"I'll take care of her," Brendon grumbled. "I'll see if the dormitory in the south has space for her."
Ellen had to be pulled along; she was too shocked to move on her own. Was that really her trial? And had she really passed after missing nearly all the questions?
Outside, Ellen followed Brendon back down the snaking road towards some place she hoped was less stressful. "I could only answer one of his questions," she said. "Is that really okay?"
"You're going to worry yourself sick if you keep acting like this," Brendon said. "And you're not much different from all the other drifters who find their way here. That test back there... Galvin is trying to create a family tree that links all the people in the world together, but he's not going to get one, not with the way the world is now." He paused. "You shouldn't have offered to join the Fortress Brigade."
"I don't know what anyone does here," Ellen admitted. "What should I have said?"
"Keep playing dumb and let them put you somewhere safe. Or if you want to spend weeks at a time sleeping in the cold dirt with a bunch of ornery kids and probably a few monsters, keep doing what you're doing."
"That's what I've been doing for as long as I can remember," Ellen said. The difference now was that not only was this the safest dimension she'd ever visited, she also had a home to return to at the end of the day.
"You could always find a boy you like," Brendon said, "lure him back to your room and help create a future generation of Fortress Brigade members."
Ellen turned red. Was that her alternative if she couldn't join the Fortress Brigade? She hoped not.
"You haven't joined yet. You first have to prove you can handle yourself in a fight, and even then you have until they send you out on a mission to change your mind."
"I'm going to try," Ellen said. She was much more comfortable sleeping in the dirt than doing what Brendon had suggested. Plus all the knowledge her guardian and his friends had passed onto her would no doubt benefit others, especially once the decay started spreading.
"Of course," Brendon said, "you might not want to do anything that anchors you to this place. If the..."
"If what?"
Brendon shrugged. "Do what you think is best for you."
His tone made her weary, but Ellen didn't say anything. He was probably thinking about the dark patch in the sky, or the monster that had made it to the wall. Both were things she'd promised not to speak about.
She followed him across the courtyard then down a twisting, bending road surrounded by more homes than she could ever hope to count in one pass. Brendon was right about what he said earlier: she'd never find her way around without help.
He brought her to a two-story building made of dark gray stone. It was the largest building she'd seen so far. Big windows too dark to see into lined the walls.
The inside was dim. The walls were stone and the floors wooden. A dozen hallways all lined with doors branched out from the main lobby. There were people roaming those hallways, but before she could get a good look at them Brendon shoved her up against the front desk.
"I need a room," he told the old woman behind the desk, "for Ellen here."
The woman looked her over. She didn't ask any questions, but her gaze pierced so deep Ellen started feeling flustered.
The woman looked down and started shuffling through the papers on her desk. "I don't believe we have any spare rooms here. She might have to share."
"She's practically a feral child," Brendon said. "Some company might do her good."
"Oh dear, she's feral? Does she bite or scratch? Does she know how to use the bathroom?"
A small surge of anger coursed through Ellen's veins. She might not be familiar with life inside the fortress, but she wasn't that helpless. "I do!" she blurted out.
"Well that's a relief." The woman retrieved a dingy silver key from a drawer on her right and handed it to Ellen. "Room A1, second floor, very back of the southern hallway. Your roommate is a girl named Ludendi. I believe she's about your age."
"I'll make sure she gets there," Brendon said.
The stairs were in the back of the lobby. Ellen hurried up to the second floor. Her knees were already trembling. Her days of borrowing dirty old rooms from abandoned buildings and sleeping in ruined hovels were over. She didn't blame her guardian for dragging her to those places, the wilderness was not generous with its lodgings, but she didn't miss them one bit.
She waited for Brendon to catch up then followed him down a long hallway lined with doors, one of several on the second floor, and to a room with a white A1 painted on its door. "What is this place?" she asked.
