Crispin finished touring the entire fort and was now having a meal when Jordan asked him to take a couple of newer members into the furnace.

"They have only been here and the surface," Jordan explained, "Quill has been in charge of training them but their necromancy has not been properly field tested."

"I didn't see Quill here, in fact ... or any of the rest of the eleven.." Crispin noted.

"Quill took out the mage team for a scouting mission. I left most of my strike team drinking and whoring on the surface world. Chaos was supposed to be here but as usual he wandered off. I wouldn't be surprised if you ran into him."

"Alright, I don't mind taking them for a quick spin after lunch," Crispin said, "They are only apprentices so they can only summon one servant each right?"

"Yes, that is why I am restricting them to missions with mentorship."

Crispin indicated that he understood and would meet him on the training grounds.

***

A while later Crispin went into the vast training ground which was in the middle of the enormous keep. Two all black courses with a splash of brown on their flanks were waiting for him wearing all black robes.

Jordan was nearby and so they were very tense.

"At ease," Jordan commanded, "You will be reporting to Crispin here, he will escort you for a quick run through the cauldron. You're to pick up any metal or other valuables you find and hand them in to the treasury. Is that understood?"

"Yes General!" they chorused.

"Very well, go forth and conquer."

***

Maleck was a very steady and quiet courser, so it was up to Jonas and Crispin to carry the conversation. He was simply grateful to be entrusted with an important task at last instead of intensive study and grunt work using their skeletons as a beast of burden.

Their first challenge turned out to be a long bridge that was over a large lava pool. The bridge did not look safe but this was the only way forward.

"Let's de-summon the skeletons," Jonas suggested.

Maleck nodded and returned his skeleton Scout to the astral plane where they resided when not in use.

"Follow my lead," Crispin instructed and he galloped off, crossing the bridge in leaps and bounds.

After a brief prayer for safety to the Wolf who always watched, Maleck followed closely behind him with Jonas bringing up the rear.