Konstantin’s body was a mess as we brought it into the barracks. Thepany huddled around as he was ced on a table and his body stripped. The smell of burnt flesh and charred leather was strong among the stink of days in the woods. His leather bracers had bite marks on them, and when removed, bloody, partially scabbed-over puncture marks were underneath. Lirkin checked the forearm, “Bone is broken. Get the healer in the city if someone has not been sent already.” Felix immediately took off at a run, his footfalls echoing on the stone.

    Konstantin groaned, and Lirkin whispered to him, “You got back, you tough bastard. We will heal you in a day, and you can return to being your old cantankerous self.” Konstantin’s dry throat tried to speak. Lirkin leaned down and put his ear to the man to hear. Lirkin stood after listening and informed us what he said, “He found the summoner. It set a pair of hell hounds on him.”

    A lot of whispers rang through the men as no one seemed to know what a hellhound was. Castile walked purposedly in at this moment with Adrian behind her. She answered the question I had. “A hellhound is an infernal dog, not from this ne of existence. It is a summoned creature that is a relentless tracker. Konstantin,” Castile stood over Konstantin, taking in his abused body and getting his attention, “are the hounds who pursued you dead?”

    Konstantin painfully nodded his head in the affirmative. Castile nodded. “And the summoner? Is he dead, too?”

    Konstantin shook his head negatively, not being able to speak loudly. Castile grimaced. She put his hand on his shoulder. “Everyone get some rest. I will wait with Konstantin for the healer and potions.” Adrian shuffled everyone away. As I walked away, I felt guilty for not going with Konstantin on his scouting mission. Maybe he would not be in such terrible shape if I had apanied him.

    I returned to the tower with vius and Maveith. vius talked as we went, “Summoners and hell hounds, bad omens. I guess we will be marching soon and hunting the summoner. Best to get some rest.” When we got to our tower floor, the empty bed we had brought up here for Konstantin was apparently going to be filled soon.

    Iy down in my bed, and my mind shed to Konstantin. I recalled his return. He was in terrible shape, but he also did not have his pack or his weapons. His artificed sword was missing, and I imagined it was out there somewhere, stuck inside some fiery beast. I did not use the amulet as I settled down tonight but did take an oblivion pill to stave off nightmares I knew would haunt me. If I didn’t, I would imagine myself looking just like Konstantin.

    I was awakened in the morning by a familiar horse voice, “Eryk, you can sleep through anything. Get up. It is time for breakfast and some training.” Konstantin’s voice was raspy, but it was definitely him.

    “Love you too, Konstantin. d you are not dead…or perhaps you are a revenant back from the dead to hound me.” I said, smirking at my joke.

    Maveithughed in his deep voice, “That is a good twisting of the words, Eryk. Hound because a hellhound almost killed him.”

    I opened my eyes to see Konstantin standing over me, grinning. His face was gaunt, and his eyes sunken. “You look like an ogre just shit you out.” His grin faded.

    “I am still fit enough to teach you a thing or two in the practice yard,” he rasped out with his dry voice.

    “With what? I didn’t see your magic de on you yesterday,” I said and immediately regretted it. Konstantin’s face fell in some remembered pain, and maybe it was too soon to be needling him.

    He finally said, “I preferred my life over the de. Still might be able to reim it if Castile marches us to hunt the summoner.”

    vius was already dressed in his armor and at the table in the room, “So you found the elven summor, Traeliorn Kelran?”

    Konstantin moved to sit across from him. “No, I don’t think so. The elf with the hellhounds appeared too young.” vius was about to interject, but Konstantin stopped him, “I know elves age really slowly. This one was young; he was no ancient and powerful sorcerer.” vius grunted in eptance of his words.

    I sat up in bed and looked out the window, and the sun was just turning the sky. I sighed and started dressing. I looked at Konstantin, “I can’t believe they healed you up, and you are ready to go again.”

    “The summoner is a real threat, Eryk. Castile was doing a message sending to the Legatus Legonis office this morning. Most likely, they will order us after him,” Konstantin said seriously. vius nodded at the table in agreement.

    “So we need to get ready to fight more hellhounds? Is that how you were burned?” I inquired as I put on my armor.

    Konstantin rubbed the side of his face, which had pink new skin, “Don’t know about more hounds.” He held up his arm, and a memory of pain shed on his face, “Yes, one grabbed my arm, and the other breathed fire on me. If I hadn’t been able to dose myself in a nearby pond, I would be dead.”

    Maveith boomed from across the room, interested in the story, “How did you escape?”

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    Konstantin shifted in his seat at the table, “I was looking at the summoner from a good mile away. He was setting up a ritual circle. I was deciding whether to try and sneak close and get him with my bow when the two hounds I didn’t see caught my scent from a cursed mile away.”

    Konstantin exhaled angrily, “I dropped from the tree and ran. They caught me in no time, even though I was dropping myconid spores. One grabbed my arm while the other breathed its fire on me. Drove my sword into the mouth of a breather. Had to let go due to the heat. The one biting my arm tried to go for my throat.” He looked around at us, “I was half on fire at this point, and the dog I was wrestling was unscathed. It was a struggle, but I got a dagger in its neck and forced myself into a pond to cool off.” He chuckled dryly.

    “Then you dragged yourself back here?” Maveith said in awe.

