Sixteen – Promotion & Knowledge Part Two

The next day, during the lunch break, Raidon quickly stops by the library to pick up his book. Unfortunately, the book is not ready yet. The clerks don't know how to tell the difference between the different sets of books. The only way for them to find a specific book is to read a number of pages in it and then compare the books.

Fortunately, Raidon can show them how they can recognize the different series. Once they know that, the right book is quickly found. It turns out that there are only two books of the second level of the soldier series. Also, one book has been found that could be of the third level, but that book has become completely unreadable. Probably there was once a leak where the books were stored.

That same evening, Raidon begins to read his new book. When he quickly flips through the book, he finds out that this book is mainly about how to set up a camp. This includes the supply, the safety of the camp and even more information that has to do with this. The information in this book is also much more extensive than in the first book. As a result, Raidon seems to have a lot more difficulty with this book than with the first.

Suddenly he realizes that the information in the first book was also difficult to understand, but that it became easier and easier later in his studies. It's clear to Raidon that the connection with his armor makes learning the books easier, but that he still has to work hard for it.

The first part of the book is not too bad. Here the duties of a sergeant are described. A sergeant's main task is to take care of his platoon, both during battles and out of it. It is the sergeants who assign the tasks to carry out an order from the captain. Usually it is the sergeants who know their soldiers the best, since captains and the higher ranks have too many soldiers under them to know everyone personally.

Raidon closes his eyes and tries to reflect on what he has learned so far. Apparently, however, he is more tired than he thought. He falls asleep and the next thing he knows is waking up from the morning bell.

Once a week the recruits have a rest day. On such a day, the recruits only have to march their laps around the camp followed by a session of sword fighting. The rest of the day they can take care of their equipment and relax. This is to ensure that their muscles can develop faster.

Normally you would think that training more and longer makes you stronger faster, but the manuals explain that your muscles should also be able to rest, at which time they can recover and develop. Such a rest day is therefore beneficial for muscle growth.

This is something that is not known at the military academy these days. Probably that is mainly because it has never been necessary there. Everyone at the academy is very rich or of has a noble background. That is why a leisurely pace is maintained.

That this knowledge is now being used, is because there are books from the old legions that Major Quinn and his people can read. These are mainly the books for the affiliated armies. Most other books remain a mystery to anyone who is not a member of the New Legion.

Today is such a rest day, and it's a good time for the recruits of both platoons to question Raidon and the others in his squad about what exactly happened during the battle a few days ago. Everyone has heard a few things, but those are bits and pieces that they have heard from the group.

After lunch, everyone gathers together on the training field to take care of their harnesses and equipment. In the meantime, they can hear the whole story. Some of the older recruits are rather skeptical that Raidon, as the youngest of the group, has taken the lead. Still, everyone has to admit that his tactics have worked.

However, one of the recruits from the second platoon continues to complain all the time. This is one of the older recruits, somewhere between thirty and forty, Raidon guesses. His name is Brandon. He has black hair and he used to be a carrier in the city. This makes him one of the strongest men among the recruits. Brandon believes that someone as young as Raidon should not take a leadership role. He doesn't care who or what you are, when you're that young, you have to show respect for everyone who's older.

Brandon continues to make critical remarks about all the choices Raidon made during the battle. As a result, Raidon often has to keep repeating and justify himself. In the end, Raidon's patience runs out.

"If you don't agree, you're going to have to get promoted yourself," he says. "You can do that by reading your manual and memorizing it. Then your harness will probably give you a promotion after a while. Then you can make your own decisions. Until then, it would be nice if you don't keep giving your negative comments about things that have worked pretty well."

Then he also advises the rest of them to read the manual, because then they can not only get promoted but also have more chances of survival in a fight.

The confrontation is the signal for everyone to break up and do their own things.

In the following weeks, everything remains pretty much the same. The training of the recruits is getting easier and easier. It is now becoming clear that many recruits are better at some things than others. For example, it seems very easy for Raidon to remember the knowledge in the manuals, while for some others, such as John, it is much more difficult. John, on the other hand, has it much easier with some physical things. This makes it almost impossible for him to lose his balance, and when he has to run an obstacle course, he never falls.

There are additional tasks that need to be done each week besides the training, such as patrols and exercises. The officers (especially the captain) treat everyone, including Raidon and his crew, as recruits. What is different is that the recruits are now more motivated to read their manuals. Some are having an easier time than others, but within each squad there is always someone who can help the others where it’s needed.

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Raidon himself continues to study hard in both of his manuals. He even managed to get an extra book from one of the clerks of the library. It is a small booklet, which tells about the bond between the old legions and the affiliated units. These affiliated units were part of the armed forces of the old empire, but were not fully part of the core army, the legions. Raidon is interested in the different types of units that were connected. Not only sailors, scouts and cavalry were part of these, but also people such as instructors, clerks and servants. There were many more, but this part is important to Raidon. People such as instructors and clerks for example, were deployed when there were not enough experts within the legions and they were needed to complete a mission.

Just like with our training, Raidon thinks.

Raidon has asked Morris, the instructors' captain, if there are any maps he can look at. But he tells him that the officers did not give permission to teach map reading and such to them. They are going to become soldiers and they will get officers from the regular army to command them. These will have their own training, where map reading is also taught.