Brendon pounded on the door twice then waited. "It's a dormitory. I'm sure it has a name, but you'll have to ask someone who lives here. We used to give everyone a patch of land to live on when they first came here, but we ran out of space a long time ago and had to start sticking everyone in these boxes." He pointed to the keyhole below the doorknob. "It looks like your roommate isn't here."
Ellen unlocked the door and peered inside her room. It had a big bed with a wooden frame and clean blankets, a window overlooking a row of small homes, a plain brown chest, a small desk with two chairs, and a candleholder with several spare candles close by.
She smiled. The room wasn't much, but it was hers. And her roommate's as well, wherever she might be.
"Well, I hope you like it here." Brendon stood idle for a moment, then put his back to her and walked away.
"Where are you going?" Ellen asked. She'd only seen a tiny fraction of the fortress. Brendon was her guide, or so she'd thought.
"This is when the Fortress Brigade usually meets. Somebody will stop by soon and show you the way there." Brendon paused near the stairs and glanced back at her. "I'm not your escort, I'm the leader of the Galvin's Special Forces. Today was an exception." He moved down a step. "I'm sure you'll see me around," he said almost warmly, as if he felt bad for leaving her.
Ellen couldn't help but feel a little sad when he disappeared down the stairs, but she didn't have time to dwell on it.
"Where's Ellen!" a high pitched voice shouted from the floor below. "I know she's in here!"
A chubby man with a clean shaven face leapt up the stairs. He was wearing a plain white uniform.
"I bet that's her," he said, glancing at Ellen, a wide smile on his pudgy face.
Ellen held her ground as the man approached. He charged at her with the ferocity of a large monster. If he didn't look so pleased to see her, she would've turned and fled.
"So you're the newest member of the Fortress Brigade," he said eagerly. "This is either going to be the best decision of your life, or the worst!"
He clamped one hand down on the collar of her tunic and started dragging her away. He was too strong to resist. She had no choice but to follow.
Chapter 4
Ellen did get a tour of the fortress, at least part of it. The cubby man, who'd introduced himself as Kilroy, dragged her backwards out of her dormitory by her tunic collar, across the courtyard and down a winding stone road that led towards the fortress's outer wall.
"Don't be embarrassed," Kilroy said along the way. "Everyone is staring, but with me here they'll know you're a part of the Fortress Brigade. It's a very commendable position and there's no need to be ashamed!"
Everyone they passed by did stare. Ellen caught a glimpse of their gazes during the brief moment she dared to lift her head. They were embarrassed for her, she had no doubt about it.
Kilroy dragged her inside a training hall then finally released her. The main room had space to fit to hundreds, but only three others were present: two boys and one girl.
Seeing others near her own age gave Ellen a hint of relief, but she had no time to worry about them.
"Line up!" Kilroy shouted, his warm tone gone without a trace. "Look straight ahead and don't speak unless I tell you to!"
The others formed a line. Ellen quickly joined them. She stood on the right end.
Kilroy positioned himself before the group.
"This is the start of your assessment period. This is a two-way assessment, in case you're curious. I'm here to make sure you four are both able and willing to perform your jobs, and you're here to decide if the Fortress Brigade is something you truly want to be a part of!"
Ellen relaxed a little. This assessment likely wouldn't be an issue; it could never compare to all the miserable encounters the dimensions she had traveled through in the past had thrown at her. Her biggest concern was trying to put herself on good terms with those around her. Despite the friendly faces she saw everywhere, she was still utterly alone in this fortress. She'd gladly commune with those friendly faces if the chance came, but it was too early to know if they felt the same about her.
"Now let me make sure I have your names right," Kilroy said. He started with the boy on the left end of the line. "Barry," he said. "Am I right?"
Ellen couldn't help but lean forward and glance at her new companion. Barry was chubby but well built, his hair short and brown. He wore plain black slacks and a black shirt, and he carried a dingy gray shield in one hand and a sword that looked like two smaller swords melted together in the other.
The two others beside her were watching Barry as well. They didn't seem to know anything about him, nor each other.
"Ready to be assessed," Barry said anxiously.
