44 Enlistment – Underground (1/2)
On an upward trail toward the castle, two men approach us. The man in front is holding on to a stack of papers. He asks, ”Are you lot here to join the army?”
”Yeah,” I respond.
”Have you served or graduated from the Academy before?”
”Yeah, we're Adventurers.”
The man hands me a piece of paper. ”Fill this out and hand it to Lieutenant Elinnore in front of the castle gates. She's the one with orange pigtails. When you're finished, wait on the right side.”
I take a pencil from the other man before continuing up the trail. Ruby asks, ”What's the paper fer?
I skim over it and answer, ”Looks like we have to answer a few questions about us.”
”Kai, look,” Marin says. I look up and then widen my eyes. The castle is in view in front of us. Everything seems to be at least twice the size of the Academy. The main structure and the walls surrounding it. I have seen it before from afar, but never up close. I admire the view, forgetting about what's on the piece of paper.
The people ahead are separated into two groups; one on the left side and the other on the right. Soon enough, we arrive at the front of the castle and join the group on the right side. There are many familiar faces around here. Particularly the teams we fought in the tournament. We stop next to Hina's group.
”Y'all made it,” the guy with a buckler says.
”Yeah, but what's going on here?” I ask.
”Not sure. They haven't said anything yet.”
I look toward the three in armor in front of the gates. One of the men is calling out names. Lieutenant Elinnore drops a few papers on top of the table. The last one is sitting in front of a table. He's shuffling through the papers in front of him. I glance down at the paper I'm holding. I look around and say, ”We still need to fill this out…but where do I—”
”I got ya,” the guy with a buckler says and then squats down.
”It's fine. I can do it,” Marin interrupts and crouches down. She places a hand flat on the ground. A few seconds later, a small wooden pillar rises from the dirt. I place the paper on it. I skip the irrelevant questions.
Year of Academy graduation.
3568.
Adventurer rank.
E.
Are you joining as a group?
Yes.
What are the names and roles of the members in the group?
I look at the space below, finding eight places to fill in. I knit my eyebrows. Eight blanks…so we can have eight members in a group? We have three and Hina has four…
I raise my head and ask, ”Hey, can't we combine our groups into one?”
”It's not possible,” Hina answers immediately. ”I already asked earlier. They're tryin' to split the power as evenly as possible into different groups.”
”I see,” I reply and then fill in our names and roles. Below is a block of text. ”Hey, this looks important. Ruby, Marin, come read this too.”
”'Kay!” Ruby exclaims and then stands next to me. Marin stands on the other side.
You will form a special class platoon composed of 8 individuals called the Sigma Platoon. Missing members will be filled in by new recruits or by individuals from The Reserve. Only one member can be leader and hold the military rank in-name. The rank applies to the entire platoon, and other members won't have any additional roles. Choose from the names above your leader.
I press the pencil into the paper but don't write anything.
”Kai, what're you hesitating for? Marin asks.
”Well, we should discuss—”
”There's no way I can do something like that… Ruby won't care either. Right, Ruby?”
”Yeah! Kai's our leader!” I smile and fill in my name.
”Kai?” multiple people ask around me. The familiar faces I saw earlier turn toward us.
I turn toward Ruby and then point toward the three in front of the gates. ”Ruby, take this and turn this in for us.”
”'Kay!” she exclaims and takes the paper and pencil from me. She skips the way there. ”Elinnore~ Elinnore~!”
A group of people comes toward us.
”Yo,” a girl greets. I recognize her as the dagger girl from the tournament. ”You're still alive.”
”Hey,” I greet back. I count them from left to right; all six of them are there. ”All of you are still alive.”
”Yep, our teamwork's pretty good!” she exclaims and then smiles smugly. ”You should learn from us.”
”Excuse me?” I ask.
”Hmm… Where's the rest of your group?” she asks while glancing left and right. ”Oh, that's right. They all got themselves killed like the idiot on your team!”
She laughs loudly. I grit my teeth and fists while glaring at her. Another girl puts a hand on dagger girl's shoulder and says, ”Ada, that's enough. Leave them alone.”
She's the girl we took hostage in the tournament. Ada asks, ”Aisha, you heard it too, didn't you? Everyone did.”
”Ada, your name was it? Take it back. What you said about Hiro and them,” I demand. ”I won't let you spit on their graves.”
”Or what?” She asks and then laughs. ”Are you gonna kill me like your team killed each other? That Castalia kid's better off—”
I draw my weapon and point it at her. She backs away. Chatter around us stops. Eyes around linger on us. ”Shut up, or I'll make you shut up.”
”Kai,” Marin says quietly and puts a hand on my arm. I shrug it off.
”Resorting to violence, just like them. You're working with them aren't you?”
”What the hell are you talking about?”
”Ada, stop,” a guy says. Ada pushes his arms out of her way.
”Team Aisha, come forward,” A man says loudly. ”Powell and John from the left side come forward.”
”Everyone saw it. You were trying to claim that Sitos was innocent. That he wasn't one of them. But he was. And everyone here knows it!” Ada exclaims. Two guys pull her back. ”And everyone here should know that you're a traitor! Only a traitor would defend scum like him!”
