Dark Wolf's Awakening

by Ryan Evans

  Tristan glanced up at where I was sitting, and we made eye contact. There were questions there, and no small amount of fragility. I smiled and gave a nod to convey my support. I’d have to find a way to talk to him later. I didn’t know if he understood the gesture, but he nodded back and turned towards the center of the ring.

  As Tristan turned back to the field, I caught Aaryn looking at me. She noticed our exchange. Technically, it was considered improper to fraternize with the trainees. In the houses eyes, they weren’t real soldiers yet.

  I shrugged and turned back to scanning the other participants. Aaryn’s eyes lingered on me a moment before turning away. My discomfort at being watched didn’t completely go away as several trainees still watched me from across the field.

  I caught Iglias’ eye next; he gave a slight bow, and I happily noted none of the anger or rage resurfaced from our earlier confrontation. I bowed back to let him know all was well. After our exchange, he turned back to his duties as a referee during the matches.

  Selene took her position in the ring. A black eye graced her face and various bruises dotted her arms. By her movement, her ankle was also swollen. Despite her condition, an air of determination radiated from her. I respected the fact that she wouldn’t go down without a fight.

  “Sergeants, you may begin the finals,” Karsam spoke out into the arena loudly. His booming voice echoed over the arena grounds.

  After his announcement to the arena, Karsam turned to us as Selene and her opponent began to circle each other. “Valian, you probably aren’t aware of this, but it is customary for the new lieutenants that attend graduation day to select their first squad of fifteen soldiers from among the participating trainees. The selection includes three sergeants from the graduate class’s instructors and twelve new recruits. All the sergeants assigned to the graduating class will be re-entering the regular house army regardless of your selection, so don’t worry about picking someone. If you wait until the results of the tournament, the four of you will take turns selecting members. If you’d like to make selections before the final results, your selections are secured. You’re in a uniquely advantageous spot to build your ideal squad, and the other lieutenants have already declined the right to choose a squad early,” Karsam said. It was clear that he was trying to stay positive and engage me.

  I thought about who I would like to join my squad. Without hesitation, I told him Sergeant Iglias and the two sergeants that assisted him during the last year. They might not have been the most impressive looking, but all three worked well together and knew how to handle a group of raw soldiers. That led me to my selection of soldiers. I could pick the best fighters from the class, but that didn’t seem right. Thinking over my choices, I decided to try to build a squad I thought would learn quickly and work well together instead.

  Of course, my first pick was Tristan. He was my best friend but also a fast learner. His running speed and endurance were also great assets. Next, I chose Selene. I didn’t know all that much about her, and I detected a bit of a loner’s attitude, but her determination and drive were real. She’d just lost her match, but she’d made her opponent work for their victory.

  The rest of the thirteen I selected included various men and women I had trained with or watched that had impressed me for one reason or another. Only four of my selections were in the top twenty of the current tournament; the other eight were already eliminated.

  After I selected my final squad members, Colonel Karsam signaled for one of the sergeants to come over and take down all the names so they were removed from the selection list. “Sir, what will happen to those not selected?” I asked, realizing that there would be thirty new graduates not selected by the lieutenants tonight.

  “They will be spread amongst the veteran squads we’re meeting up with in a couple of days. In some ways it will be easier on those not chosen as they’ll be placed with veterans that have seen at least one campaign already. The veterans can protect them while offering additional training. With this class’s graduation, we’ll be going into the season’s campaign with three hundred soldiers. One hundred veterans have been left back to protect house assets in and around Tor’s Rest,” he explained.

  Despite the better training and living conditions of house armies, many soldiers didn’t live long enough to finish their twenty year commitment. To combat the constant losses, houses hosted continuous battle academies to keep house armies properly filled and growing. There were even instances where large battles wiped out entire forces, leaving a noble house weakened with the burden of rebuilding from scratch. Such harsh demands on their soldiers were why house leaders were only obligated to one campaign for every five-year period.

  Regardless of how rough being a soldier for the nobility was, serving in the imperial army was worse. Imperial training focused on getting people to the field quickly. They didn’t focus on strategy training or learn to read and write like house troops. Instead of focusing on developing recruits to their maximum potential, the empire focused on fielding the largest armies possible. It was a simple numbers game.

  During my musings, several fights finished, and one of my other squad picks lost but gave a good showing. Tristan stepped into the ring for his first round, and I eagerly awaited his performance.

  He looked a little healthier from when I’d first seen him on the field. His regeneration was still working on improving his condition. Tristan and his competitor drew double daggers as their weapon for their fight.

  Tristan’s luck always amazed me. I knew his opponent, who was aptly named Brutus. In the academy, we knew him as a bully that used his size to dominate fights. That would work with a lot of weapons but not with small blades. Daggers were fast, and in that regard Tristan held the advantage.

  The match started and Tristan took the initiative. He charged, covering the distance between himself and Brutus before he set his stance. Tristan swiped with both blades at the same time, one high and one low. Both of Brutus’ weapons blocked the high blade, allowing Tristan to connect with the outside of his knee then pull back in what would have been an effective hamstring maneuver. The attack caused Brutus to lose his balance and fall backwards. If the blades hadn’t been dulled training blades that attack would have meant death. We’d been taught several vital spots that, if cut, would end an enemy.

