I was shaken awake before the sun. They were rough about it, and whoever it was didn't care about my having been out late the night before. I'm a firm believer that due to my size sleep is more important, and I'd gotten next to none. So, that meant I was a groggy mess as Prospero addressed me.

"It's time to go, lad. There's a carriage waiting."

His voice had its usual hard, reassuring lilt. I blinked rapidly to try to clear away some of the residual fog from my vision. I might've been awake but that didn't mean I was aware of my surroundings.

"Go? Whaddya mean go?"

"The carriage is from Lobsterhead," He said. "You're off to the Legion. You've got a term to serve defending Zeus' honor. I expect it'll be an exciting one."

I didn't want to think about what made a term an 'exciting' one. I had the sneaking suspicion that excitement was synonymous with violence. I knew I'd be leaving for Lobsterhead today, I just didn't think it'd be before even the sky had brightened.

"Wait a second, they came to Alewife to get me?" I questioned. "And they're here already? At this ungodly hour? You'd think that they'd have something better to do with their time. I'm just a single person."

"Don't flatter yourself. They're here on the way back from Lille- it's convenient to get you. Nothing more."

Criticisms of the Legion's time management aside, I got out of my cramped wooden bed and threw on clothes to travel in. Packing was a thankfully brief process, mostly because I didn't have much to begin with, and I was ready to leave soon after. Prospero came with me out of the servant's quarters and toward the main road that connected Alewife to Lille.

There was a chill in the air. The walk was unnervingly quiet. The people of the compound were all asleep, so, the normally prevalent sound of men at work was absent. All I could hear was the crash of waves in the distance and my breath. It felt like the unearthly calm before a storm hit. Prospero walked stride-by-stride with me toward the gate where they waited, which was impressive due to the difference in our heights, and it was him that eventually broke the silence.

"You're welcome to share my table anytime, Ghul. It's no matter where you end up after the Legion. I'll gladly break bread with you."

He extended his hand upwards. I didn't understand the significance of his words, didn't know what this odd ritual meant. I reached down and shook it and nodded at him.

"I'll try to take you up on that," I said halfheartedly. He gave me a half-smile and nodded in return. I didn't know how he viewed me. Was it as the broken boy who'd nearly gotten squashed? A promising enlistee? Or, maybe, it was something else entirely. I knew what I saw him as. He was strong. The both of us stood there for a second.

"We should go. I don't want to keep Delta waiting, Zeus save us if he gets in a mood."

His words didn't make sense to me at first, but, as we began walking and the gate to the compound became visible it all clicked. Leaning up against the pillar demarcating the entrance was my peculiar teacher, Delta. He was staring off into space with a blade of grass between his teeth, flicking it back and forth absentmindedly. It was the first time I'd ever seen the man relaxed.

He spat out the grass and left his spot on the wall, turning to face the two of us. I was surprised that he'd come to see me off at all. Delta hadn't struck me as the sentimental sort.

"Ghul, I'd like to have some words with you before you go. Would you happen to have a minute to spare?" Delta asked. "The carriage will wait, I assure you."

"Sure, Delta." I assented. I got the impression that this wasn't as optional as he was making it sound. In all of my experiences with him, Delta had never been one to ask for permission to do something.

"Great."

He grinned. It was all teeth. He looked at Prospero and made a little waving notion with his hand, sending the other man away. Prospero rolled his eyes in annoyance but left anyway. Once we were alone, Delta put his hand on my shoulder. It was oddly reassuring.

"You're going to excel at Lobsterhead. There's no doubt in my mind of that," Delta began. "but, you need to ensure that you don't excel too much too quickly. Most enlistees your age will have no abilities, never mind any traits. You will become something remarkable in time. Certain irregularities in your [Status] make you an easy target for groups that look to exploit promising young talents. Keep them hidden, lest you become a feast for vultures."

It was easy to forget that Delta had no idea how old I actually was. I'd gotten my System early, so I was even further ahead than he was describing. His warning was vague, most of his wisdom usually was, but he'd never led me wrong in the past.

"No one can know about [Windslash] or [Inflame], both of which are errant developments of [Empower]."

"Some spend years without the System granting them an evolution, or an ability. For your safety, [Empower] is all you should readily display. The other two can just be tricks up your sleeve."

