A new chapter - Meanwhile, across the oceans...
Cont. from Part Seven or Story Start/Part One if your just joining
Valar had finally completed his battle training and despite his best effort he had come a close second in the final trials…he was now a fully fledged soldier, but missed out on squad leader.
He was part of the Arkassor army and like many his age, it had been his dream and honor to one day join and fight for his country and king.
During the trails only Jakkar had bested him, mainly in combat scenarios requiring strength. The final deciding factor that he was unable to acquire enough inner strength to bond with a fire shard, the opportunity lost, his fire shard taken with the others to go to the next bunch of recruits.
The bonding was a kind of right of passage for becoming a squad sergeant, with very few fire shards left, only the first recruit to bond would get to keep it, the power boosting them for the awarded rank of squad sergeant.
This was not always the way, but the war had not been going well. Cut off from the traders in the North, their supply of fire shard crystals had nearly run dry, the squads were getting smaller and smaller in size and so to the number of eligible fighters depleted.
To celebrate the completion of trials, all new soldiers were invited to a final feast before shipping out the next day. Tables were spread out and soldiers were provided a farewell dinner with generous portions of food, fruit, bread and wine. Soldiers and their families gathered, celebrated and some even wept.
He was not feeling particularly up for socializing, his family like many others were all dead, already taken by the war. So he ate, drank and discretely made his way through the back streets to head to the recruit barracks, this would be the last time.
On his way, he passed the local village store where he spotted Jakkar across the street. Jakkar was standing chatting to the local village woman, as per usual… he was tall, handsome and strong and now he showed off his newly acquired fire magic skills summoning the spark of a fire ball, only to allow it to dissipate with a quick hiss. The women smiled and giggling whispering to each other and giving him their attention.
Valar felt ill, he would take another way back to the barracks where he could gloat and contemplate the coming battles. After a long walk around the outside of the village, he arriving back at the barracks and sat down on his bunk. What to do now?... he went to work polishing his Armour, removing his fine Shield from its stand.
Tomorrow they would take a ship to the isle of Chard, where he would re-enforce the last remaining stronghold of Arkassor. He wondered how long he would live. There had been no word back from the last group to leave, so like many he assumed repealing the ongoing siege was not going well.
Armour polished he took to sharpening his sword, thoughts drifting to the coming morrow.
Why had this unknown army from the North come? Who was this foreign Fire King ?.... He wondered if in the end his King would take to knee and lick boot, the mighty Arkassor army a dog, defeated at last.
He dismissed the thoughts...not on his watch! While he drew breath he would fight and beat back these invaders and avenge his farther and brother, having already lost their lives in the war.
He was only young when he last visited the outer city islands, since then it had been a trickle of stories over the years, stories of an unknown force from the North, invading and destroying.
Occasionally wounded would return and tell tales of unparalleled levels of fire magic... spells not previously seen, spells capable of sinking ships and destroying entire squads in an instant.
One thing for sure, he was proud to be a soldier and he would not give in without a fight.
His armor prepared, he felt great pride to see it cleaned and ready, it was the best fighting equipment for the best army in the world and he would die wearing it. His sword sharp, his shield polished like new, in the morning he would begin the journey across the ocean with his friends, he would take his orders from Jakkar from here on in, together they would claim victory for their King.