A month had passed, and the third-years of Rouclier would finally start their team-exercises. For this reason, all cadets had assembled before the outskirts of the Brouillard Woods, the artificial forest within the walls of Caelum, with Rouclier's instructors already waiting for them there.

An hour later, 10 students of the Feublan monastery arrived as well, led by headmaster Calros, who was talking to their instructors as they approached the forest, a paladin in pristine white armour with a tabard thrown over it which had the emblem of Merdelum, the 12 Stars surrounding the Cross of Light, embroidered into it, and a cleric wearing a similar tabard and dyed leather armour. The paladin carried a large shield and a longsword on his back, and the cleric had daggers, a book, and a short-sword dangling off his leather belt. The aspiring clerics and paladins of the monastery all wore similar attire, though it did not look quite as well-made as their instructors'.

Upon having arrived, the students of Feublan greeted them with the greeting of the acolytes of the Ardent Path, a polite bow while folding their hands as if in prayer, which was reciprocate with the military salute of Merdelum by the students of Rouclier, before Calros took the word.

"Cadets, let me introduce the instructors of the Ardent Path from Feublan, which will collaborate with Rouclier in the coming months:

Captain of the Radiant Knight Order Edmund Ardouin..."

The paladin greeted the cadets.

"and Bishop Lucas Benett!"

The cleric did the same.

"Students of Feublan, these are Lady Irene Karm, Sir Leroy Cameron Montell, Lady Rebecca Duterte, Sir Félix Deloffre, Sir Edward Bonnet, Professor Kassandra Lambert, and Archmage Salazar Blanche. Together, we have taken your suggestions for team-compositions into consideration, and adjusted them to better fit into the model of our military. I will now announce the 10 teams that have been created this way.", Calros concluded, and retrieved the pieces of paper on which the names of the teams were written. After the 5th team had been announced, he finally arrived at Corvo's group.

"Team 6, Cadets Adelaide, Boreas, Riddar, and Rhedi will be joined by Squire Galahad."

The shortest among the group, a young dwarf with red hair and green eyes with a short full-beard, wearing the same heavy plate-mail as the rest of the young paladins, though fitted to his smaller stature, who had a dwarven war-hammer on his back and a thick tome affixed to his belt, stepped forward and introduced himself with a warm smile. As he did so, Corvo could not help but think that he had met him somewhere, though he did not remember where or when that was.

"Brom Galahad, squire of the Holy Knights of the Ardent Path. Yer may call me by Brom."

"Sean Riddar, Bard, first names are okay for us as well"

"Mira Adelaide, Lancer"

"Eleonora Boreas, Ranger. You can call me Nora, by the way."

"Corvo Rhedi, Elemental Mage."

After Corvo had introduced himself, Brom threw a questioning look at him.

"A balanced team, yet, say, ye look familiar...did we not meet at Caelum's gates about 4 years ago?", the dwarf asked him, which caused something in his mind to click.

"Oh yeah, you and your father were waiting in line in front of the city-gates, right?"

"And ye and yer driver cut the line and got in before we could.", the dwarf added with the same calm expression, though his smile began to twitch at the corners. This caused an uncomfortable laugh from Corvo.

"Hehe, yeah, about that..."

"Let's leave it at that. I know how things go, so I won't resent ye for using connections to bypass the guards at the gate. Me pa was furious though, took 'im a month tah stop mentioning it."

"I'm really sorry.", Corvo apologized, but Brom just sighed.

"Like I said, I hold no grudge in this matter, and frankly, I think me pa won't either... at least not towards ya...not as much...maybe."

Corvo knew what this meant, as he was told about dwarves by his father. A dwarf will never forget an act of kindness, but they will also never forget if they had been mistreated somehow, even going as far as to record minor disagreements and pass their animosity down to the next generation. As he did not want this to go on for longer than it had to, he made a mental note to himself to buy Brom's father some alcohol, known to be the most treasured of gifts for a dwarf, to calm his anger.

"Anyway, we'd better join the others before they start handing out assignments.", Mira said, and they joined up with the other teams.

After the last team had joined them as well, each of the instructors called one of the teams forward, as they would oversee their training and team-work. Corvo's team was chosen by Kassandra Lambert, and the last team was chosen by Calros.

"Alright Team 6, I know most of you already know each other, but have you properly introduced yourself to your new teammate, Squire Galahad?", she asked them in her usual cheerful manner, and they affirmed.

"However, I's got ta properly introduce myself to ya, Miss Instructor! Squire of the Holy Knights, Brom Galahad, at yer service.", Brom greeted her with a bow.

