Into What Is Impossible (Hiatus, Re-write In-progress)

Further insights into the actual structure of S.O teams has made me disappointed in how I mishandled it.

Now uploading exclusively to 抖阴社区 and Royal Road.

Yes, I take ages to update.

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[Bandit Encampment, near the Tolipo River, 2303 Hours]

Fools. I think to myself as two of my lieutenants argue on who to blame for the increasing amount of desertion in the company, refraining to interfere unless of one of them is about to do something stupid. I stay seated at the head of the table, around which all of my lieutenants have gathered for the emergency meeting.

"You let your sentries gets drunk on watch! No wonder how the deserters slipped past!"

"Oh? Telling lies to cover your own ass on how you squander as much of your own men's pay as you can? You're pathetic!"

My eyes see one of them move his hands towards his sword, but as he was just about to wrap his fingers around the hilt, I slam my axe into the table, freezing them both mid-argument and catching everyone else's attention.

"Are you children done bickering?" I say and then sweep my gaze between the two. "Because neither one of you have actually brought any proof as to who's guilty of what, and have just been wasting my time."

The two blanched on the spot, eyes wide as I made my displeasure known.

"Captain I-" One of them starts but I cut him off with a pointed glare.

I let the two stew in their own fear for a while, then pried my axe out of the table.

"We'll settle this on another day." I start. "Later at dawn, our priority is to move closer to the border, fence the loot we have, then report back to our employer about what happened here." I look towards a lieutenant charged with the baggage train. "Are we ready?"

"All should be set within an hour or two, Captain. We'll be ready come dawn."

I nod, then shifted my attention back to everyone else. There is one last issue I'd like to resolve.

"Aciz is dead." I bluntly say the information everyone already knew. "And you dogs have been fighting over what the dead man left, tearing us apart while letting the elves tighten the noose around our necks." Everyone stilled at that, as all of them are guilty of trying to snatch part of Aciz's scraps, sending their men against each other over something that Aciz used to own.

There was a moment of silence, later broken when I spoke. "Because of this, I'll be temporarily seizing all of what Aciz has left. I am not taking ownership of anything, but if anyone tries to seize something Aciz used to own before we've settled closer to the border – you'll answer to my axe. Am I clear?"

Grumbling, whether disproving, indifferent, or supportive, made no difference as all of my lieutenants nodded their heads.

"Good." I stand. "Use the rest of the evening to rest or ready yourself. Now, leave."

The sound of chairs being pushed back and armor clinking fills the room as the command tent is vacated, soon leaving me alone with a quiet place to think.

Aciz was one of my top lieutenants. He – despite often being described as a dumb brute – was clever; preferring to attack with overwhelming force on weak targets. The growth of his power and wealth was slow but steady, the loot he takes often amounting less than everyone else – but he always returns with a substantial amount.

Now that an apparent misstep had caused his demise, his death rocked the company's balance of power. But that isn't something I can't handle. No, what I'm worried about is what to tell our employer. Aciz's mishap undoubtedly tipped off the elves of our presence here. And elves, weakened as they might've been after the war, are still quite ferocious in defending their lands. We'll have to withdraw. For If we're caught now, well, I can forget about trying to get home.