“We currently have 230 able-bodied Black Shield combatants, 500 Free Army veterans who should be at the base in a few days… and Valto should already be there with the 250 recruits he set off to collect a month ago,” Jay said, crunching numbers as he and the Anbieter rowed their boat. “That’s under a thousand on our side total. It’s way below the numbers we should have.”
“The Titanian Garrison at Shargara itself has 3,000 soldiers,” the Anbieter recalled. “And they can immediately mobilize any other units on the continent. But 980… should be more than enough for a surprise assault. I don’t plan on creating a drawn-out battle.”
“And after that… you said we’d have support?”
“Mhm,” the Anbieter confirmed. “Marquess Niklas Rask of Mars is from one of the last families that supported the Solich Emperors. But he is an ally, not a friend. He wants our troops on southern Yeupisian soil before he can make any commitments. If this is still not enough… we get help from the Shimajima.”
“You’re being serious, aren’t ya?” Jay asked, skeptical. “I can believe the marquess… but Shimajima? Those islands ain’t even accessible to the Titanians!”
“I know our weaknesses. Our bodies can’t handle large quantities of any water, let alone saltwater. And the lack of land isn’t suitable for us to sustain ourselves, even if we did kick the natives out. Those islands are not fables. They’re real, and if we have to, we’ll reach them and get help from the people on them.”
“You can make the impossible happen.” Jay laughed softly.
“I’m a Titanian baron helping the people of the north… that word isn’t even in my vocabulary.” the Anbieter chuckled in reciprocity.
“And that’s why I chose to follow you up here two years ago,” Jay said, a loyal tone to his speech. “I only trust you to free us of our servitude.”
“The Linden family are not puppets,” the Anbieter said, his voice now much colder. “And neither are you. Neither are any of you.”
--
Days later, emotions within the Black Shield bases were rampant. Many tried to hide their nervosity, while others proudly expressed their honor of being part of the group that would take back their continent from their oppressors. The Anbieter, once again masked, stood behind his desk before the nearly 980 men and women he was responsible for. Just behind him to his right was Jay, and to his left the same distance away stood Aulis Bakken.
“In just a few hours from now, we will begin our two-day march along the south shore of Lake Marius to Haldor’s Pass,” the Anbieter said, in reference to the passage through the Marius Mountains created in the early reign of Emperor Henrik in memory of his father. “There, we will meet with one of our allies who will ensure our safe and covert entry into south Yeupis. From there, it will be a week-long walk to Shargara. That will leave us with four days until the New Year’s assembly. I know you have all trained greatly, and I believe in it. However, there are high chances that most of us will not make it back north… myself included. I ask you to see me as a tool, not a leader. The Black Shield is what must be honored, not myself. Don’t fret if you lose me, or if I lose you. To my new Free Army friends, I know you have waited for another chance to strike for years. I know I’m not the type of person you wanted to align yourselves with, but there is a common enemy at play. We will slow them down; we will make them feel threatened… we will make them lose hope! For them, there will be no hope of maintaining their evil presence on our continent. Northerner, southerner, Titanian… the Empire is our enemy! Down with the Empire!”
He pumped a fist into the air. At first, people were hesitant to follow him. It was all very surreal—an Angel at the helm of their organisation, an army from the past rising from the dead, a technologically advanced alien nemesis on the other side of the mountains.
“Down with the Empire!” Vigdis cried with her first in the air, passion written all over her face.
“Down with the Empire!” her student followed.
“Down with the Empire!” the two ladies were joined in their chanting by Leon and Stefan, as well as a handful of other Black Shield soldiers.
“Down with the Empire!” even more joined.
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Within seven repetitions of the chant, all of the Black Shield had joined in on the chanting. Three or so more later, the Free Army had accompanied them too. However, when the dozenth repetition had passed, the Anbieter held up a gloved palm, commanding silence.
“The Linden manor is outfitted with ample underground hiding space… something my forefathers had built should the need ever arise. It’ll be enough to move around, but not to train using swords. I know that most of you understand this… but this reminder applies to certain individuals who need it,” he said, his eyes drifting to Stefan for a few seconds. Private reminders did the determined boy little good. A public one that didn’t put him on the spot ought to have been better.
“The journey down to Shargara will pit us against environments that most of you have never faced, and the already long journey warrants that you rest for those four days in preparation for the big event. All you have to worry about is being well enough in body and mind to fight your hearts out on that day. Jay, Vigdis, Aulis and I will take care of all the logistical concerns.”