"Then I will do the same, Grandmaster of Merdelum's Magic-Division, Kassandra Lambert, 8th-star Battle-Mage and Instructor for Elemental Magic and Magic Theory at Rouclier. I hope we will all get along!", she announced proudly.

Her introduction reminded Corvo of a question he forgot to ask Lambert last year, prompting him to do so now.

"Oh yeah, that reminds me! Instructor Lambert, we were told during our first year that a mage's ability to use arcanum is measured in stars with the help of a certain device, but you did not go into details back then as it would only be important once we actually join the army. What kind of device would that be?", he asked, and the other four now looked at her as well, intrigued about what this device was.

"Hm...you know what? I think it wouldn't be a problem to show it to you, if you all want to see what it is. Your first day as a team is supposed to be all about getting to know each other after all. Let me ask Blanche about it."

After being asked by Lambert, Salazar Blanche, who thought it to be a good idea as well, especially since he was curious about Corvo's rank, thus led both his team and Team 6 to his office. It was a rather large and orderly room, with bookcases on the walls left and right from his personal desk filled with all kinds of books, from heavy tomes to thin booklets, and a rectangular table which was about knee-height surrounded by two chairs and two benches in the middle of the room. Behind the desk and office-chair were large windows with view of the training-grounds, and, hidden to the left of the desk, was a door, which was connected to Rouclier's storage room for all kinds of magic items, such as the relic mirror Vra Soi.

Once inside of his office, Blanche opened the door in the back of the room and briefly entered the storage room, before returning with what looked like a pitch-black crystal-ball slightly larger than a balled fist, placed at one end of a rectangular metal-box, with the other end having a hand-imprint carved into it. He placed the device on the small table in the middle of the room, and started his explanation of how to use it.

"This is known as the Ordo Siderum, or in the Common Language, the Astral-Rank Device. The metal box itself is made of akyronium, a metal which absorbs and disturbs the flow of arcanum, but the rest of the device as well as how it is manufactured is a mystery to all but the most knowledgable of synergists, thus, sadly, I cannot go into detail about it. Now, this is how the device works:

By placing your hand on the imprint, the device will start to absorb some of your arcanum and feed it into the spell-circles within it. This will cause stars to appear within the crystal-ball according to the amount and purity of the arcanum that has been fed into it. The amount of stars which are shown this way can be interpreted in two ways, depending on if a spell-caster uses it to measure their rank or a skill-user.

For spell-casters, the more stars the device shows, the larger or purer their arcanum reserves, which in turn indicates how powerful a mage is. For comparison, the average spell-caster should be at 3 or 4 stars, the minimum criteria to become an archmage was 7 stars before Edenia's destruction, and the most stars which have ever shown on such a device were 9 stars, a rank only a handful of magi managed to reach ever since the device's conception, which is believed to be a few hundred years after the great cataclysm.

However, for skill-users, the device depicts the control one has over one's arcanum, and thus how proficient one is in the use of skills. Again, the average here lies around 3 stars for regular soldiers, 5 stars for knights of the White Order, and I believe Emperor Godrick II. measured up to 8 stars, a rank considered to be in the realm of heroes, though, if I remember correctly, he was about to break through to 9 stars, the very same rank we believe to have been attained by the 2 Liberators of Mankind. This brings me to my last point, breaking through to the next star rank.

If one is about to break through to the next rank, a dim light can be found within the crystal, indicating that a new star is about to break through the darkness of the crystal. However, actually reaching the next rank is exponentially harder than attaining the previous rank was, so do not be disappointed if you see no improvement in your ranks despite being on the brink of breakthrough while having trained your bodies and your minds for years. Many a scholar has given in to despair because they only had the increase of their rank in mind while completely abandoning their research.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

With the explanation out of the way, how about we start with Instructor Lambert and myself as a demonstration? Instructors Lambert, if you would?", he concluded, and motioned Lambert to go first, which she did.

Upon her having laid her hand upon the device, the metal box started to glow, and, just like Blanche had explained, small, yet easily visible dots of light appeared within the crystal-ball.

"8 stars, which would put her in the upper-half of archmagi. Now it will be my turn."

After Lambert had stepped back and the stars had faded, Blanche placed his hand on the device.

"8 stars, just like my colleague. Though, we both already knew that. Well, how about our two magi go next? Cadet Libra, how about you go first?", he asked, and girl with long, purple hair, which Corvo recognised to be the water-elemental mage from his class, stepped forward.

"Hm...3 stars! Commendable for an aspiring scholar of your age! Keep at it, and you might one day reach the level of an archmage as well!", he praised her, causing her to blush and go back to her teammates.

