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  He sustains they’ve been carried; but has no theory or proof to support this affirmation.

  ***

  Lieutenant Monroe and myself, investigated the deaths instantly and carried out an attempt for autopsy. Due to our lack of equipment and knowledge in such question, our findings are scarce and our conclusions are at best far-fetched.

  However, it allowed us to issue an official report, transmitted to all soldiers within a day, and now shared with you:

  In the matter of Zoly’s demise, evidence suggests that, taken by an immediate need, he stopped the wagon on the way and went further in the desert to relieve himself. There, he inadvertently stepped on a local scorpion, whose venomous sting proved lethal.

  Following the tragedy of Zoly’s passing, the recruits were left alone under the burning sun and died of heatstroke and dehydration.

  Upon arrival of the scouting team, the horses pulling the cart got excited and started in their direction, shaking the corpses that fell from the buggy. The stallions, trained in the military academy, then recovered their senses and stopped after walking a short distance, waiting for Sergeant Camillo and his men.

  This is the official version, the one we all pretend to believe. But I can’t turn a blind eye on its inconsistencies.

  ***

  While Zoly’s death being due to a scorpion’s venom is possible, it does not seem likely. This is, to the best of my knowledge and Lieutenant Sebastian’s memory, absolutely unheard of. Those small beings usually run or hide from such gigantic beasts as men or horses, and in the rare cases of humans being stung, coma was happening after several hours. This would have allowed Zoly to come back to the cart and head for the fort, looking for help.

  Furthermore, we can’t forget the fact that the animals were in a decent shape, indicating that they had not been staying without water for a long time. Under this sun, and assuming they had managed to lick some morning’s dew from the rocks, it is unlikely their ordeal had started more than twenty-four hours earlier.

  This raises questions, for which there is no answer.

  How could Zoly’s remains be in such a poor state of conservation after only a day?

  How come the recruits died of dehydration when they were still sedated, their internal humidity being preserved by chemical agents that proved their efficiency for centuries?

  And here comes the biggest concern of all: why were their bodies stacked neatly on the road, at a certain distance from the cart?

  While the possibility of the horses moving, most likely in search of water rather than upon seeing the rescue team, is a good and plausible theory explaining why they were not close to the corpses, the pile in itself is a complete mystery.

  Lieutenant Monroe and I suspect that they didn’t fall on their own. In centuries of deliveries being made to Worldsend Garrison, it’s never been heard of a recruit tumbling from the cart. This would have been, at the very least, astonishing if this had happened with one of them, but it could have been credible. Two of them falling would have been a very unlikely coincidence, already hard to believe.

  But fifteen bodies dropping together in a neat pile is not possible.

  Accepting the official version makes things easier for all of us, and it has been welcomed among our men. Yet no one truly trusts it, people only pretend to do so. Nobody knows what really happened on this road, but there is no doubt that the recruit’s corpses were moved—before or after their death—by someone. Or something.

  ***

  Wild rumors have been spreading among some of our soldiers and, while I do not believe in them, my duty imposes that I listen attentively and take them into account.

  Some men fear the enemy has changed tactics and is now sending spies, or scouts, in our world. One or two of those creatures wouldn’t raise our alarms (we are still not sure how the Knowing capacity really works) and could sneak around the fort.

  There is no way to ascertain what the Karabia Desert could do to those abominations from another realm. Maybe they thrive in the suffocating heat and this is the reason why they are here. Perhaps it reminds them of the hellish place they come from. We always saw the desert as a kind of protection of our world—in case Worldsend Garrison would fall—, but it’s been based on our knowledge of earthly life. This would be hazardous to consider that the invader follows the standard laws of nature.

  While this change of tactics can’t be ruled out, I do not believe the enemy is responsible for Zoly’s death, nor the recruits. Horses were alive, and past intents of defense of the bay with the help of cavalry or war dogs indicated that those minions are as ruthless towards animals as they are with us. Furthermore, the corpses were discovered, while the creatures are known to take the dead—ours and theirs—back to the sea.

  As a matter of fact, after closing the investigation, we—very reluctantly as I abhor more and more the lack of respect we show to our fallen comrades—disposed of the bodies on the beach. And, as always, they were not to be seen when the sun rose.

  But there is a second theory to explain the incident. One that I’ve been sharing with Lieutenant Sebastian and Lieutenant Monroe. One that is worrying me, because of its likeliness and its implications. I dread what could happen if soldiers also considered it.

  Zoly was a Knower, and the capacity was strong in him. He was regularly among the first to have visions. They were always crystal clear, and his nightmares were frightening. We believe the continuous strain took its toll on his nerves and he broke down.

  We are afraid Zoly got mad and unloaded the recruits, leaving them to die under the sun, before finding a strange way to end his days in the desert.

