On the road to the border, i spent my time comforting Ashley who was crying. I may lack sensibility because although i felt sad, i didn’t care as much as Ashley. The border is a important step for everyone in the family, the children are the insurance of the continuity our lineage. I’m clearly not ready to be dad. Those two years may change the situation for the better.
Grandpa took the lead of the guards during this period, he corrected the walking formation of the guards, organized night Hunts to train them and the magic beast.
I dined with the old Duke, we talked about the Goalball and shared ideas and point of view. He wished for each noble to create a local championship, the next step would be to create a special competition for all the champions. Instead of doing 4 tournaments yearly, we would gave 4 championship more 4 cups leagues as he called them.
This would increase the level of each team giving a better quality of entertainment and further develop the business around the game. The Duke said he would try to expand the game to the other dukedoms and the capital to create a national cup. His Grace was totally into it, he was sad that there wasn’t enough gold knight to play. I suggested him to create a smaller field to play goal ball 3 versus 3. For a moment, he was lost in thought, i didn’t disturbed him. Before we separated he told me, he would try this form of Goalball with the counts families.
The Dukedom is big but most of their northern border is the frontline. all the burden of war belong to the Landerson house, that’s why they are liked, that’s why they are supported by all the eastern noble. If they were to fail or fall, goblins, orc, ogres, trolls would invade the kingdom, the eastern lands would experience a severe loss.
We continued north, the knights serving the duke accompanied us as guides, deeper in the north we went, less trace of civilization could be seen. We saw destroyed habitations, untouched fields which were mixed with wheat and wild plants. We met rank roaming 2 magic beasts, various species could be seen, like rank 2 rats, ragondin, dogs, even rank 1 insects.
We were stopped by patrols, each time our guides gave their owns identities. Only allowed soldiers and nobles could go to the border. It was to avoid scheme of nobles and internal fights. Once a leader of a regiment got killed, by a noble he offended. The next day the monster army pierced the frontline and raided the Duke territory. They burned villages, raped and kidnapped women, they were pushed back after they finished to ransack a city.
After inquiry the Duke house found the noble, the whole family was exterminated by the Landerson. Following this event the Duke house announced, military hierarchy had priority in war. In clear, social status meant nothing in the border, we have a kinder treatment as noble but it stopped there.
We arrive in front of a fortress standing in the middle of two longs wall going left and right of it each sides joined a hill far from the fortress . On the two hills were two fortified camps, i had to use my ability to look at the hills, they were far away. Behind the wall, field could be seen being cultivated, some livestock were eating in a grass field. I could see workers charging carriages with their tools, it seem that the land around the fortress were being developed.
This fortress stayed strong for 25 years, it was built after the loss of the eastern stronghold. 50 years ago, Helias suffered its greatest loss, since that defeat the human side stopped to be on the defensive and began to take actions to win back the lost territory. The current fortress symbolize the victories of the human side, we only conquered a fourth of the lost lands, but we didn’t made great progress in the last years. Ashley and i would start our life in the frontline, we stopped in front of grand iron doors.
« Decline your identities » said a guard who wore the duke armaments.
« We are knights of the former duke Albert Landerson, we are escorting Ashley and John Bladebreaker. » answered one of our guide.
Once the duke knights introduced us, the guards took us to an officer charged to place nobles in their own place.
« Salutations, Sir Bladebreaker, i’m Jordan, i’m in task of the allocation of your lodging and to chose your regiment » said the tall thin man, he was limping toward us.
« Hello, Mister Jordan, i have a question, i wish for my wife and i to be in the same place, is it possible? » i asked respectuously.
« Yes, sir, actually, i was under your father commandment, he sent me a letter approved by Albert Landerson to put both of you in the same regiment. » he said with a smile.
« Good to know, thank you. When did you fight with father? » i asked curiously.
« I was in the infantry for 4 years, your father was the commander in the west side of the border where i was assigned, after our captain death, he promoted me. Unfortunately, two weeks later an orc crushed my leg with a hammer. Your father relocated me in a logistic job. It was 14 years ago.» He told the short resume with a smile.
« Sir, you will meet the duke, like each new noble recruit. You will have to report tomorrow morning at 6 am. You troops have to be ready to be mobilized. Those days the border is too peaceful, there is a high risk of a sudden big raid. » Advised the war veteran.
