only hated the bathroom, to hell with that smell. Even after for almost a month I would only use that for when first: when I''m alone and second: when I''m desperate.


    But the rest... The men and women here are all high ranking and veteran soldiers. They were nice to me, but when it comes to training, and sparing they all change their attitudes. Weight training, Endurance, and everything that is military training, they all treat me like they don''t know me and May said they''re just holding back.


    But Kath, my sparring partner, the youngest of the veterans -- by a margin of two years -- was different. She still treats me like how she treats me on sparing practice: “An annoying young brother” don''t know what she means by that but they she seem forgiving to my mistakes, as May puts it.


    I really never had a chance to spar with May, or she just doesn''t want to. She shows me maneuvers, guard stances and their weaknesses and pros, directs my hands when needed, and strike me with a stick when making mistakes. That''s what she only does, but never something like sparring me.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    Nevertheless, when I found myself kissing the dry dust dirt or rainy mud so many times the soldiers here tell me that I was good and improving better than the young ones on the southeast barracks. I heard that''s where Edmund and the other young soldiers -- three years older than me, in their standard -- was stationed and trained.


    Even if they say that, I never hear May say that to me. I only hear her say never give up, or a lesson on how to be better than adventurers.


    ****


    It was a daily routine now, training starts before the sun would rise and end when it''s high above. We would either go to the market for stocking up and buy things or just directly go to the Inn for cooking.


    “Where are we going?”


    I asked when she lead me to an unusual route. Even if I have been here for almost a month; butcher street, baker street, and the Pavlon square were our usual destination and those were always accompanied by May. Never me alone. But this time, I felt excited when we dodged our way through our usual destination and reached the eastern gate. Talking to some guard, which was just a simple salutation, this was my first time to out of the city''s wall.


    Waves of small emerald green redundant hills that looked like a camel''s back and acres upon acres of fields being sowed by farmers. Carts filled with wheat, barley, cabbages, and the such were being led home. All the while group of soldiers were sprayed across standing guard strategically placed here and there. Then, just over a bit to the right was a giant mill up on a hill surrounded by a wooden wall and field that was being harvested. It was a refreshing sight for me, not just because I''ve been holed up behind the wall for a month now, it''s the first time I''ve been in a country side.


    “Turner!”


    Cried out May to the dozens of men unloading and loading some sacks off his wagon near the gate.


    And it was a gray hairs old man, scrawny and tall that waved his straw hat at us. Fine white dust flew in the air as the old man unloaded flour from his cart to a wheelbarrow who was stowed by a man.


    “Well, is that May and his miracle child I see?”


    He brushed his hands as we reached him.


    “Afternoon, sir, Turner.”


    I said when May tapped my back.


    “Afternoon to you too, young one. What''s got you out and running on this time of day? Not tending your inn I see.”


    “I''m not the only establishment serving food and ale to the masses. They can do without my cooking for a day.”


    She then asked if he can give them a ride to the mill.


    “Well certainly, Beth is still in shape,”


    He went to the front of the wagon and tapped the back of the yoked oxen which replied with a moo.


    “But, I''m going to the Baker''s mill you see anywhere further you have to use your legs.”


    “Oh, perfect then. Can you drop us by the church''s mill then?”


    “Well, climb aboard then, but careful on where you sit, there''s flour all over the place.”


    We jumped up behind his cart. Indeed, the inside was entirely covered by a white sheet of flour.


    My clothes were new so I opted to stand and lean.


    With a two light whip and moo the wagon buckled a bit and began to move.


    It was my first time to see waves upon waves of fields being sowed  farmers. It was nothing like the academic book, videos, or pictures given to us at school because, while farmers dotted the field while harvesting soldiers with halberds and spears and guns were on the look out. They we''re real, sharp, locked and loaded; they can kill.


    What''s more, to see a wall behind as I venture out felt like I was free from that titan that dwarfed me everyday.


    Soon, we dropped down, patted out the white powder off my trouser, and mister Turner waving us goodbye when May gave some coins to him.


    “The church''s mill, ah, memories. Good thing you didn''t remember what happened here.”


