JMJ

  I never thought about how much the Order let me walk around until our road trip. It’s only been two days and I’m starting to feel the pressure of being stuck inside creeping back. At one point, I found myself praying for more large debris to block our path just so I had an excuse to stretch my legs. Of course, I shouldn’t have expected a prayer to be answered without a trial to follow close behind.

  This time, it’s a border crossing under lockdown by the Volksreich Army. From what we’ve gathered, a group from a neighboring village was ambushed a few nights ago. Our lead witness, a Sergeant by the name of Jax, only found the aftermath of the scene with the rest of his troop. “Only a trained group could have carried out such an attack,” the shark told us, which explains why there’s such an air of distrust between soldiers and civvies. An air of distrust not helped by his Lieutenant’s hasty lockdown and regular drills.

  Not that I can blame Lieutenant Gyre; he’s in charge of keeping a group safe, and even without his men telling me, it’s clear he’s new at it. Blameless, however, doesn’t change the fact that his people are suffering for his decisions, but it looks like he can read the writing on the wall. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have given us his medallion to investigate the issue.

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  Revna and Remington have a point, though. Even though I had to shoo Revna (with everybody else) to save the Lieutenant’s dignity, she raised a good concern about his higher-ups not sending in help. And Remington, as drunk as he was, was right to point out how convenient the attack was to have military and civilian witnesses to the aftermath that late at night. If these two bits were more than a coincidence, and my head’s not just swimming, then this bodes doubly ill for the soldiers here. Jax himself seemed a little too cheerful for someone who just recently bore witness to a “massacre.” Meanwhile, his colleagues, who hadn’t even seen it themselves, were still down, and even shuddered at it.

  Just what is going on in the North...

  Lord Jesus, thank You for giving me another chance to help others. Thank You for giving me the grace to fraternize with my fellow soldiers and light up their nights. Thank You for giving me compatriots to fill in holes I would have missed myself. And thank You for a peaceful trip these past few days.

  Please give me sobriety for tomorrow’s investigation. Have mercy on the souls of the victims of what happened that night. Please give us all the peace of mind to judge the perpetrators fairly if the time comes. And please forgive me for entertaining these dark thoughts.

  St. Michael, look after the militia here and cast out the evil spirits who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls.

  Blessed Joseph, St. Christopher, continue to look after The Order.

  I ask this through Christ our Lord, Amen.