« Thank you, Mister Jordan for your warnings ». I said gratefully
We followed jordan to a small size building. « Sir its the residence of the Baron ». It was a wooden house wit a small courted. We saw the other houses while coming here. Baron or viscount, all nobles had their own residence with their own design. Our house look like an abandoned house.
« Jordan, why does our family house look like a slum house.» I asked a bit disappointed.
« Sir your father never spent money on this building, time slowly did his job.» He explained.
« I didn’t thought dad days in the front line were that bad.» i said in a sadly.
« Your father was most of his time fighting, only for the rest periods did his stayed here ». he added with admiration.
« My men, wife and me would stay here in days off? » I asked.
« Yes, sir.» Answered the former soldier.
« Is there rules for house modification? » I asked curiously.
« Yes, no tunnel to escape outs the fort are allowed, and the building can’t be a risk to the fortress security.» He said while struggling to remember the rules.
« Thank you for your help, visit us any time for a drink or a meal » I offered.
« I have jobs to do sir, i will take this proposition another time » He quickly said, he turned and left as quick as he could.
« Be my guest anytime » I added.
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Grandpa came to my side, « I built this house forty years ago, look around, that brat didn’t take core of it. There is even holes in the wall ». He critized half seriously, grandpa knew how was our economy.
« Everyone find a place to stay. When we have time, we will build a real estate worthy of us » i declared.
Most of the guards slept cramped in the courtyard, Ashley and i shared the lord bedroom with grandpa, the human guards had their room. We ate the magic beast meat we stocked since the forest cleaning. We have more space bags, mom chose the name. 60 bags, with spare armors, weapons, a lot of food, clothes, money and camping tools. We came on our ranked mounts, accompanied by our pets.
My new house looked like a ruin in the wilderness occupied by an adventurer party. I hope we don’t have to stay in the city for a long time. An assignment would be for the best. We uncomfortably spent the night. Ashley and i had a pillow conversation, and i bet grandpa heard it.
She feels guilty about the babies, she said we will lose all the first times, their first words, first steps, the hugs. Her greatest fear was that they refused to call her mother when they go back. I reconfirmed her, i told her my parents would do their best to avoid making the situation awkward or bad for us. Moreover at our return the children would be only two, we will have a lot of things to teach them, like their first hunt, choosing the first pet, creating a training lesson, teaching them how to read and write. She managed to calm and fell asleep. I’m glad, i let mom and dad experience the sleepless nights, i saw how Eva was a poo factory, we lose good moment but we escaped the worst.
In the morning, the new recruits ran to report to the Duke. Jordan forgot to tell us where we should go. The guards organized their formation, team leader first followed by the soldiers. Ashley and i in the front.
We followed the neighboring nobles. At dawn, i don’t believe these young people would do something if not forced, since i wouldn’t wake up at this hour myself. The sheep strategy paid, the herb went to the shepherd, we were in the right direction.
We went out of the street, i began to doubt when we passed the door of the fort, but i persisted. The guard of each noble would stand in the open field while the noble went to report.
We joined the line of our peer, they were waiting for someone, we waited a quarter of an hour before troops leaded by a man in his thirties same age as dad arrived.
A man left the formation « Military salutation in front of the General Raymond Landerson, commander of the troops of the north-east frontline, ruler of the Dukedom. » screamed the man.
We all stood head high fist on the heart.
« You can all rest » said the duke with a booming voice.
« You are all here, to pass the test of the kingdom. Since the creation of Helias we are at war with the monster empire. For three reasons, first they want to reduce their population, orcs and goblins breed much faster than a rabbit. Second reason, they use us as training tool, their outstanding soldiers are picked thank to their achievement in war while the worthless dies. And the third reason, a knight energy is like an alchemy potion who can help them to rank up. To conclude we are in their eyes food and a hope for a better social status. Peace is not an option.
Unfortunately, the kingdom give us less and less means by the year, in the last decade we have lost a lot of ground to the enemy. Your duty in this story is simple. DO NOT FUCK UP » he screamed before continuing. « This test is a formality for those who only wish to inherit. It doesn’t mean i will give my acceptance to a coward who only run for his life. Do your job and you will pass. For this who wish to promote their house » he let a small break. « Impress me » he said with a smile.
That was a good speech, the people around me looked more relaxed, some sighed in relief, other had ambitious eyes. The duke tuned around and went back to the fort with 5 men as and escort, the rest of the army stayed.
