It was an officer of the watch who assessed me when I sought to be a warrior, summoning me to an assessment chamber. Grizzled old Ikophas was still a bear of a man, his arms easily twice the size of mine. I stood naked in the center of a chalk circle, barely an adult at the age of eighteen, as he prowled around me. My eyes were locked on a mural depicted Mytea's sigil, to turn my head meant disqualification, and so I could only feel Ikophas' breath on the back of my neck, his penetrating gaze.
Ikophas strode into sight, his menacing presence visible in the corner of my eye. The sanguine tunic he wore, the colour of dried blood, was striking, drawing the gaze. My eyes dipped to focus on the sigil sewn onto his tunic, identical to the one behind him, and I had to resist the urge to swallow as Ikophas stood in front of me.
"I can see potential in you lad." I dared to glance at his face, saw his slight smile. "What does your father do?"
"He is a farmer sire. Our family has supplied Mytea with vegetables for several generations."
Ikophas nodded as his gaze dropped to my arms, pausing there for a second, before he turned away, crossing to a cupboard in the corner of the room. He retrieved a bright red tunic from within it and tossed it to me.
"Put this on recruit. And then get to the training field."
I'm elated as I let the tunic cover my body, twisting as I put my arms through its sleeves. Ikophas had opened the assessment chamber's door, letting the warm morning air inside, and I scooped my old tunic from where I'd discarded it as I passed. It was just a short walk to the training field but my head was held high, my back straight with pride.
Under the stern gaze of an officer a squad of warriors were practicing their shield-wall formation, at his shout stepping forward and thrusting their swords at imaginary opponents. As one they take a pace back, reforming the shield-wall with a clash of metal, and I watched the officer pace around the line.
"Sloppy! If this were real half of you would've been put down."
The trainee warriors seemed to slump, chastened, and I skirted round them as the officer begins shoving them into a corrected formation. I continued walking, head on a swivel, until a loud shout cut through the general background noise.
"Newbie! Fall into your unit!"
I glanced in the direction the shout came from, a senior officer whose tunic sported numerous rank insignia glaring back. Under his flinty gaze I hurried towards the squad he was pointing at, taking a shield and sword from the nearby rack. My sergeant looked only a little older than me, the faint shadow of a beard adorning his chin, but there were little things that gave away his true age. His eyes were haunted, as I imagine mine are now, and his movements fluid in a way no new warrior's was. My squadmates were all also a year or so older than me, a pair already bore healed scars, and I felt my cheeks burn with embarrassment as I staggered upon hefting my shield.
Our squad sergeant was from an old family, full of pride at practicing the trade of his fathers, and I think I wasn't alone in hating him. Under his gaze we remained on the training field until after dark, seeing only thanks to the lanterns spread throughout. I sagged when he finally called a halt, shield bouncing after it slipped from my grasp.
"Pick it up! You take care of your gear!" I tried to keep irritation from my face as Samedo strode over, wincing as my muscles protested when I bent over. "Gods above! Who approved you?"
"Sire Ikophas." The sergeant scoffed, I could just see him spreading his arms. "You think differently sir?"
"Ikophas is of the old ways. I suppose the bastard has his moments though." Samedo stood over me as I clutched for my shield, face stern. I'll swear I caught a flicker of a smile as I finally straightened but the sergeant was turning, surveying the rest of the squad. "Return your gear to the racks and then head to your cots!"
We all wearily crossed the training field, placing our heavy shields and swords upon the racks before turning towards the long building that was the barracks. The only available cots were nearest the entrance, not exactly surprising, and I fell onto one, almost instantly asleep.
---
It seemed like no time had passed before sergeants were walking the length of the barracks, stridently calling us from slumber. I staggered back onto the training field, I think everyone in the squad was yawning, and the entire cohort assembled into rows. Samedo and the other sergeants stood before us, it felt like they were staring into our very souls, and then the ranking officer stepped forward.
"Training is done not just behind high walls and safety but also in the wilderness. Your sergeants will draw to see who is lucky." I think I could see his gaze drift over towards me. "Newly inducted trainees, those of you here less than six months, will be reassigned."
I watched Samedo stick a hand into the pot held out, watched him reveal the black pebble he'd picked. I would have been exempt from joining him even if he had grabbed a white pebble but my heart still dropped, feeling sorry for my squadmates. Samedo pushed us hard that day, taking note of every little thing we did, and I knew it was anger that drove him.
We trained under Samedo's harsh pace for the next few months, taking advantage of the lessened number of people using the training field. I had bulked up during that time, my shield no longer trembled and the leather grip of my sword had callused the skin of my hands. For a second time during this period Samedo had failed to pick a white pebble, he took that better, but as the barracks filled up, as squads returned, a change came over him.
Again, just a day after my sixth month of training, the cohort stood in rows, the sergeants in their own line. A broad grin split Samedo's face as he beheld the white pebble in his palm, I think the first time he'd properly and openly smiled in my presence. The rest of the day was spent preparing for the excursion, Samedo selected an old watchtower south of Mytea for our base, and then in the early dawn light we marched.
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