Kami woke up at the same time everyday. Living in Shield meant living in routine until you're old enough to be taken to the front lines, that is. Before then, you have hours of mining, harvesting opissium, smithing and most if all, training.

He nudged Fellen, one of his roomate, to wake him up, as he always manages to oversleep even with all the sounds. They shared their tiny room with 2 others, making it extra tight and very uncomfortable. But they got used to it.

You can feel the excitement sweeping through the hallway as everyone prepared their weapons. Today was the trial, the day they become soldiers of the Shield, fighting to reclaim earth.

 Today, was their first expedition.

"Oh, I'm so ready for this."

And so, the 134 youths gathered in the training field, which is right behind the wall. That huge wall built by the swadians protected this mountain for so long, seemed unbreakable, but in shield, you never count on chances, guards were stationed in it 24/7.

Our sergeant stepped out of the Hall, the place where men with the real titles 

"Ahh, the new generation. Well this is you're special day, isn't it? The day you become men!" His voice rang throughout the field. By now you could see the boredom forming in all their faces. They had heard this speech so many times, they learnt it by heart. Whispers started between the men.

And then Alken stepped out.

Silence.

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Noone dared to talk. It wasn't a rare occasion to see the commander, but he always had an aura that made you wince whenever you see him. He was tall, with dark bearded face covered in scars. His armour made from the finest steel in the mountain, and a spear rumored to be from the bone of lithian he killed in his youth.

"As you all have heard, no doubt, your trial will be hard. You will leave the mountain, for the first time, to meet the hawks generation of soldiers. You will then train with them against real lithians, strengthening the bond between future generations of Shields and hawks, and hardening your skills in real situations. This time though, you will be accompanied by our commander, for he has important matters to discuss with the hawks."

They all stared with their eyes wide. 

They were going with the commander. 

They're going to see him fight.

He was going to see them fight.

It was a dream chance to prove themselves. Many would kill for that.

"We shall delay this no longer", Said Alken, speaking for the first time

"We leave immediately"

His words echoed through the fields, signaling the start of a new era for kami's life.