This coming immediately after spending time getting used to using [Windslash] in combat was more than a little frustrating. I understood his reasoning, even if I didn't quite know who these mysterious figures were trying to take advantage of me. As for [Inflame], I still wasn't sure what the ability was. I had no idea how to use it.

"Lastly, make sure you make it out of your enlistment alive. Calliope is counting on you. If you need help at the fort, find the gravekeeper."

"Find the gravekeeper?"

Delta smiled. "He's an old friend of mine."

He had nothing else to tell me so he sent me on my way. Delta had some connection to Calliope, he'd all but confirmed it. I didn't know what the nature of it was except that he was invested in her continued well-being. I didn't see why he couldn't just serve as her protector. He'd proven over the past few weeks he was far more capable than I was. Why'd it have to be me?

The carriage I was supposed to ride in was unremarkable and empty except for the driver on top. What was remarkable, however, was that it was led by four oversized and horned goats. Each was large enough for a man to ride on and had horns that extended straight like blades. They were so far removed from the common barnyard animal it was comical. The System's influence on their forms was obvious; they were tamed Horrors.

I didn't question it. I simply climbed into the carriage cabin, stretched my legs out, and resumed my interrupted sleep.

* * *

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

It didn't stay empty for long. I very quickly acquired a group of traveling companions, which meant I spent most of my time staring out of a narrow window within the door, and not sleeping. I'm glad I did because as we approached it meant I got the first glimpse of my future home.

What sat on the edge of where the Endless Sea met land defied all explanation. My mind tried to make it fit into my existing definition of what a 'building' was and failed miserably.

The structure was the size of a small town in scope. A large, cylindrical pylon of cliff-face served as the base for the largest military installation I'd ever seen. The cliff transitioned gradually to the orderly and smooth sheen of carved walls without interruption. I could see movement atop them, men who looked like ants compared to what they defended.

It was like someone had taken a mountain and sculpted it into a fortress.

A long, narrow bridge made of the same stone connected the artificial plateau to the mainland. It didn't look like it was capable of fitting more than two wagons across. The bridge itself was covered in tile roofing, but, I didn't trust the protection from the elements it would provide.

The shape of the outer wall was roughly circular, conforming to the outline of the rock below. It didn't look natural. Someone had blown away the rest of the land in its surroundings, though through what means I didn't know. The wall itself was lined with at least a dozen towers and atop each one of those was what looked to be ballistae. I'd never seen one functional before. Adorning each tower, and the twice-gated gatehouse, was the bronze-colored banner of a crustacean holding a lightning bolt.

To top it all off, the center of the fortress city rose above the rest and had another inner wall defending the tell-tale triangular roof and pillars of a Temple of Zeus. It was equal parts citadel and holy site.

This was Lobsterhead: the seat of the Legion's power on the northern frontier, a modern marvel of engineering, a fortress that could withstand cataclysms and remain unscathed. Unconquerable.

And I was going there.

The carriage I rode in jostled awkwardly against the stones of the path leading to Lobsterhead. Within the cabin, I was joined by two legionnaires wearing insignias I didn't recognize, a fox and a boar, and two other recruits that were both less than talkative. All sat opposite me, crammed uncomfortably into far too little space.

The transport had originally been designed to carry six grown men. Unfortunately, due to my size, I could easily occupy the space reserved for three. Rather than any of them cramming next to me, they each decided to overfill the other row. No one pushed the issue, and I didn't complain. I would've moved if they'd asked.

"What'd they feed you at Alewife? You're bloody huge!" One of the legionnaires asked me. I looked him up and down, considered the question, and then leaned forward like I was going to tell him a secret.

"Turtles the size of houses," I deadpanned. One of them made an ugly snorting sound. He looked at me like I was a few eggs short of a dozen. His loss. The best part was that I wasn't even lying.

* * *

Upon my arrival and the confirmation of my enlistment contract, I was presented with multiple sets of extremely flexible clothing and assigned a hall. The clothing itself was a surprising bonus. The fact I could wear it without alterations? Unheard of. I didn't know what it was made of, but its ability to stretch to fit my size was heaven-sent. Additionally, it was some of the customary casual clothing of the Legion, known colloquially as 'slacks.' The clothing was a very, very exciting prospect for me.

