The group moved on, entering the woodland area shortly after with a few more attempts at small talk before silently marching the rest of the way there. Kayne noticed that the road seemed to end a little into the forest of giant trees, and they spent the rest of the journey crossing over or between large root structures.
There were other splashes of greenery on the ground of the forest as large leafy vines twisted around the roots and trees. A mix of shrubs and bushes that looked coniferous also sprouted up in some areas with better access to sunlight on the ground.
The massive trees above mostly monopolised the light, leaving only a slither to reach the ground, but it was still more than enough to see. As they meandered through, Kayne could see other groups around them as they walked in the same direction, their voice carrying a little but not enough for him to make out anything.
A short walk later, they reached a large open clearing surrounded by tall trees. The clearing ground had some grass and plant life growing in places, but mostly, it was barren and looked like well-trodden dirt. Upon seeing the large group in the centre, surrounded by all kinds of items and small wooden structures, he instantly realised the reason for this.
So it wasn't a battle but some kind of training or competition.
Kayne estimated the open area to be the size of two or three football fields back on Earth, with the land split into various zones. Off to one side, he could see what resembled a free-weight area with multiple stones and thick wooden sticks scattered about, connected like barbells or dumbbells.
Another side had crude wooden lanes marked out that stretched into the forest with targets scattered about for an archery range. Kayne didn't notice it at first because everyone was standing on top of it, but the area under the gathered crowd looked like a flat, stone arena that reminded him of the foundation the twins had laid at his house. He assumed this must be their work also.
The square stone pillars in each corner made him suspect it was some combat arena, as the whole thing reminded him of a boxing ring. His parents loitered around the edge of the group, spending some time saying pleasantries to others who came over in curiosity to look at him.
He had to suffer the usual prodding and poking with comments about how adorable he looked. He instantly tuned their voices out, instead focusing on getting a good look at the people gathered here.
Half the people he could see looked to be wearing the same armour as his father, and the rest wore a mix of outdoor-type garments. He guessed those also would not be taking part like his mother.
Many children of varying ages were scattered around, making up a third of the total headcount. He even saw the little girl who nipped him just arriving with her mother.
He did a rough count, finding there were more than a couple of hundred people adults there. He didn't bother counting the children, but the village's population was more significant than he thought.
After some observation, he could also spot a smattering of animals mixed in with the crowd. One man sat off to the side on a large rock, stroking a scary-looking black wolf that sat alert at his side.
He saw a woman in armour, but instead of a cape draping down her back, wooden bars stretched out behind her, attached at the shoulders where an extraordinary-looking bird of prey sat perched.
He watched it stretch out its massive wingspan and ruff its feathers with its beak before it glanced over at him for but a moment. Kayne couldn't help but give the woman a mental thumbs at the sight.
Much more impressive than a cape, and I bet that extended support bar helps keep the bird shit from dripping down her back.
As a kid, he had always loved the idea of being a pirate, mostly because he liked the parrots. That desire quickly faded on a summer trip to a local zoo, where he got the chance to visit an aviary.
The stink and mess those birds created quickly turned him off the idea. Seeing the strange brace attached to the woman ignited a small kindling inside him before he doused it again, deciding the whole thing looked ungainly.
"Line up, get in your assigned groups now. Move it!" A loud, commanding voice cut across the clearing and caused him to nearly jump out of his skin as the noise crashed into his ears.
Everyone else shot into action as all prior conversation ended, with the hustle of movement being the only noise coming from the gathering.
His mother bundled him off to the side and stood with several other women looking after the children. The armoured group, including his father, were the fastest to line up into a square formation.
When looking closer, the square looked to have gaps in every third person, leaving multiple columns visible from the front.
The ones with animals beside them made up a squad with bigger spacing for their non-human companions. In front of each small group that made up the formation was a single person standing there, and he noticed his father was one of them.
Is my dad some type of military leader?
A group of men and women who weren't in uniform made up the next group, and Kayne noticed the twins squashed into wonky-looking formation lines. This less organised bunch of people were even more numerous than the ones dressed in armour.
The last group, comprised of older children, was off to the right of the others if looking from behind. Even though it was slower to form up, the group was neater than random unarmoured adults to their left.
Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
A huge man stepped out into the clearing from a mass of bushes, and Kayne couldn't help but raise his non-existent eyebrows at the sight. The man was a literal giant. He looked like a wrestler walking down to the ring with his colossal arm swinging as the other carried a giant Warhammer up against his shoulder like he was out for a casual walk.
The man had tanned, leathery skin and looked in his middle years, with sunken eyes on a bald head that looked like someone had just wrapped tight skin around a skull. He was wearing the same armour as everyone else, with the only difference being the circular epaulettes that held the man's cape were lined with gold, apart from the size anyway.
The Warhammer on his shoulder was a smooth matt-white stone inlaid with various runic engravings and designs. Even the handle was white, with the grip made from rough engravings.
The caps of the heads on either side of the Warhammer held the only colour, a bright red crystal that glittered in the sunlight as the man left the shade of the forest. The ruby-like caps on the head of the hammer reminded Kayne of a meat tenderiser, and he could only imagine the damage such a weapon could do in the giant's hands. The man himself looked to be a minimum of seven feet.