"You won't be saying that once you see what I'm keeping locked in my dungeon," Kilroy said with a smirk. He took a step back and raised his fists. "Now let's see what you can do! No special tricks, just take your weapon and try to hit me."
Barry spent a moment looking surprised. So did Ellen, and the boy and the girl beside her. Kilroy must have a great deal of confidence in himself if he wasn't afraid of them swinging at weapons at him.
"Well, if you say so!" Barry raised his sword and charged forward.
He swung fast, but Kilroy dodged each of his attacks with ease. Ellen watched him in awe. He moved far faster than anyone his size had a right to move. At the same time, each of Barry's swings came slower than the last. He was out of breath after just a minute.
"A good try," Kilroy said kindly. "You have some strength behind your attacks, but I can tell you've been neglecting your stamina. Monsters don't tire out. They'll see you slowing down, and then they'll-"
He stepped forward and swung his gut sideways into Barry. The impact knocked Barry off his feet. He landed on his back and lay sprawled out on the ground.
"Something like that, but with a weapon."
"Point taken," Barry said, panting. "I'll... I'll work on that in the future."
"Now who's next," Kilroy said. "Is it Trevor?"
Ellen glanced at the other boy in the group. Trevor was very fresh faced. He had light orange hair that hung down to his shoulders and a slim frame. She might've mistaken him for a girl if he hadn't been wearing a leather uniform made for men.
"R-ready!" Trevor said nervously. His voice sounded meek and uninterested, but the rest of him seemed determined.
Kilroy took a step back, raised his fists and beckoned him over. "Let's see what you can do! Remember, no special tricks. You might not like this kind of combat, but if you're ever fighting a monster up close, and you will be, you'll be glad you practiced."
Trevor wielded a poleaxe taller than himself. The silver blade looked so clean Ellen doubted it had ever been near a monster.
Trevor approached Kilroy cautiously and started swinging. His attacks were fast an accurate and covered a wide range, but Kilroy danced around them with ease, smiling the whole time. After avoiding a dozen attacks without taking so much as a scratch, he darted forward, running as nimbly as he dodged, and tackled Trevor, who looked horrified as Kilroy's full weight came crashing down on him.
The impact made Ellen wince. Trevor didn't look that durable to begin with. Having Kilroy land on him like that was bound to leave him broken or at least sprained.
"Caution can save your life," Kilroy said, "but holding back too much will give your opponents the perfect opportunity to strike back."
"P-point," Trevor coughed out, "t-taken."
Her companions' performance so far made Ellen nervous. She hoped the dimension was safe, because they weren't going to last long if it wasn't
Kilroy stood up and beckoned to the girl beside Ellen. "Ludendi, right? Let's see what those kitchen knives of yours can do!"
Ellen swallowed her gasp. Ludendi was her roommate, even though she might not know it right now. It was hard to believe they were both trying to join the Fortress Brigade at the same time.
It was also hard to believe they both used knives. Ludendi's knives were smaller, but she had two of them hanging from her belt. They weren't kitchen knives at all. Kilroy was likely trying to get under her skin, which worked, because Ludendi was already fuming.
"They're not kitchen knives!" she snapped. She drew her knives and darted forward, her long, black ponytail streaming behind her. "They're precious to me. Don't make fun of them!"
"They might give your dinner a hard time," Kilroy said with a chuckle, "but will they save you when a horde of monsters is chasing you down?"
Ludendi swiped at him with both her knives, alternating between hands. Each attack was backed with anger, but Kilroy had no trouble avoiding everything she threw at him. He even stopped once to yawn, which made Ludendi even madder.
Her display ended when she lunged forward and ended up caught in Kilroy's grasp. He lifted her into the air, flipped her over then dropped her down onto her back.
He threw her gently, but the hard wooden floor wasn't nearly as considerate. Ellen quivered when Ludendi hit the ground.
"Anger can help you pull ahead in a pinch," Kilroy said, "but it might also cause you to charge into something you'll quickly regret."
"T-thanks for the advice," Ludendi said, her voice strained.
