The blaze of a cigarette, pinched between two fingers, shone alit from a filling breath of air. Its end was reduced to ash, which with a tap, broke and disintegrated. A puff of smoke expelled on what was a fine day, relaxed on his own accord. The highway of wind blew, bearing down from above where he could see almost the edges of the world. He was sat in between the realms which appeared to be the same distance either way, from reaching the ground below to touching the clouds above. Gazing into the far, uncaring of any happenings below, the officer was supposed to oversee the exercise which had become a frenzy of developing tactics. On an open field on his bank of the river, just beside a vast forest that stretched to the edges of the known country, squads of cadets joined arms and marched against another. Two great forces met, perhaps a few dozen participated in that battle alone. At a hundred paces apart, one line was longer than the other which was significantly shorter. But unfazed by their outnumbered ranks, they raised their rifles forward and fired on their own terms. There were no signs of leadership nor were there any judgement of tactics. Clouds of gunpowder thinly veiled the field which soon cleared from the currents. As their visions have been revived, the cadets unsheathed their sabers and ushered a cry as they charged. On the grounds for which they fought over, blades crashed in a battle of carnage. Fighting with a will to endure until victory, it mattered not to them that it was but an exercise as violence began to surface. Although it might have been fascinating to a war tourist, the lieutenant had seen enough. For so many times he had overseen their exercises, not once did it fascinate him.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡock4xxHPVZ
His uniform was soiled by mud and his jacket’s buttons were undone. Dressed improperly, like that of a delinquent, the young man dangled his legs over the viaduct as he pleasured his lungs in the fumes of his smoke. Scratching his long side burns, his hair was a dirty gold with dyed streaks of brown, pulled back by a hair band which has seen better days. The beard on his chin was fashioned like strap that tried to cover instances of his face that was littered by small, whip-like scars. The lieutenant’s physique was humble with an aura that was not imposing. He found no need for anything and was a man who was never troubled. Although, bearing the spitting appearance of Apollo, he would rather serve a role in a play as the god\s lazed brother.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp1Ei2TxcNR
As a sibling of deities, though exiled for being human, he detected a slight whiff of violence unlike those of below. The flowery scent of an eifer. It was unlike any other which brushed by regularly. His senses switched on and his pupils constricted. On the realization that a mixture of fire and lightning was brewing, he looked to the skies stayed bright. Clouds sailed by quicker and flocks of birds suddenly determined that it was best to migrate away from the forest for the time being. Whatever creatures were once there fled from the cadets who had become too embroiled in war, and the overseer of the exercise, the lieutenant could only imagine who they were.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCM5zKtMu8k
“Eifer…?” Adam Skowroński was but a minor instructor and the second-in-command to Ascot, yet he easily perceived it from afar.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsWspo6IkY4
Taking in an extra breath of smoke that was deeper than usual, the burn of his cigarette sprinted until it met its butt. Exhausted, it was disposed of with a flick as the lieutenant stood, finally with work. Holstered tape measurers swung on his belt and he felt his joints creaking from total inmovement for hours trapped in a limbo. Hunched over and drained from having done nothing and from having thought of nothing, a rush of blood from the floodgates which opened from his head blacked his consciousness for a second before it faded back to wake him. Shaking his head and cracking his neck, the pressure in his spine dissolved. Revitalized and recovered, he was ready to act for once, however unwanting he was.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgdtQweDgCL
Stretching, he groaned and yawned like a child rising from bed, “Here we go…” But soon, he was distracted by steps, lightly running towards him down the road of the viaduct.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO5Xfja8LFz
He turned towards the clapping heels on the bricks and found a girl who was alone then. The cadet who had accompanied her on their journey stood at the end of the bridge, unable to cross the crumbled gap. She was fast approaching, perhaps with an emergency. Quick on his mind, the lieutenant realized that it must have been the feeling that he had detected earlier.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEYAzBlITsN
“Lieutenant!” Alexandria called for, without her equipment which was safeguarded by Cerdic on safer ground. “Cadets Reichner and Chō are—” She mentioned their names as she came to slow, but was cut short by a hand which Adam raised.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLWtRS82RNu
“I know, I know.” The lieutenant waved at her to calm.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKePNANCtu3
Sighing, he did not know who it was exactly before Alexandria made her claim, but in his mind, it made absolute sense. From the moment of induction, Adam had noticed some did not quite belong in this merry band but then, everything came together like pieces in a puzzle. Making his way without needing a lead, he passed by the messenger cadet who panted and was dripping with sweat from her climb and sprint. In no rush, the instructor jogged at a leisurely pace with the girl following on from behind. But in his heart, he had hoped that the two at war had not unleashed something that they would regret.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvQuAGtbkgM
A clash had broken free, becoming nothing less than a duel on the battlefield that they had made their own. Formed of anger, each strike grew heavier than the last, with rivalry testing their opponent’s barriers and an ambition to become the king of the cadets and the envy of the other. Their childhood had only built their friendship out of fight. Although the two were no more enemies than Aelon allies were, at the moment, there was not a sign of comradeship. One saw himself as the defender. Another saw himself as authority. The battle was fought in such a manner. Though the cause of the duel had already forgiven the culprit of this fury, Gin could not come to terms with what he was witnessing. Awed by the spectacle. It was unlike any other fight that they had seen on television shows and live demonstrations during the armed forces’ days. But Arminius and Colt were supposed mere cadets to their comrades and friends. Their swords swung endlessly and tirelessly as their individual paces continued to quicken. The heat of battle soared as Colt fought his fight like a dance whilst Arminius fought for an end. The latter could not defend himself forever and moved into an assault. Striking with a flourish of thrusts, his saber was shielded and deflected by the unpredictability of his foe. The blades sanded against each other and began to chip. Splinters were stood on its spines and the wooden swords bore no more. Their cores began to weaken and either sought to end it in one decisive move or to snap. Stepping forward and stepping back, advancing and retreating worked not in anyone’s favor. With neither letting up, it was a gamble of who would make the first mistake. The battle became a race to wear away at their opponent. It was a battle of attrition with much at stake. Honor and pride. The moral code of a martialist.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsZxufH6xqE
“Bets?” Lev relieved the tension across the squads fixated on the duel, unsure of himself for who would succeed.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLqzOTxi3YG
With confidence wedged between fact and possibility, Arber soured the mood, “The two of them will be tossed into the gutters.”86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2nT2Gt4s4p
Battered, Arminius slowed, for his stamina that had been drained without the consistent training that his rival indulged in for only he grew more agile. The thoughts in his head ran between matters of continuation and surrender. A hesitation lurked in him, to expose any more abilities that might alienate himself from all those watching and all those who would know of him soon after. But this creeping awareness of what awaited him became a self-destructive device. When he began to stumble to the loss of his balance, gravity weighed upon him ever more. Launching one foot to anchor himself steady, Arminius was saved albeit in an odd pose. His energies had been wasted to regain his posture and any time for defense had gone. A wooden saber saw its mark and clobbered its body into his leg which felt its joints sprain from the force. His knee had nearly been knocked out of its socket and a pain seeped into his bones. Limping backward to gather his breath, his shield had finally been worn and the stalemate was broken with one strike.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZc9eEnMc1W
There was a reason for his loss and the other cadet was unafraid to deduce from their past spars together. “Still refusing to fight, huh?” Colt shrugged with a victor’s gesture and a grin of glee from the duel.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOopY0og7FB
Unexpecting anything from the defeated, Colt was caught out by surprise. With the snap of thunder, Arminius dashed and thrusted his saber. The tip of the blade pierced through the silent breeze and broke the air before it struck its foe just over his heart. If it was a real blade, then he would have already lost from that single attack. Both had gained from the lowering of their rival’s guard though Colt’s defeat was a touch more severe. It had broken the beats of his heart and his system of blood was at a loss. His cough was hollow and dry and he dropped to the ground, kneeling.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYk97sROGPt
As his lungs sought to heal itself, between his breaths, the Seriker boy spewed a laugh, not that of a maniac, but it held serious delight to have found a capable prey to play with regardless of the pain stabbing his chest. “Never have I thought this would happen so soon…” When Colt raised his head, his pupils had turned a vibrant sky blue.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFPl3pXS3dO
Standing upright and tall, a heatwave coiled around his body. Steaming, his sweat was no more, and the ground around him, once lush with green grass, began to shrivel until they were brown and dry. In the arid climate that he had forged, the last drops of water have been squeezed out of its hosts and evaporated into a vapor of clouds of mist surrounding him.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2NTHKVDwBR
Colt bursted into an influence of heat, once gauged by rationality, as it began to melt away from his nerves and veins. “Hell, why not try it here?”86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUPy4giAQvR
Panting, with his leg pinned by immobility, Arminius shared not the same will to engage, but it became a painful requirement to need to defend himself. As the squads stood around in disbelief of what they were seeing, they stood back further and further, until each was dozens of paces away. The forest opening have become an exhibition for the two to display their splendor in power. Thunder crackled and roared as a streak of lightning dashed across Arminius’s eyes. His eifer whispered and his extremes began to numb. When his numbness have come to encase his every limb, his conscious ability have been reduced to controlling his mind and heart. His spirit and soul were granted the piloting seat to drive his every movement that brought onwards a stance that terrorized his childhood. Open and luring. Denying and aggressive. His saber was held to his side with much of the blade hiding behind him, he staggered ahead to bait his opponent into an attack before casting his decision to act. Then, something dashed towards them with incredible swiftness, whipping by like a brisk gale. Leaves glided and the mist broke. The heat subsided and the thunder was quelled. A figure stood between them then, breaking the contact of the rivals’ eyes. Daring too, his speed was unmatchable, for his shadow had to chase the man. It was clear to the cadets who it was but the pair, whose eyes widened in shock, had just realized.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl0p0SwcJMc