« I am Baron Calenzana, i work under the Duke House, i am in charge of your assignment. The men to my side are officer in the army, noble and commoners are their status. When you came here you lost your rights as son of a noble house. Here you are young recruits and will be considered as such. Don’t use your status, in front of a commoner or you will suffer an harsh punishment. I will call your name and tell which officer you will follow.
Name were called, people moved, half an hour later I heard my name « John Bladebreaker to the eastern gorge, under colonel Rufus Magnolia. ». I took a step forward when my name was called. I headed where the group under the colonel was. « Ashley Bladebreaker, … the same as your… » he looked at her « Husband » she completed. He nodded and she came to my side. Around us there were 22 other young nobles, who came to defend their rights to their family titles.
The colonel was an old man in his sixties, his size was average, he was thin, but his aura was intimidating. « I’m colonel Rufus Magnolia, we wait for the last one before i brief you on your duties in the eastern gorge. » he has a rough and powerful voice.
The last noble was a woman with a large sword on her back. « Hello miss, i would advice you to change your weapon for a short one. The place we will fight is narrow. » commented the colonel.
« I will introduce myself, Rufus Magnolia, 64 years, Bronze knight, commoner, i joined the military 46 yeas ago for my military service like a lot of young commoners. I stayed for the pay and i'm still here because i offended to much nobles ». he cut his speech by a laugh.
« For me, this place his safer than my birth place. Boys, girls, we need to be clear, i don’t give a shit about nobles. I only care about military ranks. Here right now, you are team leaders if you came with an escort or simple soldiers if you came with none. How many of you came without an escort? » asked the old man.
No reaction from our side, it seems we all had guards. « Good from left to right, tell me the number of men under your command. » ordered the old officer. Each of my new comrades answered, the smallest escort was of 14 men while the most was Ashley and me with 100.
« You came with 100 soldiers, miss will you order your men or it’s your husband? » asked colonel Rufus.
« We will lead our team separately. However i’m a mage, my troops are my bodyguards. » she explained humbly.
« Oh a mage, what’s the most powerful spell you got.» Mocked the colonel.
« It’s better, if i show it .» She looked toward an empty spot and sang the spell for « Fire strike » a flame came from the ground 7 meters high more than 3 meters wide. « I’m a mid-mage » she finished.
« Sorry young mage, we have a lot of people that wish for preferential care because they can light a fire » said more seriously Rufus Magnolia.
« Your help will be more than necessary in this place void of mages » he added with joy.
« My husband has a mage under his order, if needed too. » i don’t understand why she gave that information now.
« How strong is your mage sir Bladebreaker ? » he asked
« A mid-mage like Ashley, But he has fighting experience, he did a bandits extermination under my command. » i explained.
« It’s a good transition for me. Each one of you will tell his fighting experience, better be the truth if you don’t want to lead an assault you can’t manage. » explained coldly the old man
The girl with the large sword was the most experienced fighter. Two girls who lived the farthest form the border had never been in a fight before. The other members of our group had a least once did a bandit hunt, seems like bandits are a plague in our kingdom.
« All the greenhorns have tested blood at least once, that’s good. For you two, you have to adapt fast. The eastern gorge garrison suffered a loss 4 months ago. We controlled the two exits with a wall between the two cliffs. We lost the first point that lead to the Lost lands. Our army was flooded overnight by goblins. Our scouts didn’t report, they are certainly dead, we were taken by surprise, with only one choice left, i ordered the retreat to the second wall. Now the gorge is infested by goblins, luckily they didn’t find a way to climb the cliffs. Most of the fight happens in the gorge where goblins can’t use a flood tactic, for the first 3 kilometers of the gorge its large enough for 5 men to stand side by side. Goblins are good climbers, they take posts in the lower part of the cliffs and shot us down when we enter the gorge. None of our teams returned with their full number, causalities are a daily occurrence. We have two duties, keeping our side of the gorge and taking back the second exist, before they find a way to clim the gorge because once done we would lose the natural barrier. » He let us a few second to digest the information.
« Go get your escort we leave as soon as your ready ». Ordered the old man.
We all joined the old man, we left immediately, we went out of the long walls, from the exterior they were dark green a proof of their efficacy. We walked along the wall toward the east for 4 hours to arrive to our first check point