  Tristan used Brutus’ fall and slashed up both inner thighs with his blades. I pitied Brutus for a moment. Even blunted blades would hurt when jammed into such a sensitive area. The judge announced Tristan’s victory and my friend made it to the second round of the finals.

  “That’s one of your picks isn’t it Valian? How do you forgive such a dishonorable victory? I’m surprised he wasn’t disqualified,” Stephan asked with a tone of voice that conveyed his disapproval. I wondered a moment if Colonel Karsam would jump in, but a glance back told me he was leaving me to fight my own battles.

  “What part of his victory struck you as dishonorable, Stephan?” I asked in a calm voice. “He knocked down his opponent before he reacted. He then dispatched his foe in the safest way possible.” I continued, not understanding his anger.

  “I’m quite proud of Tristan’s display. The only critique I might have is that he should have moved up to the armpit or throat right after his groin slashes. A noble might regenerate from the original wound,” I said in a no-nonsense way. Stephan might have been a shade of red brighter than I remembered the last time I’d looked over at him.

  “This isn’t a game. I want my soldiers to eliminate anyone or anything set against them with brutal efficiency,” I finished. My voice became more firm with the conviction of my beliefs. In my excitement, my aura slipped a small amount, subtly sharing my conviction with the entire stadium.

  “Humph” Stephan’s replied with his nose up in the air. He turned back towards the competition field ending our exchange. Our conversation was clearly over.

  I looked over and saw Saundra’s anger at my disagreement with her brother. Aaryn though, had
an appraising look on her face, and I thought I might have seen approval somewhere in there. I caught a warning expression from Colonel Karsam and brought my emotions back down. It surprised me how the sergeants and trainees relaxed as soon as I suppressed my aura again.

  Several more fights finished and eliminated my other squad pick left in the finals. Tristan now represented all that was left of my squad in the competition. That my picks lost didn’t surprise me. When I made my choices, I chose a team, not individual stars.

  “Correct me if I’m wrong young Valian, but aren’t all but one of your picks already eliminated?” Major Umbra asked, speaking to me for the first time since my introduction. His tone sounded like a neutral observation, and he never took his eyes from the current match. It didn’t fool me, his criticism of my squad selection was clear.

  There were only four more fights in the tournament, and I didn’t expect Tristan to go any further. His last win only happened because of luck, and that luck couldn’t hold with the talent arrayed against him. “Yes sir, you’re correct. Trainee Tristan is the only one still in the competition,” I answered back with an even tone as if I missed his point.

  My reaction to his question threw him off for a moment. “Don’t you want to change some of your picks then?” He asked in an exasperated voice as if he was talking to an idiot.

  “No sir, I’m happy with the squad members I’ve chosen,” I said conveying my satisfaction with my selections.

  “I see. Well, there is no accounting for intelligence in a bastard noble it seems,” Major Umbra said. His words were an unexpected insult. I had the choice to either let it go or confront him. Regardless of what I wanted to do, only one answer worked. As a superior officer in the house army and an established member of Silvanti House’s noble court, confronting him was a bad decision.

  I swallowed down the anger just under the surface and took a deep breath. With gritted teeth I choked out, “Thank you for sharing your opinion, sir.”

  We spent the rest of the finals in silence. The Umbras clearly stood as a unified front, and the major was only willing to let insults to his children go so far. As things stood, we would never be friends, which didn’t bother me after today. I only hoped it would go better with the other nobles in House Silvanti as I met them.

  In my interactions, Aaryn remained an unknown. Her silence led me to believe she didn’t care about my new station inside Silvanti House. As the house heir, she had the potential to wield huge political power and be an important ally.

  My only clear support came from Colonel Karsam. The problem with that was that he couldn’t openly express it. Showing favor would only draw suspicion.

  Tristan was illuminated in his next bout. He drew a single spear match against a larger, stronger trainee. He tried his best, but couldn’t get within his opponent’s reach. It wasn’t long before his opponent dealt him a killing blow. As a consolation, his opponent went on to win the tournament in a brutal sword and shield match.

  At the conclusion of the tournament, the sergeants dismissed the trainees to clean up and prepare for the evening’s ceremonies. Only hours before, I’d been among them. Now, I sat with the other officers in silence, waiting for the arena to empty.

  I had hoped to talk to Tristan before he left the arena, but there was a clear expectation to remain seated. I wanted to congratulate him on his performance. He’d done better than I’d expected of him.

  Several hours stood between us and the graduation ceremony, so, after the trainees all left, we adjourned to the officers’ barracks to wait in the common room. Upon our arrival, I noticed several house slaves stood on the wall to one side of the room. They all stood stock still unless called on to bring refreshments to the waiting officers. Lathian wasn’t among them. Instead, he stood near Colonel Karsam’s seat, casually reading a book. He was clearly allowed more freedom than regular slaves.

