"..." The silence set between the two men. They stood tall, both of them glaring into each other's eyes. The rain began to amplify, the weather becoming enraged, a blast of lightning scarring the sky. The wind blew their cloaks through the streets as they walked; water splashing could be heard with each step. Finn's grip on his blade's hilt strengthened, and so did Krigs's on his staff.
They went through an alleyway, the rain disappearing as the rooftops of the conjoined homes put up a barrier against the elements.
A move was made by the Sergeant. He put a hand onto the shoulder of the Guardsman, lowering his head to his shoulder. His staff dropped, and the hold on Finn's hilt disappeared, the two beginning to hold each other by the shoulders.
"... HAHAHAHA!" They began to laugh, Krig's head bending backwards as he covered his face from the laughter. Finn wiped away a tear, holding onto his stomach. "Did you.. heheh.. did you see their faces? My gosh.." Krig said, as he continued to cackle, Finn nodded along, trying to regain his composure. "Sergeant, you are still as hilarious as I remember." Krig's laughter ended, his eyes glaring into Finn's. "But, don't you dare think I'd forgive such a showing of insolence, Scoundrel." Finn nodded, struggling to stay serious. "Pfft. HA! HAHAHA!" Laughter erupted again, as the two struggled to hold themselves back.
This seemed very unusual, no? But it could be easily explained. Finn and Krig were good friends, very good friends. The two had grown up together during the Imperial Academy, studied together, and fought together for many years. They were childhood friends. The pair getting mad at each other was basically impossible. When was the last time you and a best friend had gotten into a heated argument without moments after laughing at the ordeal? It was natural, normal, and by now a prank they pulled off on new squad members. If you hadn't spent years with these two, they would pull out this card eventually.
Finn and Krig calmed themselves down, composed once more, Finn coughed, ruffling out of his satchel the letter he got from the Captain. "I presume you know of this, right?" Finn asked, a nod of approval coming from the Sergeant. "Yes, I do, I was the one to propose it. Captain Rowan greatly assisted me with this, so you should thank her when you have the time." Finn's eyes widened a bit in surprise, looking back at the letter curiously. "So.. why now? Why not before?" Krig put a hand on his chin, thinking carefully before speaking. "Hmm.. well, when I told the Inquisitor of the mission's conclusion, he said that your dedication to this duty was one to be admired. To risk your life in such a way was a feat unlike any other. That's when I proposed the idea that you should receive a promotion. The Inquisitor only said he'll think about it." Finn nodded. "And I guess that's when the Captain came in to help?" Krig didn't say anything back, only nodding once in approval.
Finn smacked Krig's shoulder with his palm, a happy tone speaking from him. "But that's no reason to sulk, Sergeant. Now we'll both have our own squads. We can organize missions together! It'll be great." Finn turned his head away, facing the end of the alleyway. "Don't act like that in front of your squad anymore, it'll demotivate them. Once we clear things up with them, we'll be working together as usual." Krig was silent for a short while, letting Finn speak. He found his naivety a little inspiring, but with a sigh, he spoke his chest off. "Finn. You aren't becoming a Sergeant. The Inquisitor wrote in that letter that you will graduate. You'll no longer be a Guardsman."
That day, I cut my duty short. I went home to think about what the Sergeant had told me. It felt unreal; I was going to become part of the Imperial Army. You don't understand the kind of honor that is. In the Imperial Army, you are under the direct command of the Emperor, and you serve under the highest honor. Your fellow comrades aren't just anyone whoevers that can wield a sword. They are heroes.
The Emperor's Guard: Seven warriors capable of laying siege to entire cities just by themselves.
The Rider Corp: Over twenty squadrons, numbering two hundred men. Captain Rowan, she's serving here.
The Artist Battalion: a group of a thousand or more battlemages. They fly on large Leviathans and are some of the most well-known artists across the realm.
These are the people you will serve with. All of them incredibly powerful warriors and spellblades, with history rooted back in eras. My whole life this is where I wanted to go. Although, this was the dream of a young and inexperienced version of myself. I couldn't say this was the same ideal I held now. I've changed over the years. When I was a cadet, I talked big about becoming a King's Guard. As a Private, I always talked about how I would become part of the Imperial Army in no time. And then.. seven years later, now a Corporal..
My goal had changed. I wanted to become a leader, and I wanted to have my own squad. I wanted to become a renowned swordsman. But how was I to do that when my competition were men and women capable of feats I could only dream of? Compared to them.. I was half-baked. An incomplete set of armor and weapons that still needed time to sharpen and harden.
That day, I went home early. I needed to get ready for the graduation ceremony. Each of us guards are given a military dress that we must take care of for special events. Going out there in my battle-damaged attire wouldn't be a good look.
So that's what I did for the rest of the day. I cleaned my military dress thoroughly, took it to a fabric keeper, had it ironed out. Then, I did maintenance on my guardsman blade, sharpening it on all sides. We are given these weapons so we can learn how to take care of our belongings. You cannot go into battle with a dull blade, you need to take care of your weapon no matter what.
And finally, night came. I tried to sleep, but I couldn't. Midnight came, and I tried to sleep, but I couldn't. It was as if I had a hornet's nest in my stomach. Do not be mistaken, I have always managed to keep my composure no matter the situation. No, this was the result of the medication I was given. The healer said I'd experience a multitude of effects, and this must've been one of them. Eventually it passed, though, I could still feel something was up with me. Did I really feel.. anxious? It's safe to say that night, I barely got an hour of sleep.
