"Cadets, you will be going out and receiving your conscripts. As you have been informed they have been trained for the last three months with the last month specifically for you. Hopefully each or you have read up on them and can recognize them. Even if you can't they will be in your colors." Major Epsilon said to his group of the senior class for the academy.
Euryale had read the profiles of hundreds of candidates before settling on the batch and team she had. She selected them to boost her and she was extremely uneasy. Though she chose them for their martial ability and fire affinity, there was no guarantee that they could use fire to add power to her paths passive ability.
She had spoke to their trainer on a few occasions and this group had solid defensive abilities and they had seen evidence of massive fire damage from the team during their survival exercise so it did bring some comfort to her.
If they didn't have true fire skills she could push them a little bit as they were trained in soldier development to make them suit her. Though the Empire didn't see too much value in these conscripts they were some of the best assets they could give the Cadets because they were trained from the ground up often with no political connections. It was also in their best interest to do well so they could be free and go back wherever they came from if possible.
Reviewing the information of her soon to be team she thought back to her two tributes and knew they were going to be as expected, but she also took a gamble on a wild card. The one that came from another universe. Corporal Varris was pleased with his progress and overall raw skills in both offense and defense plus he was a soldier in his world.
"Get ready, we are about to move out. Perception is reality and impressions are a good part of establishing your authority." The major said taking position at the front of the two lines.
Then the doors open. "Forward, march!" Came the command and they began marching. Euryale marched with the practiced precision trained into her for the last four years. She kept her eyes forward and putting on a fierce focused face pushing a confidence she didn't actually feel. They were only conscripts and she was a young elite of her family. She shouldn't feel apprehensive, but it was new.
"Detail!, halt! Ready....face!"
With a snap and click of her heels she turns and looked directly at her three conscripts. They wore her families colors. They were crisp looking and seemed to be disciplined. The fox beast man and the dahmpire didn't meet her eyes, but the human Sorin had no trouble. She already could tell, he had military experience and a lot of it. She refused to look away from them and projected that fierce confidence.
"Cadets! Inspect your troops!" They saluted and then marched forward.
Euryale walked forward sharply and when she reached the 7 pace mark all three of them gave the salute and bowed their head to her silently. Sorin broke his gaze and showed the capitulation required of him and she relaxed a bit.
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"Rise and stand at easy conscripts." She said and they immediately stood up and placed their hand behind their back as customs and courtesy demands.
"My name is Euryale Aegis, Lady of House Aegis. For the next year you will be assigned to my family. You WILL perform to the proper standard. I demand the best from each of you and will accept nothing less. Do you understand?"
"Yes Lady Aegis." They responded appropriately. She smiled and continued. "You're primary purpose and assignment will be the guarding of my person. As I'm sure you have been made aware. When we are deployed to the final assement you will be required to help me achieve my mission while adding to my protection."
Euryale paused here. Breathe in.....breathe out.
"I demand the best. Insubordination will be met with immediate death. You are nothing and will be replaced in a moment."
Breathe in...Breathe out. Confidence. She kept going over the public speaking skills and methods.
"At the same time, loyalty and competence can lead to rewards and boons given by myself and my family. If I win this I will keep you all as my personal guards. If I pass you will remain on as my families warriors as you would normally be, if you cause me to fail, I'll kill you myself. Do you understand?" She said making a point to cause her eyes to go from red to yellow using a touch of her families special skill.
"Yes Lady Aegis."
"Good. Follow me. We need to begin getting you situated and I need to integrate myself within your movements and do some training."
She began walking and the three men fell in behind Euryale.
She was breathing heavier and started to sweat a bit, but she was pleased with her introduction speech. It was much harder than she thought it would be, but she did it. Now...she needed to whip them into proper shape for her plan to be executed properly.
They walked and walked until they reached her housing accommodations. They stood in the small courtyard associated with it and the guard house meant for additional house soldiers and her conscripts. Her family sent security, but only until she recieved her own troops so now the guard house was empty.
"There will be one of you standing security at any one given time. Nobody is to enter without your knowledge and challenge and I mean nobody. I don't care how you set up shifts." She said waving her hand in a not caring, dismissive nature.
"Which one of you has been the sort of team leader?" She asked.
She saw Sorin step forward head bowed.
"Good! You will be first on shift and meet me in the conference room. You two take his pack and get settled in. We will begin our team training tomorrow." She commanded.
Sorin kept his head bowed and waited until her next command.
"Come we will go to the briefing room and you will tell me about the team and your different abilities as you know them." She said starting to walk into her assigned quarters. Her lady in waiting was waiting inside the door. As she passed she did a shallow curtesy and followed directly behind her as is proper.
She led the small detail into the conference room where a large rectangualar table with six six chairs surrounding it was. Another servant came in with a pink drink in a pitcher and placed it down on the table then backed up.
Euryale went to the head of the table, poured a drink then sat down. She looked up at the human known as Sorin who stood at ease hands clasped behind his back.
"Sit. We have a lot to discuss." She said.
Sorin took the chair at the other end of the table and waited.
"Tell me about my team."