  Stephan ordered something from an attendant as soon as we entered. The young female scurried from the room and returned a short while later. The glass she carried seemed to be the same beverage Karsam and I shared earlier.

  “I told you all that there would be no alcohol until after the ceremony, and I meant it. Get rid of the drink, and I better not find out anyone disobeyed me,” Karsam said loudly, scowling as he looked at Stephan. The attendant, caught in the crossfire, froze for a moment before rushing out of the room. I pitied the attendant, but shook the thought away as she’d escaped punishment herself. If Karsam didn’t wish for anyone to know of our earlier drinks, I wouldn’t be the one to say anything.

  An attendant carrying a tape measure appeared in the doorway while everyone settled into the room. The woman was clearly there for me, but I didn’t want my measurements taken in front of the other officers. I excused myself and stepped out to greet the older woman before she made it through the entrance.

  “If you don’t mind, I’d like to do the measuring in the hall” I said, smiling at the woman. She gave a quick nod, but said nothing and kept her eyes down. She seemed to be nervous the entire time she took my measurements and excused herself immediately after she finished without saying a word.

  I stepped back into the room with the other nobles. They lounged on the large padded chairs and discussing various topics. I didn’t have the patience for another round of socializing, so I walked to the bookshelves and looked at the various titles.

  After some time went by, an attendant brought in a long scroll and unwound it on the dining table. The others, noticing the attendant’s arrival, got up and moved over to the table. Curious about what was happening, I followed them over.

  A seriousness filled the room as the other lieutenants took up seats around the scroll. Colonel and Major Umbra took seats a little further away. I stood back as no one indicated that I should take a seat.

  As I got within range to read the words on the scroll, I realized that it contained an alphabetical list of all the trainees’ and sergeants’ names in the senior class. The list showed the trainees’ rankings in the foot race and tournament beside them, and next to the sergeants’ names were their years of service. I followed the names down to my own name, finding it crossed out with a black line. Upon seeing that, a dull ache radiated through my chest. My classmates and I lived in different worlds now.

  A ‘v’ stood out beside the names of my fifteen squad picks. Inspecting my selections, I saw the results of the race and sparring tournament and the time in service of my sergeants. Everything was about what I’d expected when I made my selections.

  At some unknown signal, the other lieutenants took turns picking their squad members. Aaryn, as the house heir, went first. She picked a sergeant first instead of a trainee. After her first selection, Stephan then Saundra made selections. They took turns until all three of them claimed a full squad of fifteen soldiers. While they looked as if they hadn’t been paying attention, each of the lieutenants utilized a strategy when making their decisions.

  Aaryn seemed to value experience in her sergeants as she only picked those with over fifteen years of service. Stephan picked fighters that made it to the finals. Saundra picked the most aggressive trainees. As the patterns emerged from their selections, I made a note to myself that underestimating these people could be a costly mistake.

  Chapter 5

  An hour and a half later found us standing before the assembled trainees and sergeants on a raised platform. The trainees all wore their new tabards which had been sized for them by a tailor within the last week. Their leather armor underneath had been polished, and they were a striking image arrayed on the field. Their tabards looked just like a house army soldier’s uniform except it was missing the house crest over the right side of the chest. The sergeants had those and would pass them out among their training squads after Colonel Karsam spoke to the assembled group. It would be each soldier’s responsibility to sew them on after the ceremony.

  They’d timed the event to start just as the sun sank below the horizon. That meant that the traine
es assembled late in the afternoon and stood at attention as the sun slowly set. It represented the last test in discipline before their graduation.

  As a member of the nobles in attendance, it meant sitting in a chair in silence for an hour as I watched my ex-classmates sweat in the fading light. Once the sun was down, large torches were lit at the four corners of the formation, bathing the assembly in a harsh light and deep shadows. At that point, we nobles all stood and Colonel Karsam stepped forward to address the trainees. The entire thing inspired pride and awe in the newest members of Silvanti House’s forces.

  I had to give them credit for their approach; it worked. As the sun dipped, and the soldiers stood at attention, I saw their fervor rise. It culminated when the large torches were lit, and I could see the unwavering loyalty in every new soldier before me.

  Looking out at those assembled before us, Colonel Karsam cut a striking and intimidating figure. He spoke passionately about how wolf-kind were the pride and backbone of the empire, and how House Silvanti was among the greatest of wolf-kind. He spoke of how these soldiers were ensuring their house’s continued prosperity. He stressed that each one of them would have the chance to attain glory while making a difference. He spoke at great length of honor and how these troops had all risen to the call of personal duty. As he covered all of these topics, the eyes of every new soldier shone with pride. As a new soldier myself, I felt it too.

  Throughout his speech, Karsam’s aura stretching out over all those assembled. While his words inspired, add to them his persuasive aura, and you had the perfect indoctrination speech. I learned then you didn’t have to dominate someone’s will to make them loyal, a gentle nudge at the right time worked just as well. It was a powerful notion.

  In truth, Silvanti House was a medium ranked house among the nobles in the eastern part of the empire. It didn’t matter. He could have asked any of the soldiers assembled before him to leap to their deaths, and they would have gladly carried out the order by the end of his speech.