"Alright, Cadet Rhedi would be next then, right? Don't be shy now!", Blanche called him forward, and Corvo nervously sat down in front of the device, placing his right hand onto it.

He felt a slight tingle as the arcanum was sucked into it, but other than that, it was not as bad as he had thought it would be.

"Let's see...that's 3...and would you look at that! Seems like Cadet Rhedi is on the brink of breaking through to the 4th rank!", Blanche exclaimed, causing Corvo to look closer at the crystal-ball. There, below the 3 stars, which were evenly spaced away from one another, forming a triangle, was a dim, yet still visible shimmer, as if a torch trying to break through a thick fog.

"Both Cadet Libra and Cadet Rhedi seem to be quite adept when it comes to magic! Congratulations to you two! Now, I know that the Ardent Path does not concern itself with this form of ranking their abilities, but would Acolyte Lohmus want to try it for himself? Sadly, Squire Galahad will not be able to use this device, as he is a dwarf born with a spirit. However, if he would like to measure his anima, I have a piece of Antilafos with me as well, a mineral which, without having to be altered in any way, works similarly to the Ordo Siderum, though it does not display ranks in the form of stars, but in the colour of light it emits after having absorbed some anima."

The cleric-in-training Lohmus respectfully declined, but Brom just shrugged and said that there was no harm in trying it. Thus Blanche procured an about fist-sized rock, which looked like a piece of uncut quartz, from one of his pockets, and placed it in Brom's hand. After a few seconds, the rock began to change colour and glow, emitting a dim, orange light.

"I see...orange light would be about rank 3, if compared to star ranks, and the intensity should mean that it is somewhere in the middle of this rank. Excellent! Now, who else wants to measure their rank?", he asked as he put the rock back into his pocket, causing the rest of them to line up.

The rest of Blanche's team either measured up to rank 2 or 3, while Sean turned out to be a 2nd rank about to reach the 3rd rank, and Mira and Eleonora were both at rank 3, with Mira being on the brink of rank 4, like Corvo.

"Haha! Looks like me and Corvo are getting ahead of you guys!", she announced triumphantly as the 5 returned to the dormitories. Brom, as well as the rest of Feublan's students, were given temporary residences in the building, which were reserved for visitors such as them.

"Yeah...well...that will change soon enough, just you wait!", Eleonora huffed, and Mira playfully showed her her tongue, a gesture which was mimicked by Eleonora, causing the rest of the group to chuckle.

"Ah, ain't nothing like friendly competition between comrades, just like me pa always says!", Brom exclaimed happily.

"Oh yeah, before I forget it! Brom, how old are you? No offence intended, but I thought Feublan only takes in new students below the age of 12, like Rouclier?", Sean asked.

"No offence taken, I get that often. I's be turnin 25 this year. Ya see, us dwarves, we age differently than humans because we live longer, so what ye would call yer teens would be our 20s to late 40s, which is the reason why dwarves, elves, and beastkin are able to join later than humans. Once we reach 50 we're considered proper adults, by the way."

"Ooh!", the 4 exclaimed, as none of them knew about this fact about dwarves.

"By the way, outta curiosity, how old are ye?", Brom asked in turn.

"I'm 14.", Corvo answered.

"Same.", Eleonora added.

"I'm 15." Mira continued.

"I'll be turning 16 this year", Sean stated.

"Alright, with that out of the way, does any of yis play cards? I got an old dwarven game I could teach ya, if ye want?", Brom asked, and the others affirmed that they would like to learn it. Thus the 5 entered the dorms together to play a few rounds to end the day.

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After the recent developments in the war against Domitor, the emperor of Merdelum called for a war-council meeting in the imperial palace in Merdelum's capital, Alma. With him at the table sat his wife to his right, Empress Victoria.

The personal guard of the Emperor sat to his left, Erik Haduwig Denholm, and the remaining seats were occupied by representatives of all dukedoms of Merdelum, as well as his advisors for finances and military matters. However, as usual, the representative of Terouge was missing, which the Emperor ignored.

"Your Imperial Highness, I do not believe that this will be necessary! If we are just given more time, we could-", the military advisor started, but he was waved off by the emperor before he could finish the proposal.

"This has gone far enough. Too much blood has been spilt on our lands, it is time to act. What kind of leader would I be if I just continued to helplessly watch my empire being trampled by these savages?", he stated.

It was then his wife loudly slammed the table with her fists and rose from her seat.

