Chapter 3: Virgin Journey

Wymar was located in the fourth unit, the second last unit that would travel through the Voidgate ahead. They rode slowly, our speed limited by the heavy carriages they protected. A point they stressed in training - the carriages were more important than our lives, failure to guard them leads to death in the World Beyond. Losing too many of them would mean starvation, a death no one wants - for it was the slow death.

One without glory, one impossible to fight against, a situation where your destiny was sealed. They had even done the math, he remembered. A loss of a 100 men was generally considered acceptable in order to save a singular carriage. One hundred men.

Sparing a glance at his squadron, Wymar saw their sharp looks, their weapons held ready to engage instantaneously. Sighing with relief, Wymar admitted, he was nervous. Only the insane would not feel fear at the prospect of entering a Voidgate - no one knew where one would arrive, the location where a Voidgate leads is different every time. This property created a deadly situation, various units around the world had incurred devastating casualties the moment they stepped past the Voidgate.

Wymar, recalled a famous incident, the memory stirred by the formation around him, travel formation A-2 was the only way to maximize survival chances upon entrance of a gate. The tactic was widely adopted after the disaster that struck when the main force of the Order of Faith were deployed in the old standard; the carriages and those important were put at the back. Where presumably they would be save from any hostile lifeforms present upon arrival, both due to arriving last and the units in between them and the potential source of danger.

However, the incident with the Order of Faith, one of the multitudes of Orders that popped up after the rise of the Voidgates and their function became known, was famous for the amount of casualties. Upon arrival the Order found themselves on a frozen lake.

The combined weight of all the carriages located in the same area, cracked the ice as both the carriages and the important personnel plunged into the icy depths below. Disaster struck and the swornswords of the Order - they were powerless against it. There were no enemies to fight. All they could do was look on as all their food disappeared.

The commonly accepted and logical strategy of placing the larger portion of valuable assets at the back led to a 98 % death-rate, as they starved and froze to death in the icy climate, the survivors having retorted to cannibalism to survive.

It was widely discussed amongst those who make the Journey, as the travel through the Voidgate would be called. That there was a possibility of walking directly into your death. They did not know if it was possible to arrive above an open volcano or above the sea - at the edge of the cliff. There were multiple possible scenarios, each equally deadly, each equally feared. Various Chivalric Orders and military battalions had been lost the Void - they never returned. Whether that was from an unfortunate landing or if they found their equal amongst the hostile lifeforms present, no one knew, certainly not Wymar.

Shaking, Wymar, shook his head, clearing it from the bad thoughts. It would not do him good to entertain these thoughts as he was about to make the virgin Journey. His men needed him. His Legion needed him sharp.

"Lieutenant Wymar, sir. You think we will be alright?" someone asked behind him, voice muffled through their visor overshadowed by the deafening sound of two horns blowing twice.

Turning around to see who spoke, he saw Corporal Guibe facing him. With the five other men under his command leaning towards his general direction, pretending to appear as if they were not listening to the conversation as they obviously were eavesdropping. Equally interested in the reply.

"Look around, Corporal, 15,000 armored and deadly men surround us, marching in tandem with us towards the gate. We may be a newly forged Legion and aye, the fate of the Legions´ before ours are a gruesome one. However from their survivors stem priceless knowledge and advice which we have incorporated into our structure. The 4th Legion is more trained, better equipped and posses valuable knowledge that will aid us in the Voidlands. We have an additional 5,000 men to our ranks. The 4th legion is the largest host assembled."

Gripping the reins of his horse he slowed down until he was next to Corporal Guibe, punching his shoulder lightly.

"We will encounter hardship, Guibe, but we shall overcome it nonetheless."

"Aye, sir. You are right, excuse my behavior, It's all this waiting, all the uncertainly. It gets on my nerves"

Laughter bubbled up from Guibe´s left " You won't have to wait long, not that you would last long either way, I reckon, look ahead its soon our turn."

Looking at the man who spoke, Wymar noticed it was Antoine, their sole French member. Facing forward once more he saw that Antoine was right.

"Oui, you are right. The tea party is over, ladies grip your purses tightly and stay alert" Wymar ordered bringing the chitchat to a stop as they all turned towards the Voidgate.

Giving the reins a whip, he rode forwards once again to his original position, just as he heard three horns blow three times each, a series of flags rising into the air in a wave, spreading from foremost Chapter to the last.

The 3rd Chapter was entering the Voidgate, that was the message, as Wymar converted the meaning. Messages within the Legion were delivered in two methods, in accordance to protocol. On the battlefield hearing could be limited or the need for silent communication could arise, therefore the Legion maintained communication through both methods constantly.

Gazing over at Guibe, he noticed the mans hands were almost shaking.

"Deep breaths, men, settle your nerves, trust your training and trust each other. Remember our objective is primarily to establish a fortified position, later on the 1-3rd Chapter will arrange smaller expeditions to map out local terrain. The mission is to obtain information and samples of the present fauna. A safer mission than those given to the Legions before us." Wymar yelled across to his men, giving a pointed look to Guibe as he pointed at the other men with his eyes, mouthing " We have your back, brother."

"Vilhelm" he whispered to the man beside him " Take care of the squadron if I fall"

Vilhelm shook his head, " No, Wymar. None of that talk. I won't take care of the men, I guess you'll just have to take care of them instead." The man said with a weighted look.

Laughing, Wymar nodded as he heard four horns blow four times. "If the Gods permit it" he whispered looking up at the morning sky. Savoring the beautiful view - the last time he would see it in a long time. He listened to the 4th Commander yell ahead.

"I'll see you on the other side, legionaries, don't take too long to gather your small balls in order to muster the courage to walk through" The Commander addressed the Chapter, a last joke to boost morale as the man turned around and rode into the center of his personal guard after which they as one rode into the blackness that was the Voidgate.

The entire squadron was silent, the only sound Wymar could hear was that of the horses, the clanking of armor and his own deep breathes. Wymar could see his own breath - the immediate area around the Voidgate chilly, he could feel electricity around the air, his hairs standing up. Looking down at the ground, Wymar saw the former grassy fields having turned into a stony landscape, with rocks littering the group. More than once he heard a curse from around him as someones horse slipped and they had to balance themselves in order not to be dismounted.

" Keep an eye on the terrain, control your horses " he shouted to his squadron. Turning his eyes forward - he saw it. The Voidgate, a tear in the world - an abyss in the form of a gate. The surface was the blackest color he had ever seen, dotted even as it was with distant pecks of lights. Stars, he realized.

He watched another squadron ahead of him, briefly hesitate at the surface of the Voidgate, one man appearing to lightly stab the surface only to pull back and gaze at his spear tip, shocked that it was still there. Wymar saw the man shrug and enter the bottomless Voidgate, disappearing totally from his vision - the other men of the squadron following their leader behind.

It was now their turn.

Standing at the front, Wymar looked back at his men " It is now or never, gentlemen." And with that he faced the abyss, steeling himself as he felt a cold sea breeze flow from the gate.

He needed to demonstrate that he was fearless, the men could not see their leader falter and with that thought Wymar rode into nothingness, as he heard Allan quip a joke.

"It's my first time, be gentle with me won't you, gate?"