“Hey, boss!” a feminine voice said coming from one of the doors, leading to a chamber which had seldom been entered or exited during the last month.
“K-Klaudia?” Meinrad, who had recovered enough from the previous month’s ambush to be present at the meeting. muttered. He was surprised that she was able to walk all the way down despite the state of blood loss and the not fully healed rib bones she suffered.
“You can leave it to me to make sure none of these guys are too badly hurt,” Klaudia said, slamming a pillar with her palm, making sure she was heard. “There’s nothing wrong with adding me back to the roster. There’s 50 medics… another one can’t hurt. Count me in, please.”
“Klaudia, dear,” the Anbieter said, worry all over his voice. “With the injuries you took…”
“I’m a medic, I know my own body more than anyone else. I’m fine. Just let me join you.” she said. A certain imploring tone was noticeable in her voice, a contrast from her normal brashness.
“She’s healing really well,” Detlef added. “She should be alright by the time we reach the manor. Let her come, boss.”
Another opinion from a skilled practitioner seemed to sway the Anbieter.
There can never be too much help, he reasoned. And the Black Shield leaves no one behind.
“Alright, Klaudia. You can come. But I want you to check in with one of your colleagues each day until we arrive.”
“I can do that, sir.” Leon offered, raising his hand. However, another hand took a hold of his arm, lowering it back down.
“Don’t worry, Leon. I’ll take care of her. We can’t have our only contracted healer fixed on one person.” Detlef said.
Leon smiled. His friend’s confidence had increased somewhat since they had met, but he hadn’t expected him to charge in front of the hundreds of comrades around them.
“You got it, buddy.” he agreed.
Medics were the only one of the three divisions in the Black Shield that were completely autonomous, meaning they had no leader, and every member was to act at their own discretion. This automatically meant they commanded more respect than most other members. As such, a short round of applause was given to Leon, Detlef, Klaudia and their colleagues for their proactivity.
With a reminder that they would depart in two hours and that they were to finish their final preparations, the Anbieter dismissed everyone. While he stayed near his open-concept desk with Jay and Aulis to discuss how to help the Free Army veterans settle in with their new, younger comrades, Detlef approached Klaudia as she stood up in his presence for the first time in weeks.
“Hey… I didn’t think you’d be ready to go this soon,” Detlef said. “Should I check your wound before we leave?”
“Someone’s gotta help your sorry ass make sure these guys don’t drop like flies there,” she playfully punched his shoulder, an uncharacteristic grin printed on her face. “I didn’t think you’d be so chatty like you just were.”
“Well, I…” he trailed off. He felt his cheeks getting warm, and in attempt to hide his physical affect, lowered his head and fixed his gaze on the ground between him and her.
“This is what I mean by when I say you’re a sorry ass loser,” she sighed. “Now how about we head to the infirmary and start loading our supplies into the rucksacks? We left them in the hangar.”
“Um… sure! That I can do.” Detlef quickly agreed. He seemed grateful that she had switched the topic for him. He knew that she had a good soul underneath all the toughness and distance that she displayed. Otherwise, there would’ve been no chance that she would’ve become a medic.
“Detlef, Klaudia!” a voice called out to them from the gradually emptying communal hall.
“Oh, hey there, Leon.” Detlef smiled.
“Whatever you’re gonna say, make it we quick. We have shit to do.” Klaudia said, reverting to her typical impertinence.
“I’m going to take care of the stuff in our room,” he said, referring to the quarters he shared with Leon. “I’ll let you know when I’m done so I can start helping you guys out.”
“Of course.” Detlef nodded.
“Sure.” Klaudia shrugged, before she allowed Detlef to lead the way.
Leon soon returned to his quarters, which was more isolated from the rest of the rooms comprising the base. His precise eyes allowed him to notice a cabinet above his bed’s headboard somewhat open. The corner of a towel was seen hanging out from it.
“Det must’ve forgotten to close the door.” he told himself.
He took the towel out and laid it on his bed to fold it properly and replace it, but he noticed a scent that he knew shouldn’t have been there.
It was antiseptic solution. Its pungent smell was not permitted in the medics quarters, as all sanitizing materials had to be kept in the infirmary. Something was off. Detlef wouldn’t make this ridiculous of a mistake.
That was when the noise was finally processed by his attentive ears.
Breathing, coming from his closet.