"Is there really a need for you to go that far? Why not send Sir Denholm and the Knights of the White Order alone? What are we to do if you were to get harmed while recklessly charging the front? What of the empire? What of your family? What of us?", the irate empress asked him, tears held back in her eyes. She had been against his proposal ever since he first asked her, but no matter how much she pleaded, there was no getting through to him.

"It is as you said, Sir Denholm will go, as will his knights, and they will be joined by the other Zodiacs to deal with both the orcs and those war-machines. However, what if that is not enough? Remember when I got this sense of dread, as if something bad was going to happen, right before Edenia vanished from the sky? It might just have been a coincidence, though what if it was a premonition? I started having this very same feeling recently, and it caused me many a sleepless night as it kept growing stronger. We are sending half of our strongest forces to deal with this threat! If some unforeseen variable were to catch them by surprise, wiping them all out, the damage to the Empire may not be mendable."

"Have you forgotten the words of the Luminary? Why not send her and her paladins instead? What are they doing while others are out there, risking their lives for our people?", Victoria asked, which caused all other attendees to become uncomfortable. The current leader of the Ardent Path was greatly disliked by the majority of Merdelum's nobles due to changes she made within the temples which favoured commoners and treated them as equals to those of higher status, which led to those who opposed her to slander her name, calling her a manipulator and someone who falsly accused the previous luminary of crimes just so she could inherit the position.

"As you know, the Order of the White Sun is currently occupied with the task of protecting the people in the absence of those who are needed at the front-lines. We cannot wait for things to escalate to a point where we would need to employ them as well, have to act now! And as the commander of the army and one of this empire's strongest, it is my duty to go where I am needed.", Godrick explained.

Empress Victoria looked her husband in the eyes, and, seeing his determination, sank defeatedly back into her seat.

"...It pains my heart, but I can see why you came to this conclusion. Just promise me to never be without guards, and, at the first signs of something that would put you in mortal danger, fall back and return, no matter the cost!", she pleaded.

Godrick looked at her, and clasped her hands with his.

"I shall return by your side after things have been taken care of at the front, no matter what. May the gods be my witness!", he announced, his hands faintly glowing in a white light for a second as he did so.

A promise made with the gods as one's witnesses often is without consequence if one does not specifically call upon Maahes, the God of Honour, or Forsetti, the Goddess of Truth, as most other gods rarely listened to those they deemed insignificant. However, such a promise given by someone like Godrick, a man recognised by the leader of the Ardent Path, will not pass them by, and, if he were to break it, a violent death would follow, courtesy of Rasa, the Goddess of Justice.

As this served as a proof of Godrick's sincerity in keeping his promise, it seemed to calm the Empress, if only a little.

"However, I will accompany you to Caelum, so you may return to me by just a week earlier.", she stated before giving him a chaste kiss on the lips.

Godrick nodded in approval, and rose from his seat.

"So be it! Make haste in preparing for our departure, and relay my orders to the Knights of the White Order to increase their alertness to the highest grade! Master Kain?"

All but Erik, Victoria, and Godrick himself started to look around who the emperor was addressing, as there was no one by that name present in the room. However, as their eyes turned back to Godrick, they noticed that someone was now standing next to him, having appeared without a noise announcing his presence.

The man was clad in pitch-black attire which seemed to be a mixture of leather and metal, with the metal parts shielding his joints and vital organs. His face appeared to be hidden beneath the darkness of the hood which covered his hair, though on closer inspection, one would notice that it was a mask made out of dark metal. Though no one dared to voice it out loud, even the uninitiated instantly recognised that it had to be a member of the Eclipse Order, the secret division of Merdelum's knights which protected the empire from the shadows, and seeing as he was referred to by Godrick as master, it had to be one of their highest ranking members.

"The Eclipse greets the Golden Sun of the Empire.", the man announced as he kneeled before the emperor, who motioned him to rise. His voice was bland and without imperfections, almost as if he trained himself to make it sound as unremarkable and forgettable as possible.

"I need the location of enemy camps within our border, the numbers of soldiers, and the position of both the leader of the orcs and every single war-machine under their command within 3 months. Will that be possible?"

"Of course. We will personally send the reports to you, as well as any changes that occur before you reach your destination."

"Make a copy of these reports and deliver them to the commanders at the front-lines as well. You may send them to me through Victoria's personal guard. Dismissed."

Upon being dismissed, the man bowed once more, before vanishing in the shadows behind him, just as quiet as he had appeared.

"With that out of the way, there is nothing more to discuss. May the Light of Order guide us all on the Ardent Path!"

"May we receive its guidance!", the others replied.