He stopped at the front of formed-up groups, his head moving left to right as he surveyed the people before him. Everyone stood straighter under the man's scrutinising gaze, even his father, who had already been ramrod straight.
"What version of idiot are you?" The enormous man said loud but calmly as he causally used the large hammer as a pointing stick toward one of the slovenly dressed twins near the front of a section.
"Er… I am Lysias, er... General Ajax." Lysias stammered out, and Kayne nearly laughed at the startled look on the man's face.
He had heard the name Ajax mentioned a few times, and he guessed the man must be a leader within the village with the way people talked about him. He had not expected the man to be a military general, though.
He knew the correct term for the man would be different in Latin, but he found that just translating to English in his head was simpler. He was still curious why the inhabitants of this world spoke the language, and he added it to his list of ever-growing questions.
"Well. would you care to mention why you are fucking up my formations?" The general asked in an easy-going tone like he was speaking to a friend about something mundane like the weather.
"U-um... w-well, y-you see, it's... er... because... I-I'm fat, g-general. I-it m-makes it look like I-I'm out of line." The chubby twin stammered out his answer, his response getting a few chuckles from the various groups apart from the ones wearing the armour who were still and unmoving.
"Well then, can you explain why your brother, your identical twin and the same size, has managed to get perfectly in line? I guess his achievement must be due to some divine providence, a miracle for the ages that will be passed down in legend throughout the history of our village. Or is it possible he just did the bare fucking minimum and used his fucking eyes!" Ajax asked. He started quietly at first, but by the end of his questioning, it was so loud Kayne felt his head vibrating a little at the aftershock of the man's deep voice.
Lysias squirmed a bit under the verbal barrage, and he didn't seem to know what to do with himself as he just held himself in place, fidgeting slightly. The general let out a long sigh as he dropped the Warhammer head down to the ground with a loud thud that caused many people, Kayne included, to flinch. He stood with his large hands resting coolly on the large hammer but still seemed to make the pose look formal.
"Just take a half step to your left. Everyone straighten up from him. There." General Ajax ordered his voice back to being calm again, putting the poor man out of his misery by getting him into the correct position.
Kayne saw now the whole formation looked to be in good order. He had noticed it being wonky, but he doubted he could have corrected the issue at a glance like the towering man at the front.
"The legion owes you and your brother an outstanding debt for what you did at the fort that day. If you both hadn't stayed behind to repair the walls and help set up traps, I doubt many here would be living to see today. You then decided to come with us to set up this new village and have been instrumental in building things here correctly and efficiently."
"You knew the dangers of staying back then and what following us here now means, but you did them anyway without complaint or demand. I'm hard on you both because of your actions. I don't see you as outsiders to the legion. We don't see you as outsiders."
"To us, you're family. You are legion. That's why I hold you both to the same high standards as the others standing to your left." The general said as he gripped the head-down hammer and moved it to his right, placing it again on the ground and more formally now standing at attention.
"I know the others have all spoken with you and shown their thanks in their own way, but now the last member of the legion has finally arrived here, we want to show you our respect together." General Ajax said as he untucked a golden bracelet from under the bottom of his left armoured bracer and used it to bring two wooden boxes into existence at his feet, much like Texon had done with the large animal earlier.
The boxes didn't quite pop into existence as they expanded out, seeming to inflate outward until they reached full size in only a few seconds.
"Come out, the pair of you and open the boxes," Ajax said, and he walked over to stand directly in front of Marcus, taking up a position at the head of the group perfectly aligned with the middle of the armoured legion.
The twins made eye contact before they walked out nervously, looking a little subdued at being the centre of attention. The unusually earnest pair bent down and opened the flat wooden crates at roughly the same time.
Kayne noticed many people craning their necks, trying to get a good look at what was inside. One of the pair lifted out a matching set of legionnaire armour as the other did the same.
They both turned around with a questioning look on their faces. Ajax moved his free hand in some signal, causing the armoured members of the legion to snap their legs together with a metallic clang. In unison, the group struck their chest plates three times quickly, the resounding bangs echoing through the clearing.
BANG. BANG. BANG
Ajax: "Legion, what's our creed!"
Legion: "Brothers, listen and take heed!"
Ajax: "Through valour, we forge our path!"
Legion: "Through courage, we conquer wrath!"
Ajax: "For honour, we stand as one!"
Legion: "For glory, our battles won!"
Ajax: "With heads raised high, we'll never yield!"
Legion: "With skill and control, our foes we'll wield!"
Ajax: "In unity, our strength shall thrive!"
Legion: "Our unity, no force shall deprive!"
Ajax: "For Mysthaven!"
Legion: "For Mysthaven!"
"This is the changed creed for our legion. We are no longer the Red Legion of Lycia. Today, we're the bloody legion of Mysthaven. If you want to be, you two are the first new recruits. One day, everyone here will have the chance to join and protect our new home."
"We're not without our enemies, but we also know how to deal with those who mean to do us harm. Legion, how do we deal with our enemies?" The general called out, his voice carrying clearly over the gathered people. Once more, the legion beat their chests in unison, punctuating each bang with a chant.
"Death."
"Death."
"Death."