Nevertheless, I got up. I put on my military dress. It was a set of silk cloth and heavy fabric akin to a gambeson. It was mostly covered by a dark tabard, and you were given to wear black leather gauntlets. A long belt that hung at the hips, made of leather and metal, with a holster for your weapon on each side. The part I liked most, and in my opinion looked the most stylish for Lokarth standards, was the cloak. It was an ordinary cloak, but it was made with a heavy cloth, one that was given an everlasting hydrophobic enchantment. It was colored dark blue, a color commonly seen here, but favored so much for how gritty it felt. It was elegant, nearly purple, but it was also dark, similar to black. The perfect mix for us of Ebonvale.
I walked outside, a brush of cold air going past my face timidly. The expected grey sky I got used to wasn't here, instead, streaks of blue covered the sky. A three-day rain break wasn't common here; it was actually abnormally rare. I could see the yellow highlights of the sun. A burning orb of fire that peeked through the clouds, rings going around its circumference. I took it as a sign of luck, perhaps this was a streak of good things coming my way. Who knows.
I was accompanied by Mutt, my loyal manticore. He was joining me for this special occasion. I had the luck to introduce him to Inquisitor Grim a year ago, the words he said, as usual, were unreasonably professional. "Take good care of the beast, Corporal. It will grow into a fine asset for your squad." With that in mind, perhaps he'll like to see it again. I took my time to train Mutt, he was used to seeing other people and animals, and he acted like a gentleman, more so than I. Though some people gave me weird looks as I walked through the city. It wasn't often you saw a large beast like this behave itself as if it were a hunting hound. I tugged on his metal chain, keeping him close to me as I walked. We reached the Emperor's Castle, a crowd of armored figures built up around the entrance as I neared it. Men and women dressed just like me, some had shiny metal pieces attached to their garments, medals. I never won a single one. Though, it didn't bother me. I spotted the Sergeant, along with Captain Rowan. I neared myself to them, and Mutt let out a loud bark alerting them both.
"Finn! Come over here, Corporal." Krig shouted. "Corporal? I don't think he is of that rank anymore." Krig gave a look over to the Captain, with a smirk clear as daylight. "Well, how about we find out at the ceremony? Let's make a bet. I say Finn will become part of your Rider Corps.20 talents of silver." The Captain nodded, showing off a gold coin. "One gold ducat, I say he enters the-" the Captain was cut off as Finn appeared at the scene.
"Captain, Sergeant. It's good to see you two." Krig nodded, smiling towards Finn. "You too, Finn. We're here to watch your graduation." Finn looked over to the Captain, his lips faltering for a moment, and then speaking. "Say, Captain. Would you like to go for a drink at the tavern after this? Unless you're busy for the rest of the day, of course." Rowan's eyes widened under her helmet, a smile appearing on her face right afterwards. "Don't get so cocky, Finn Hensman. I won't say 'no' to your request though. Sure, I'll buy drinks." Finn, obviously flustered, turned his head away, and a visible redness built up around his face. "Yes ma'am."
'Did this asshole just ignore me?' Krig thought to himself.
I handed over Mutt to the Sergeant, and entered the castle. It was a massive hall in which the ceremony would be held. Pillars of white marble, red carpets, chandeliers with candles atop. A chorus sang, a chant in a sacred tongue ringing through my ears. It felt ominous, but gracious. It felt like destiny. Perhaps this is how it felt to be important, this is the treatment you would get. It's safe to say this image was burned into my mind forever. There were rows of seats placed near a massive stage, I took one in the third row. We were numbered at least sixty, maybe just a few more. Everyone here was unknown to me, not a single face recognizable. The stage had two pillars of marble atop, next to the speakers stand. They seemed to hold braziers, unlit, but not for long. Murmurs disappeared, my ears that were muffled by sounds from all direction now hearing the echoing steps of plate boots. The braziers lit themselves up, blue flames peering through them.
An old man walked up on the podium. He was in his late fifty's, his hair long and white, slicked back on his head. His nose long, shaped like a crows beak. His skin pale, and fitted with stress lines. I felt quite jealous only for his armor. He wore dark steel plate, it covered his whole body, and a red, long cloak with black feathering at the collar would be covering it. He walked with the use of a cane, though, it seemed more like an accessory. Despite his old age, he had firmness, and the disposition of a lord. He was a nobleman, unlike any other. But his face showed us all the sign of the hard work the warriors of Ebonvale endured.
He walked up to the stand, beginning to speak.
"ATTENTION! The graduation ceremony shall now begin. I am Inquisitor Grim, the one who wrote all those important letters you received. I am sure by now you understand the importance of this day. You will no longer be just soldiers, but something more. Your reputation has preceded you, and today, your work will show it's merit. First, I'll be announcing the graduates for the Imperial Army, numbering sixty."
I was on edge. I awaited for my name to be spoken. Each time a man was brought up stage, my heart skipped a beat. But I had to compose myself. It was getting already difficult enough to not break out in a sweat, and the Inquisitor was just at the fifteenth graduate. It felt like hours, but, in reality barely ten minutes passed. He gave a short introduction for each man, giving them their props, and saying outloud their achievements. I feared I wasn't enough, and I was even more anxious as the list of names went down from fifteen, to twenty. Then to thirty. To fourty, and then finally fifty-five. The last man was announced, my name? Not heard once.
"That would be all for the Imperial Army graduates. You shall face hardships and challenges unlike anything else you've seen thus far. But be honored, for you shall serve the Emperor himself. And speaking of honor.."
The Inquisitor turned his parchment around, opening his lips once more. My ears were keen, and my eyes bloomed wide open. When I heard what he said, I was filled with excitement. You cannot understand what I felt in that momen. I was no longer anxious. I was excited.
"Today, four graduates shall be given the rank of HONOR GUARD."