”I'm back! What's goin' on?” Ruby asks. I sheathe my sword and bite my lip.
”Nothing.”
”I'll apologize on behalf of Ada. Sorry.” Aisha says with a bow before walking away with the rest of her team. I turn away from all the prying eyes around us. The chatter around us resumes.
I lower my head and ask, ”Why the hell does Ada know about Sitos…?”
”Haven't ya heard? Everyone's talkin' 'bout Castalia and their involvement in the attack. Sitos is one of the names mentioned in the report,” the guy with a buckler informs.
Report… I glance over to Ruby. She's smiling as usual. Not knowing she's the cause of everything.
I glare at the buckler guy and ask, ”Do you believe it too? The report.”
”Stop it,” Hina says abruptly. ”It's the truth, isn't it? I heard parts of it from Luna yesterday.”
Hina gestures her head toward Ruby. Ruby tilts her head sideways and asks, ”Who's Luna?”
Hina knits her eyebrows. I answer quickly, ”Well, some stuff happened… Her name's Ruby now.”
”Yep, that's me!” Ruby exclaims.
”I see… In any case, you shouldn't be pickin' fights with everyone unless you have proof because the army does. You won't last.”
”Team Kai, come forward. Vicki and Kama from the left side come forward.”
”We're up. Let's go,” I say and walk toward the front.
”'Kay!”
”Bye, Hina,” Marin says behind me. A woman and a man from the other group are walking toward the front of the gate where the man in armor stands. We arrive shortly after them. They appear to be at least twice our age.
”Follow me,” the man instructs as he walks inside. We follow. ”I am Lieutenant Petrus. Major Gaius has decided that you five and three Soldiers from The Reserve will form Sigma 4. You will meet the other three members some time after orientation held at 4:30 PM at the Crossroads. You will find it at the center of the first floor in the Castle.”
We enter the courtyard. I widen my eyes, witnessing the grand size of the Castle. It looks more amazing up close. The trail leading into the courtyard splits off into two paths on the left and right. The path on the right appears to lead into the Castle while the left leads into a smaller building and somewhere else off to the side.
Lieutenant Petrus continues, ”For now, the three of you will help train Vicki and Kama until you receive new orders later. You will find various types of weapons placed in the barrels in the courtyard. The archery range is located behind the Castle. They never had any training, so it is up to you to help them choose a role. Kai.”
”Yes,” I respond.
”Major Gaius has granted you the rank Corporal. Ruby and Marin are granted the rank Soldier. Vicki and Kama, you two will be only granted the rank Soldier when you have completed basic training. Any questions?”
”I have one, Lieutenant Petrus,” I say.
”What is it, Corporal Kai?”
I hesitate for a moment before asking, ”When will we look for the ones responsible for the attack?”
”That is not up to me, however… I suspect that General Nero will not make any moves until the bulk of our elites return from their mission in Neomeris.”
I clench my fists and look down. He continues, ”If you manage to reach the Lieutenant rank, you may start your own investigations with upper brass permission…or reach the Captain rank and go without it.”
”Really?!”
”Yes, if you do good work, you will progress quickly. Now, carry out your task Corporal Kai.”
”Yes sir!” I answer with a salute. He smiles and then walks back. I turn toward the two new additions to our group. ”Well, you heard him. What're your names?”
”I'm Kama,” the man answers. He has short black hair, a mustache, and a small beard. He seems completely out of shape with his belly protruding outward.
”My name's Vicki,” the woman answers. She's the opposite of Kama, but not in a good way. She's on the thin side. I can't see battle ending well for either one of these two.
”Well… What kind of weapon do you want to use?”
”Hmm… I'm not sure. What kinds of weapons are there?” Kama asks.
”There are weapons like mine that favor speed and precision over pure power, weapons that are very heavy and hit hard, and weapons for combat from afar.”
”I think the bow Marin has would suit me best,” Vicki says.
”Marin can teach you the basics, right?”
”Yeah… Um… Follow me,” Marin says and then heads toward the opening on the left side of the Castle. Vicki follows her.
”Have you decided on a weapon?” I ask.
”I'm still not sure.”
I sigh and then say, ”Well, you can decide later. Come with me.”
I walk toward the barrels far in front of us. I shuffle through one of them and then pick out a long wooden sword. I hand it to Kama. He asks, ”What should I do with this?”
I lead him to an open area away from everyone else. I hold one of my swords with both hands in front of me. ”Practice this motion of swinging the sword.”
I swing the sword down from above in front of me twice. ”Now, you try it.”
He brings the blade up and then swings it down. His form is wrong. ”Like this?”
”Keep your back straight. Your shoulders are too tense. Relax them,” I instruct. I circle around him as he swings it down over and over again. I put away my sword. ”Move your left foot a little more back. Straighten out your entire arm through the motion of the swing.”
”Hows this?”
”Looking better. Just keep doing that until you can't anymore,” I instruct.
”What should I do?” she asks.