    Said May as we walked a few steps before meeting a stretch of narrow road that separated two fields apart and snaked towards a hill where a walls made of logs encircled the hill.


    “Does Lady Serafina owns this mill?”


    I asked as we traversed on.


    “Heh. Not a chance, my dear. It''s the church''s mill, it means it is owned by the goddess''s appointed one. The eparch. Under Eparch Claudina.”


    “Eparch Claudina?”


    Is that what they call a pope?


    “The head of the goddess''s church, or the earthly manager of her authority. She holds great power, wealth, and respect almost equal of that to the nobles. And probably more greedier than nobles.”


    “What?”


    I shot my head to her.


    “Shhh! Don''t tell anyone ok?”


    She smiled at me.


    “But, in all honesty, this mill was once called the peasants mill or sanctuary mill.”


    Her grandmother once told her that before Ellena was a free city and was called Ellena, peasants who got paid by wheat, rye, barely, or flour from the lord the majority of peasants come here to thresh their wheat for free and bake them for free.


    “The lord was anxious of its growing popularity.”


    “So, he decided to threaten the mill?”


    Which I wouldn''t be surprised.


    “No, well maybe yes, the lord was jealous of how the peasants weren''t using his mill and oven, since it requires a fee, so peasants go to places where they can save their coin. But because of this bakers and merchants in the city began complaining to the church and lord how they were losing business. And due to the church''s rising popularity, not just with the goddess''s blessings but also with its generosity. He feared that his peasants would follow the church more than his word. Well, that problem wasn''t unique to him only, it was a problem to evey land. Even the king have to ask for the Eparch to put some price on their services to appease the merchants. Thus, every mill owned by the church now has a price for their once free service. ”


    She cut there when we reach the end of the hill and met it''s wooden gate. Near the wall was watch tower where a little boy soldier perched above with a stick.


    “Was you want, mi lady?”


    A child, roared out his cutesy voice. He was probably the age of six or something, but he croaked down at us as he held a stick like a spear.


    “Came to buy some flour here sonny, can we come in please?”


    “Floor? Aye, mi lady!”


    He grunted as he climbed down.


    “Be careful.”


    I said. Who puts a child on a watch tower that high?


    Either way, I asked if the wheat here is cheaper than in town or the quality.


    “Quality of course, some of the adventures invention was finally permitted to be used here. O''Brian says that the church finally agreed to bring some previously banned inventions. One of them is a thing that makes flour finer.”


    I never understand and what''s wrong with adventurers, they save people, as Serafina always says, and they invent stuff from our world, and they''re generally nice.


    Adventurers are like us, people who got a second chance in life, albeit in another world. They''re maybe hundreds or thousands, or probably more. I have yet to see one, though maybe I have.


    When the kid opened a small door attached into the gate. May''s smile to the kid quickly turned into a sour frown and me looking with expectation.


    There they were on a clearing. While Roland was carrying three sacks of flour as a nun walks besides him, probably giving instructions, Allan held a bow shooting at a rapid pace at Neil who dodge or deflected each hit by slapping the arrow.


    “So this where those bastards holed up.”


    She crossed her arm, and I hide my smile. We haven''t seen one another for three or so weeks now. Not since what they did.


    “You mean the heroes, miss?”


    The kid asked.


    “Didn''t think that Brother Mattel was keen in lodging some adventures in his convent.”


    “You''re wrong miss, Big brother Mattel says their the new heroes, see.”


    Commented the kid as he waved his hands to Roland who notices us, in turn he called Neil and Allan.


    “Let''s hurry it.”


    She grabbed my hand, dragging me to a wooden house near the mill when Neil waved at us.


    Ever since their magic trick on that skeletal chicken for distraction, and May accidentally hitting me unconscious. Later that day, I found myself on Serafina''s lap while May was scolding the three for using necromancy. With that, they were banned to see me, not because May said so, because Serafina told them too. We can only met up again during the festivities, which was almost near, and I can''t wait for it.


    We quickly left with three sacks of flour on May''s shoulder while I carried what seems like five kilos of butter.


    As we exit my last glimpse of them was a group of kids around them, while the trio did tricks and magic entertainment for them. I miss talking to them.