“Had ‘nough yet, kiddos?” Adam faced each and asked only once.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqWGNN98R5P
Unclipping his tapes from his belt, he flicked and unsheathed them. They were any old measurers but were extended with the might of a pounce from a snake. Its two tongues stretched out and hooked onto the cadets’ collars which the lieutenant lifted them by and pulled. Like a ferocious whip, he flung the boys like steel balls on the end of chains across the dueling grounds, pounding their backs against trees that stopped them from being tossed to the outer reaches of the woodland. Shocked, they lost their grips on their swords and collapsed, face first, onto the earth. Their weapons were detached from their fists and were unable to wreak any further terror. Apart, the rivals laid defeated, realizing then that their bodies had reached their limits, although their adrenaline continued to hike. Alexandria and Cerdic returned out of breath from even foolishly attempting to match Adam’s inhuman pace. Gladdened that his war had come to a close, Gin slumped down by a tree. Julien picked up his feet and sprinted over, gliding to be beside Arminius, as the rest of the squads closed in to study the battlefield that had become a field study of sorts. Flowers have been trampled and fauna shivered from the disturbance. The drought distributed beneath Colt’s feet had cleared the forest ground and reduced all life into a coating of dust.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaDERwAmEPt
Without a hint of agitation in his voice despite it all, Adam warned the lot. “Da rest o’ youse, not a word.” Shedding a glance at Arminius and Colt whose souls have departed from their bodies upon wasting such a vast sum of eifer needlessly, the lieutenant could not dismiss the fact that their ability would prove useful on the field but he was faced with a dilemma.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqz5aYgcPHG
Whether to free them or not for their acts of insolence. The cadets heard but not listened, they knew to accept whatever was to come afterwards whether it was the likeliness of punishment or their naivety of reward, they both thought they had done right.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM7wkFvDamy
“As fer y’all,” Pinching the bridge of his nose with the annoyance of making his judgement, Adam addressed the trouble-makers with his heaviest sigh in a while. “You’ve earn’d yerselves a week in the ditch.” It needed to be done, lest with leniency, even when any punishment was often disapproved by the lieutenant who holstered his tape measurers with a shake of his head.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcMSFYhBcTm
Staring at the sky with his breath beaten out of him, the adrenaline that charged his body began to wear off. The pain crept from his legs to his ribs and any slight movement was sore. He saw that Julien was calling for him with his name, but everything have been silenced. Every word have been censored except for those uttered by the cawing crows who had returned before any other creature. In a state of conscious coma, Arminius dragged himself into meditation that Julien quietened to respect. As only Alexandria helped Colt up, whose skin she felt was boiling, Arminius was sat up by squadmates who tended to him more. Numbed and paralyzed, he had to take a few minutes to rest, with an arm wrapped around Julien who helped him up. Settled just paces away, buried under the blanketing litter that glided down from the rattled canopy, was a sword. Its wood was blackened from the sparks of clashes and its grip was smudged with sweat marks and dirt. The unsharp edge of the blade was dented and the sword itself was bent from the heat of attacks. Leaves covered the weapons that nature desired to forsake, putting to sleep any more destruction that was so careless.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEqdzp1YqBq
Vestige VI
Extract from The Confessions of Thomas Ascot, Pt. V
Recalled on the twelfth day of Marsen, the third month of the year four hundred and ninety-two
In order to maintain the rule of law, punishment must be issued to those who break it. This code of conduct is everywhere, and one would do well to heed it by nailing it into your skin. You were not wrong to decide it, lieutenant, however, I would have granted them the opportunity to speak before a penalty was branded upon them. After all, that was my only wish. That someone had listened to us before the massacre at Ekkleßin, then I would not be here wasting away.
Like you Adam, I was once a criminal. At least, that is what was written in the documents shelved in the capital. But there is a vital difference between a true criminal, a soldier who refuses to fight for a lost cause, and a false criminal, a soldier who fights against the orders of his commander believing very well in certain victory. In other words, insubordination. Think for yourself. What would you do if you’re faced with a commander who refuses to heed your advice or a comrade who refuses to cooperate. Usually, you’d leave them be. Continue on with your orders and dare not question the authority of those above and around you. Act as a loyal soldier like everyone else. However, there comes a time when it is needed to disobey your commander even at the expense of your own life. When victory is sat right before your eyes, would you not seek to snatch it. I was young and I was hesitant. I did only half of what I was meant to do and what I wanted to do. Because of Colonel Thomas Ascot, the confusion which he caused among the middle command shattered any communication between its soldiers and our generals. All because of my selfishness.
Neither cadets were wrong. In fact, the reason for which they fought for is what we strive to implant in the remainder. One fought against acts of insubordination towards himself as the elected section commander. Another fought to protect a comrade from injustice. Who could decide who was wrong except for the gods? Of course, I would not challenge my lieutenant’s decision as I gave you authority to act in my stead, but when you are displayed by a decision split between a corrupted but lawful act and a just but unlawful act, you must make a sensible choice.
— Adam Skowroński86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡURD50qS21O