Kilroy looked to Ellen and smiled. "It's your turn, Ellen."
Ellen stepped forward cautiously. Kilroy might be fast, but she'd been using the same knife since she was old enough to hold a weapon. What would happen if she injured him? She wouldn't be welcome in the fortress any longer, that was for sure.
"Scared?" Kilroy asked, smirking.
"I'm worried I might hit you," Ellen admitted.
Kilroy chuckled. "It wouldn't be the first time. If you can aim away from my neck and heart, I'd really appreciate it. And my face, too. I need to look my best when the next group of recruits shows up."
Ellen took out her knife and prepared to move on Kilroy, but the surprised gasps made her balk.
"Wow, what is that thing?" Ludendi asked.
"That's the strangest sword I've ever seen," Trevor said.
"It looks more like a knife to me," Barry said. "A large knife, but it's definitely strange!"
Even Kilroy was fixated on her knife. Ellen felt very uncomfortable. She was not with her guardian anymore. It had not occurred to her that her knife would raise this much suspicion. She thought quite a bit about running away.
"It's just a normal knife," Kilroy said. "Right, Ellen? A blacksmith with an imagination created it a using a rare metal we don't have in this region. Am I close?"
"Y-yeah," Ellen stammered. It was her knife's appearance they were focused on, she realized. That was good. Its appearance could be explained to some extent. Its other aspect could not, and that was fine, because that other aspect was a secret she didn't plan to share with anyone.
"This isn't show and tell," Kilroy said, sounding angry now. "This is an assessment." He beckoned Ellen over. "Show me what you can do!"
Ellen approached Kilroy and started her attack. She wasn't exactly sure what he expected from her, so rather than go all out like Ludendi, she instead took a few simple swipes at him.
Kilroy retaliated by trying to grab her, but his hands weren't quick enough or maybe she was just too small of a target.
One of Kilroy's grabs came slower than the rest. It was the perfect opportunity to cut into his arm, and Ellen took full advantage of it. But she didn't want to
hurt him. She aimed her knife a bit to one side and gave him a cut too shallow to bleed.
"I can see you've done this before," Kilroy said with a smile.
"Yeah," Ellen said cautiously.
The others were all watching her now. Seeing their curious eyes study her every movement made her anxious. Would they respect her for succeeding where they'd failed, or would they hate her for making them look bad?
She continued taking swipes at Kilroy. His grabs were very predictable, which he didn't seem to realize, not until she left a shallow cut on his other arm. It was the last time he tried to grab her.
Kilroy started dodging her attacks by moving in a circle around her. At first he only made quick leaps, but soon he was running laps around her. Fearing what he might do should he get behind her, she spun with him.
"You'd better keep your eyes on me," he taunted her. "If you fall behind, you're going to get hurt!"
She'd never been in a situation like this before. Monsters were usually very straightforward with their attacks. This was something else entirely. She also didn't particularly enjoy being spun in a circle.
Trying to keep her eyes on him disoriented her so badly there was soon multiple Kilroy's for her to follow.
One of them grabbed her from behind. Ellen gasped when the floor traded places with the ceiling. It wasn't her dizziness skewing her senses, Kilroy had lifted her into the air.
He tossed her towards the ground, but unlike Ludendi, she managed to land on her feet. She almost wished she hadn't, because her landing sent such an awful jolt of pain through her legs that he immediately collapsed onto her back.
"You're good at straightforward combat," Kilroy said, "but I can tell you haven't practiced anything advanced-"
Her legs hurt, but they weren't so strained that she couldn't stand anymore. Ellen leapt to her feet and darted forward. Kilroy seemed surprised. He probably wasn't expecting her to stand up again.
She hurled herself at his torso. She could've stuck her knife into him easily, but she wanted to stay in the fortress.
Not only was Kilroy much studier than many of the monsters she'd thrown herself at in the past, he also managed to catch her in his arms and hold her so tight she couldn't move.
Forlorn Dimension (Ellen's Friends Book 1) Page 3