This means that Raidon only has the drawings from his manuals. There are only a few examples in this, such as those of a standard army camp. Nevertheless, he tries to teach himself to read maps through these drawings. That is still quite difficult, because the environment is very different than at the time of the old empire. Also, the drawings are not nearly as detailed as the maps that lie in the staff building.

Meanwhile, the unity between the recruits is getting stronger and stronger. Especially between the recruits who sleep together in a dormitory, a close bond develops. Gareth turns out to be someone to whom others can go with their problems. Raidon for example likes to be able to tell someone about how insecure he is sometimes. John's place in the group has also improved tremendously these days. He still struggles sometimes with the discipline that is demanded, but with the help of the others, he gets through every inspection.

Three weeks after the battle, an announcement is made. Major Quinn has been given new orders. He is promoted to commander and given a division of the regular army to train and command. This means that Captain Bras will take over the position of camp officer as the highest ranking officer left. It is the first appointment for Captain Bras in which he is the highest ranking officer. An important position for him.

The transfer takes place on the same day. Captain Bras gives a speech for the occasion

"As of today, some changes will be made. In my opinion, this camp can function better than it does now. In the coming days, everyone will be told what will change."

After this short speech, Captain Bras leaves for the staff building. Apparently he doesn't think it's necessary to get too involved with the men under his command.

Yet the changes start that very same day. Despite the protests from Major Quinn, who has not yet left, the recruits are only fed ration bars at lunch. Meanwhile, Major Quinn sits with Captain Bras in the officers' canteen, where the food is stunningly luxurious.

Major Quinn speaks to Raidon just before he leaves.

"I can't agree with how those armors of yours award promotions," major Quinn begins, "but the way Captain Bras is working now isn't right either. When I get to the capital, I will file an official protest. With a bit of luck it will turn out better for you soon after that."

"I hope so, sir," Raidon replies. "So far, the training has been tough, but it was doable. If the captain continues like this, then I don't think we can last long. And we haven't even seen the other changes!"

Major Quinn accepts Raidon's assessment of the situation with a nod, after which he leaves.

Meanwhile, there are more and more changes happening in the training camp. There is already a regulation posted on the door of the canteen that all days off have been canceled. The day after, there is another regulation that the massages have stopped and that the training has been adjusted. Apparently, this is how Captain Bras relays his orders to his men. Very different from the way Major Quinn worked. When he was still in command, he addressed the men and explained why he made certain decisions.

The new training schedule means that only sword fighting is practiced. There is no more marching or working on formations. The men have to practice all day with their swords, and in a very different way than they are used to. Where until now the greatest attention was given to short stabbing weapons, now only longer swords are used that are intended to cut instead of stab.

The only thing that has remained the same so far are the patrols. But that too doesn’t last long. Two days later there is a new schedule for the patrols. There are more than twice as many patrols to be done!

On the first patrol of the new schedule, the recruits immediately notice that somebody else is in charge. The pace has increased and the captain's bodyguards are in charge. These now ride horses at the front of the patrol, except when they go along the column to use the whip to increase the pace. These whips are also something new under Captain Bras.

Within a week, everyone is exhausted. Even the instructors look jaded. Only Captain Bras and his bodyguards are still in a good mood.

Again, new rules are set. From now on, the instructors must ensure that the recruits do their utmost best. If they don't try hard enough during a workout, their dinner can be withheld. In fact, instructors who are not strict enough can suffer the same punishment. At every lesson there is a guard who supervises the training, to ensure that the recruits are dealt with strictly.

Within three weeks of Captain Bras being put in charge, most of the recruits are fed up with it. There is even talk of trying to quit and get out of the army.

One evening Raidon starts reading his manual again, although the light is very bad this evening. While reading, he mumbles to himself: "Surely there must be something we can do, we should be soldiers dedicated to Mithras. Not farmers in a slave army."

And then it happens! One of the pages at about a third into the book begins to shine. Raidon slowly turns the pages until he reaches the illuminated page. Some of the text on it has been alight.

The text tells again about the relationship between the old legions and the other regular army units. Although the legions formed an important part of the army, they were also a religious order. Furthermore, each area of the old empire had its own ruler, with its own army. These different armies all had their own chain of command.

In practice, this meant that the legions often had to cooperate with other armies. The officers of the old legions could not give orders to those other units unless they had been 'lent out' to the legions. This could only be done with the agreement of both the commander of the legions and that of the local army.

The officers of these other units could not give orders to the soldiers of the legions either. The soldiers of the legions had their own missions, where they were higher in the chain of command than any officer of a regular army. Even a sergeant could act in this way as he saw fit, even if a senior officer of the local army had very different ideas.

Once Raidon has read the part, the glow disappears. Yet one sentence continues to give light for a few seconds longer. Namely, the part that states that no officer of a regular army can give orders to a legionary.

Raidon is stunned. This means that as the highest in rank, he can take over command of the recruits. They don't have to accept what the captain is doing. They are their own army unit with their own chain of command.

Although it is already late, Raidon immediately summons the others of the first platoon. Not everyone wants to come, because they are exhausted and want to sleep. But even these recruits respond to the tone of Raidon's voice. When the whole pack is gathered, Raidon asks them to open their manuals on page 75 and read the same piece that was illuminated for him. It takes a while and some are a bit faster than others, but slowly everyone gets what Raidon means. Raidon is the highest in rank of the new legion!