  Should this explanation be true, this would mean that those with the capacity of Knowing are a threat towards the fort and themselves. I am not sure how our men would react to this information. We can’t stop the program with Elixir B, we need to foresee the attacks. Our successes of the last months rely on the fact that we are fully prepared when they come.

  Worldsend Garrison is not ready to give up at this advantage.

  ***

  Your Majesty,

  After long moments of pondering the question, I decided to share with you another conceivable explanation. It is, however, so dark that I didn’t dare to discuss it with anyone here at the fort. But I must write about it, so that if I must fall in the line of duty, this scaring possibility would not be overlooked.

  I remember very well the night when Colonel Sigalvo died. And I can’t forget the feeling I had that their hideous master, the articulated horror looming over the rocks, was basking in his success.

  Since then, I am intimately convinced that their attacks are more organized than we suppose. I can’t shake away the idea that, on this sad night, the late Commander had been their target.

  Giving to our enemy the faculty to orchestrate such stratagem makes me especially wary of their every move. And I’ve been considering many times that the gift of Knowing might be a dangerous one.

  If we can tap in their mind to see their plans, how can we be sure that they are not able to do the same with us? Are we opening a door that works in both directions?

  This idea of them reading our thoughts has frightening implications. One of them is that Zoly might not have gotten crazy, not in the way we commonly understand madness. I am afraid the invader managed to take control of his will, and made him commit the horrors we discovered.

  ***

  On a totally different matter, I feel obliged to inform that in the last weeks Sergeant Sushi and Lieutenant Monroe seem less cheerful than they used to be, the later one being downright gloomy.

  They wouldn’t talk about it, saying that there’s nothing wrong, but the change of mood after their brilliant success with the Elixirs is evident. I am aware they believed they would be able to go back to their house in Otezalp, and I guess the realization that this would never happen has been tough for them.

  We can only hope their melancholy is temporary and due to the fact that they now
feel purposeless in Worldsend Garrison. Idleness is not good for a soldier.

  Respectfully and dutifully yours,

  Colonel Montoya

  Letter 10

  To Empress Theodora,

  This is a relief for me to see the worries raised by the strange events that occurred last month are shared by the Imperial Palace. It has been a dark reminder that the threat is always present and we shouldn’t lower our guard despite our critical victories of the past weeks. We shall not forget the importance of our mission in Worldsend Garrison and risk the fate of the entire Empire because of an excess of confidence.

  I am also grateful for your support considering the difficult choices I had to make. I thus confirm that:

  Until clear answers have been found, no possible explanation will be ruled out, no matter how disturbing it is.

  For the sake of the fort, information that could trigger unrest will be hidden from the soldiers and shared only among the highest-ranking officers.

  Until proven differently, the benefits of so-called Elixir B are considered greater than the potential issues it causes and its use will not be suspended.

  Would there be any significant change concerning one of those aspects, I will notify Your Majesty immediately.

  ***

  The information concerning the spread of absurd political ideas sprouting various independent mutinies in different parts of the Empire is worrisome. At times like this, we should all rally under the Imperial Banner and I simply can’t understand those who wish to destroy what has been built through centuries of hard work.

  However, the fact that imperial prisons are filling up with brave soldiers comes as exceptional news for Worldsend Garrison. As you know from our recurrent requests for more recruits, men with superb fighting spirit could be put to excellent use at the tip of the Karabia Peninsula, where the Great Ocean meets the Valkyan Sea.

  This brings us to Your Majesty’s ruling, that has been a pleasant surprise for me. I informed Lieutenant Sebastian and Lieutenant Monroe about it, and their initial shock was similar to mine. After lengthy discussions, we came to the conclusion that, once again, our Empress has taken the best possible decision for Worldsend Garrison and the safety of the Empire.

  ***

  As Your Majesty accurately observed, the existing fort does not have the capacity to house the more than one thousand soldiers the Empire plans to send to Worldsend in the next two years. Refusing this help is not an option when we know the danger is ever present, nor is it to lower our standard and accommodate this new force in tents mounted in the desert along the road.

  The extensions of Worldsend Garrison you decided are the best way to keep on ensuring the safety of the Empire for years and centuries to come.

  Following the instructions received, we have already organized the work that will have to be done.

  Under the supervision of Lieutenant Monroe, the construction of several additional buildings will take place in the course of the next year and a half. They will consist of barracks able to house the two hundred soldiers who will be sent to the fort every three months, and training facilities where our men will keep on improving their skills. There will also be a research center where studies of the Elixirs and its effects will be pursued, and an arsenal where a significant amount of ammunition and supply will be stored.

  Under the oversight of Lieutenant Sebastian, a new road will be built along the existing one, allowing for a faster and more important traffic through the desert and The Marsh, all the way to the city of Karabia.

