To reach the Sky Ship tower, they had to cross the square of the dead, the old parade ground. It was completely occupied, by row after row of soldiers standing attention. The view took Serafin's breath away, she straightened her back and took in the view.

The soldiers of Mhall took up half of the square in three larger formations. The regular troopers were in front, rifles shouldered and unmoving. Only their torsos were armoured, with a sturdy helmet to protect the head.

Behind them were the slayers, who had completely foregone armour. Their mighty rifles stood beside them, the weapons were either near as long as the soldier was tall, or taller. Their posture was more relaxed, and a few looked over their comrades over to Serafin.

The last third was made up of the engineers and field medics, separated from their comrades by their respective blue and white uniforms. Unarmed and unguarded they nonetheless stood strong.

On the other side of the square were the forces of Zana, clad and clothed in the olden age. Only a small number of them were alive, the scions of noble houses, each competing with one another in the extravagance of their equipment, the mages in the midnight robes of the Reaper all pale and lithe figures who were visible signed by tribulations of their craft.

Yet even these powerful and noble souls stood in line and attention, and behind them the host of the dead they commanded.

Even the lowliest guard was armoured to the teeth, skeletal face blankly staring forward, rows armed with axes, maces and swords paired with great tower shields for added protection, while the higher ranking soldiers forsook this in favour of great two handed weapons. The dead were lead by two towering hulks of iron that dwarfed any and all who stood beside them.

Between the two forces was a wide corridor leading to the tower. Three figures walked towards them through it. Tatanya was on the right, struggling to keep pace as she had to use her staff as a walking cane. On the left a young woman dressed in the field grey of an officer of Mhall. Serafin could barely notice them, for her vision was completely blinded by the sight of the man in between them.

Over his shoulders laid the pristine white mantle of the priesthood of Aeterna, worshipping and enacting her well not only as founder and ruler of the empire, but as supreme deity. Unlike these well respected men and women, the man was clad in shining armour underneath, though no weapon rested at his side except for a thin staff of ivory.

The hood of his mantle was short and did not hide his fair features, so well sculpted that comparison to a normal human seemed an insult. Golden was his hair and dark green the eyes, a warm and gentle smile on his face as he spread his arms when approaching Serafin and Lady Marion.

"It is a joyous day that I may meet the Viceroy of this great province in person, lady Marion." He did not bow, merely inclining his head. Serafin looked from him to Lady Marion, but the sovereign did not retaliate.

"I have an idea as to what and who you are, but our future commander here may not." Her voice was cold but restrained.

The man looked from the Sovereign to Serafin, and she shuddered under the warmth of his gaze.

"But of course, as a loyal servant of our great master Aeterna you are ignorant of me. I am her imperial majesty´s third divine blade of deliverance, Revelation. By the will of benevolent Aeterna we were called to leave our home in the capital to aid the empire in it´s campaign up north. It has been issued that I and my ship shall guard your fleet while you sail north."

Serafin lowered her head and batted her eyes. Not only was he from the capital, but a personal weapon of the Imperator herself? She felt herself trembling at merely being in his presence.

"I had spoken with the Legate that he would be the one instructing Commander Serafin, is he otherwise occupied?" The sovereign looked across the ranks.

"He had to take a separate ship with one of my sisters to Atal," Revelation leaned more onto his staff while he spoke, his right hand remaining on his chest above the heart. "He deemed it unacceptable that Atal would spare no resources for this endeavour, despite the unbearable string of failures that Viceroy Elias has been allowing to happen."

Lady Marion scoffed and crossed her arms. "Their help will hardly be necessary, nor can soldiers be trusted who belong to a sovereign who so willingly talks with the Eternal Enemy-"

Her voice was lost as she looked into the face of Revelation, the icy chill that had crept across his features. "We are aware of the deeds of Viceroy Elias and his attempts, Viceroy Marion. It is precisely for that reason that he shall give his utmost to this war. They will fight, bleed and die under the gaze of our merciful Aeterna, and redeem their failures. Should they not, then the capital will remind it´s wayward children of the consequences."

This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

He let go of his staff, it remained firmly upright, and ran his hand through his hair. From one moment to the other his expression had changed, returned to the pleasant warmth. "But such a dour topic is of little importance on such a pristine day, no?"