The 'halls' were the many groups of enlistees that ate, slept, and trained together. Additionally, each also had a physical building within the town. They filled them on a rolling basis, so some of my bunkmates had already been together for the better part of two weeks. I'd been assigned to Fletcher Hall and was the 13th of 20 to arrive at Lobsterhead.

The beds within were tightly packed but comfortable, with five of us sleeping in each room. The man who'd given me my hall assignment insisted that the number five would be important later, but hadn't told me why. Once I got to my room in Fletcher Hall I decided to lay a claim on the bed between someone called Eyes and another man named Kylen. They were to be two of my five roommates.

Eyes was of average build with raven-black hair. His features were sharp and fairy-like. He had an effortless grace about him at all times, and the way he walked reminded me of the few dancers I'd seen at street shows. If elegance was a person, it was Eyes.

Eyes was also, as far as I or any other enlistee in Fletcher Hall could tell, entirely mute. He didn't speak a lick, but, the piercing looks he gave with his distinct grey eyes said all that was needed. They were the color of storm clouds and the source of his name. His given name wasn't public knowledge, so, Eyes would have to do.

On the other side of me was Kylen, a larger-than-average-but-smaller-than-me man with an unruly mop of curly red hair. He spoke, but he'd spent his life before now as a farmer, so he didn't have much to say that the rest of us could relate to.

The three of us made an odd trio: the mute, the giant, and the bumpkin. We were as much of a gang of misfits as there ever was, the Legion wasn't picky.

The five of our room was completed by Willow and Jynn, both of whom wouldn't arrive for at least another week yet due to a moratorium on travel going through the capital. After all, Delta had insinuated the Empire was on the edge of war. I wouldn't have been shocked to find the two were related. Willow and Jynn were both women, yes, but it'd been driven into my head that service in the Legion of New Rome didn't discriminate on the basis of gender, only strength.

It'd been explained to me that the week before we began drilling as a hall was a time known as 'acclimatization.' It was meant for settling in, getting used to life in Lobsterhead, and learning to live with the people that would eventually become your brothers and sisters in arms.

Eventually, though, we'd be assessed each month based on group performances and sorted into one of five categories. Lobsterhead had something around twenty-thousand souls, nine-thousand of which occupied halls like Fletcher. Being an exceptional hall was incentivized with improved rations, freedoms, and fewer menial duties. We definitely had the unique component of exceptional down, but, I wasn't convinced we were at all capable of fighting as a group.

It turned out that the geography of Lobsterhead was intrinsically linked with the power structure. Interestingly, it didn't allow much room for advancement as an individual. If one of the elite battalions was your goal, you'd need to distinguish yourself on the battlefield. In short, you needed to get them to notice you, which was exactly what Delta had warned me not to do. I knew nothing about them so they were the furthest thing from my mind.

I passed out early on that first day. I'd been run ragged from both the travel and the lack of sleep. I awoke midway through the night to Eyes holding a candle and Kylen standing above me. The motion must've woken me up. Whatever they were doing, I was sure, could certainly wait until the next morning.

"What is it?" I snapped. "What do you want?"

"You conked out before dinner. Eyes and I, " Kyler motioned between the two of them. "We nabbed you some grub. Didn't want you to go hungry."

He set down a rucksack that I hadn't noticed, undid the knot, and a loaf of bread and a couple of pieces of fruit spilled out. It wasn't much, especially for an appetite as large as mine, but it was something. Looking at the food made my mouth water. I'd forgotten how hungry I was, fallen into an old routine, and slept in the place of eating. Someone used to starving uses whatever tools they can to forget hunger.

"Oh."

The gesture was sweet and I felt my anger fade. They'd gone out of their way to make sure I ate. It was an attempt at friendship, one that I'd be stupid to turn down. I took the contents of the sack.

"Thanks, I guess."

Eyes watched me as I ate, and Kylen spoke.

"We've gotta stick together. Eyes and I have made a pact, just the two of us. To look out for each other." Kylen said, "You're welcome to join us."

I wasn't used to readily given kindness, or friendship. It took me aback. I was in the middle of biting an apple when I agreed, so, it came out as an unintelligible mess of spittle and fruit chunks. But the spirit of my response was clear. I'd join them if they'd have me.

The two of them had bought my loyalty for the low price of a bag of bread and fruit, freely given in the dark. Tomorrow I'd show them what that meant.