  Under my direct supervision, stronger defenses will be set at the tip of the Karabia Peninsula. Improvements will be made on the present fort’s installations, and additional advanced posts will be implemented on the beach and in the surrounding wasteland, with the scope to repel any incursion from our enemy.

  There is no need to mention that, even during the construction, Worldsend Garrison will keep on protecting its position against any attack.

  Respectfully and dutifully yours,

  Colonel Montoya

  Letter 11

  To Empress Theodora,

  As requested, here is a status of the progress made in the modernization of Worldsend Garrison. The extension is going well, though we face minor drawbacks, and the road to Karabia—which was our priority—is soon to be finished. Concerning the improvement of our defenses, many things have been done, but this is a never-ending project.

  Here are the latest details

  The outer walls have been finished, and the protected area has been tripled since the beginning of the operation. We’ve been installing artillery on the turrets facing the beach, and guard posts have been built on all the perimeter.

  The edification of the new barracks is well advanced, with more than half of them being fully functional and already in use.

  The cantonments within the old fort have been transformed in furnished quarters, big enough to host more people than the entire Imperial Army counts of high-ranking officers.

  The former officer’s quarters will be turned into a research center, where technological and medical experiments will be undertaken.

  The ancient fortifications have been strengthened with those modern materials we are now using, making it a safe stronghold inside the greater Worldsend Garrison.

  Six outposts have been built directly on the beach, each of them being furnished with chain guns, rifles and ammunition.

  The road through the desert is now finished, consisting of two asphalted lanes. Some reinforcements must be made in The Marsh to compensate the muddy terrain, but by the end of the month it should be fully operative. Only the connection to Karabia’s network remains pending.

  Your Majesty can rest assured that the work will be carried out in a timely manner.

  Respectfully and dutifully yours,

  Colonel Montoya

  Letter 12

  To Empress Theodora,

  This last month witnessed numerous events of importance, bringing alternatively satisfaction, awe, shock and grief. I must start this missive by reporting a phenomenon that is significative, even though I am not able to draw any conclusion out of it.

  The activity of the alien invader has been increasingly high, reaching an intensity never met before. Only some years ago, we would have been wiped out by such attacks.

  Their offensives have always been spaced out. On a few occasions they consisted of two waves, but they were invariably followed by a period of tranquility during which the troops could rest and gather forces. This is not the case anymore.

  The frequency of the raids has skyrocketed dramatically, as we even had a night when we face two nocturnal assaults and another one at daybreak. The result is that forecast proves incredibly complicated, as our Knowing Corp is now submerged by visions and nightmares indicating different times and locations, making it hard to sort out exactly when and where the strikes will take place.

  Luckily, our wide lane of defense allows us to be ready in an instant and, thanks to the spike in the fort’s population, we can have men on duty whenever there is a suspicion of invasion.

  However, my biggest worry doesn’t come from the increased number of attacks. Their scale is unheard of. I am not anymore on the frontline for every enemy operation and can’t confirm the data received with absolute confidence, but I personally saw last week an army of more than a thousand of those horrid creatures advancing on the beach. Sergeant Karim classified it as a middle range offensive, which seems plausible when I look at the ammunition spent.

  This means some of their attacks have been led by more than two, or maybe even three thousand minions.

  I perfectly remember the first fight I was involved in, after arriving to Worldsend Garrison. I didn’t know what it was all about, and when I saw those creatures coming towards us, I was scared to death. On that day, we lost two men, but managed to kill all of the abominations. All twenty-four of them.

  The increased ferocity of our enemy has been nevertheless a goo
d validation of the work done here. All their offensives have been repelled, the monsters wiped out, and none of our soldiers perished in those battles. Even if it is still under construction, the fort is holding well and proving to be an adequate line of defense against the invaders.

  This is, however, the only positive aspect.

  Those were the good news.

  ***

  Death stroke hard in the heart of Worldsend Garrison, in all sorts of manners and in a shocking succession of troublesome events that I must report.

  An accident happened during the installation of a cannon on the Southwestern wall. According to the tales of the soldiers operating there, they were lowering it with the crane when a gust of wind made it turn uncontrollably. All workers had to step away, not to be hurt by the eight hundred pounds of metal spinning wildly.

  Why this cannon was loaded while transported is under investigation, even if I doubt this matter will ever be clarified. Military discipline is strict, but a job site remains a place where, unfortunately, things are sometimes done without the mandatory care and attention.

  The cannonball fell and started to roll towards the stairs. The soldiers watched it reach the first step. They could have stopped it while its speed was manageable, but the fear of being hit by the piece of artillery turning uncontrollably prevented them to do so. It could have been keeping its course down the stairways and the consequences would have been less tragic. However, an unhappy twist of destiny made it bounce somewhere. The twenty pounds of lead found its way through a window located some ten cubits above the inner court.