    “No, didn’t quite kill the second. Swam across the pond, and it stalked me, but it was bleeding out. Giant leeches in the pond forced me out. I was at a disadvantage without my bow or sword, but the hellhound didn’t attack. I forced myself to run and figured the beast was smart as it tried to exhaust me. I hoped it would bleed out from the wound on its neck. Eventually, I won the contest of wills.” Konstantin did not sound smug, just exhausted at the retelling.

    “We should get down to breakfast, or Benito will eat all the butter-honey buns left over from the Duchess’ dinner,” vius noted.

    The four of us made our way to the barracks. I was half expecting to see the Countess’ soldiers in here with us, but it was just ourpany. As Favius had predicted, Benito had a te stacked three high of the dessert buns, ze, next to him, the same. Everyone came up to Konstantin and said they were d he was already on his feet.

    Linus brought him two tes stacked with food, “Konstantin, noints. I want you to finish both tes before leaving the hall. You had a lot of healing donest night from the healer and potions.”

    “Where is my te?” I asked with a smirk at Linus.

    “Next time you drag yourself in here half-burned with a dozen broken bones, I will get your food for you, too,” Linus returned with a mock challenge.

    “I hope that day neveres,” I said, headed to the buffet table with Maveith. Maveith just took one of the serving trays from under the food as his te, grinning while he did. From the look of it, the spread was mostly leftovers fromst night’s dinner in the Citadel, but no one seemed to mind. The Duchess still wanted to impress her mother even if she did not want her here.

    While we were stuffing our faces, Castile entered on her heels with Delmar and Adrian. She looked around the room, and her face was stern and not happy. Adrian walked over to vius, and I heard them say, “After Castile finishes, go head out and get the four men guarding the crewying the province border stones.” vius nodded sharply at the order.

    Castile addressed everyone present, “I sent Konstantin’s report to the Legatus Legonis. He has ordered us to locate the Bartiradian summoner and end him. Master Mage Sebastian and two of his legionnaires will join us in three days on drakes.” Thepany stirred a little at the announcement. “We will also be joined by High Mage Zyna, but she will bring no legionnaires. Sebastian will transport High Mage Zyna, and they will find us in the wilds. No Hounds will being to help search for him.” vius’ eyes had snapped to Castile on Sebastian’s name. I couldn’t see his face to read his reaction to seeing Sebastian again.

    Castile continued as ourpany started whispering louder, “We will leave after the mid-day meal. Delmar will get a load out for your packs prepared. The summoner wasst spotted fifty miles northwest of here.”

    “Is this normal?” I asked Konstantin, who was working on his second te and apparently already aware of what Castile was going to say.

    “Hunting an enemy mage within the Empire borders?” He asked with a cocked eyebrow trying to act like I asked a stupid question.

    vius answered my question directly, “Usually, it would be three full magepanies hunting an enemy mage with two or three squads of Hounds in support to track the mage. High Mage Zyna is a powerful battle fire mage, but used to teach at the Mage College. I was not aware she could be called on for a hunt like this.”

    Konstantin added what he knew while shoveling food in his mouth, “The Hounds already lost a squad searching for the summoner. I am not surprised Cornelius is not sending help. He would only have five squads left in all the Eastern Empire, and I am sure he is being kept busy around Macha countering the Bartiradian Rangers.”

    vius eximed, “Just five! There should be ten in the east!”

    Konstantin shrugged, “I talked to him after Macha. He lost two squads chasing down a rouge magemander before Macha. One squad retired a few months back, and another is…not avable. He has over twenty men in training,” he gave me a sidelong nce, “But none are ready to put into the field.”

    vius rxed some at the exnation, “It is one the most dangerous jobs in the Empire.” Konstantin just nodded but did not tell him he used to be a Hound. “But just five squads left?” vius shook his head in disbelief and left. He had to make a long trek to get our men out supervising the digging of holes.

    I went to the tower with Maveith while Konstantin was forced to stay behind and eat the rest of his food. I packed quickly, thinking we were going to be gone for a while. Maveith just watched me, and I tightly rolled one of the weasel pelts inside an oiled tarp I used for my tent. I asked him, “Are you not going toe?”

    Maveith sat on his bunk, sighing, “I was not asked to go.”

    I looked at him sharply, “Maveith, do you want toe and hunt a powerful mage that can summon creatures of nightmares and legends?”

    He put on a broad smile, “Yes! Traveling with you is always interesting.” He began to pack his things, and I shook my head in disbelief. If I had been given a choice, I most definitely would not be going.

    We arrived in the courtyard, and Delmar had bundled food for us and a few changes of socks and undergarments. Mateo quipped at seeing the houseguards of the Countess, “Never got an apology from the Countess for kicking us out of our rooms.” Everyoneughed merrily.

    Delmar smirked at Mateo’sment, “Why don’t you carry the ration packs for the four men vius is retrieving.” He groaned as it was almost forty pounds. He did not end up carrying it, as Felix, Maveith, and I each took one of the four bundles.

    We didn’t have to wait long before Castile was outside with Adrian. Adrian arched an eyebrow at me, “Thought you would be riding your horse, Eryk.”

    “I can do that?” I asked, ready to bolt for the stables and saddle Ginger.

    “Toote now,” he smirked as he was clearly joking.

    Castile added seriously, “She would just be used to carry supplies, Eryk. Leave her behind. It is safer for her.” That ended any argument. We were soon walking down the road northwest along the river. We were going to meet up with vius and the others before following Konstantin into the Wilds to find the elusive summoner.