Revelation folded his hands in front of his chest. "Serafin, childe of war. By my authority and the holy benevolence of divine Aeterna, you are hereby instated as commander of the first imperial vanguard. You shall be given the title of Outrider, permitted to leave imperial territory and command others to do the same. You shall be beholden to nobody save the legate, Aeterna herself and her trusted divine blades."

He then stepped aside, and Serafin felt how all eyes now rested upon her. It was a weight that pushed down on her shoulders. A weight she was familiar with. She took a step forward and held her head high.

"For decades have the hillpeople made a mockery of our empire. They have stolen what they could, killed who was too proud to submit, and burned all they could not take with them. Wherever they went they left nothing but rubble and totems to their hideous idols. They think they can attack us with impunity, run back to their holes and caves of their homeland, they think themselves safe there. No longer!"

She drew her sabre and held it up in the air, emerald lightning covering the blade. "We are going to show them the fate of those who dare oppose humanity! We will descend upon their hovels and leave not a stone upon the other. We will tear their false idols to the ground where they belong, wipe their sickening customs from the histories, and when we return to our families we shall do so with pride, for we will be able to tell our children of the horrors we faced, and how we let not a single one of those hideous inhumans on the face of this earth!"

The muscles on her face were tensed, her voice a roar, and it was answered by thundering applause. Revelation watched her from the side and nodded his head.

"Now, to your stations, children of Aeterna." His voice cut through the jubilation. "We shall set sail before dusk, a long journey is ahead of us."

The soldiery was set in motion, they turned as one and marched towards the tower to board the ships. The thundering step of thousands made the ground tremble, and Serafin´s heart beat faster. First now she noticed how tightly she was gripping her sabre.

"You have a great passion, commander." Revelation´s words had her spin to face him, though she still struggled to meet his gaze. "And I welcome your enthusiasm to go above and beyond your duty, but I must advise you to caution. You will be fighting far away from the empire, and against an implacable foe in his lair. Do not forget this. Lady Marion." He inclined his head once more, and joined the soldiers in their path to the tower.

Serafin and her sovereign were left alone once more.

"It is good to hear even a zealot like him advise you to caution, Serafin. I hope you will head his words more than you do mine."

Serafin lowered her head and hid her hands behind her back. "I will, your highness. I cannot thank you enough for the trust and confidence you are placing in me, I will do my all to be worthy of it."

She did not look up as she heard the clicking of heels come closer. But when a cold touch ran across her cheek, Serafin gasped and looked up. The sovereign stood right in front of her, close enough that Serafin could see a hint of her dark green eyes through her veil.

"My life´s work, Serafin. I have complete faith that you will accomplish this for me, and yourself. Listen to your subordinates, I chose them with good reason. Show these savages what it means to oppose the empire, and show the capital that their provinces are not mere tributaries, but formidable equals. And by every god of the pantheon." She pulled Serafin´s cheek and held her up by it, ignoring the woman´s surprised squeal.

"Return. The soldiers, even my students can be replaced. You cannot."

Never before had the two been this close, close enough that Serafin could catch a glimpse of the Sovereign´s features through her veil. Her eyes widened, as did those of Lady Marion once she noticed.

The sovereign quickly backed away and turned her back to Serafin. "I will await your return. I have done what I can, now Zana´s future is in your hands."

Lady Marion did not look back as she walked off, quickly disappearing into the dark and leaving behind a very unsure Serafin. She decided to follow her soldiers to the tower, with enough distance to keep to herself and her thoughts.

Tatanya was awaiting her at the gate of the tower, her weak and raspy voice snapping Serafin out of her thoughts. "You look troubled, commander. What is the matter?"

Serafin looked up from the ground and upward into the darkened skies. "You studied under Lady Marion, yes? How long has she been donning her veil?"

The mage rose her hand up to her chin and furrowed her brows. "She already wore it upon ascending her throne as sovereign, so at the very least twenty-five or twenty-six years."

Her age. Serafin took the last step to the gate. "Thank you, I will see you aboard."

The few soldiers she crossed paths with only greeted her with a salute, none tried to speak with her, and she was very thankful for it. It felt as if her insides were turning to knots, she just wished to be on her own. It had been just a glimpse, a shadow of her Sovereign´s features. Never before had they been this close. So why did she feel like she had seen them before?