The sun flared. It was the height of summer. Although the solstice was a month in the past, the land was still a heat sink. Dry, the wind was no favor, only drawing in warm air without a dime of moisture. The mercury of the thermometer sat on a line nearing forty and the land continued to heat when not a cloud in sight offered it grace. There were no trees for shade and even the tallest bushes around had long lost their leaves to the scalding air. Across the vast plains, flat without end, one gravel path aided the pain of marching. An army traversed in neverending columns, trying to keep their pace, but it was nearly impossible on that sweltering day. Sweat ran from their scalp and brows, wetting their lashes that failed to shade their eyes. Their rations of water ran dry and had to carry on for hours more with empty vessels on their hips. The thought of thirst strangled their throats as the haze in the air became mirages. Visible heat waves burst from the ground where soil soon turned to sand, shining as if the crust beneath their feet had already become glass. The one vibrant blade of grass wilted and what crops left unattended yellowed and perished. Wanting to burrow themselves in hibernation until winter, dreaming of greener land, the troops dragged their feet resiliently. It was becoming less a march but more a torturous walk that even officers would subject themselves to, giving up their saddles to those truly in need, fainting from dehydration at every moment. Whenever one spoke, their lips would crack. Whenever fixing their harnesses and belts, their skin was easily cut. For once being wounded was better than their displeasure.
The wooden wheels of a wagon rolled, however sluggishly when the wagoner had forsaken his whip. His horses painfully dragged his weight and more that seemed heavier whenever a wheel was wedged by a stone. Rocking side to side on the uneven country road, the swaying could easily put one to sleep. But for another, it woke him. A boy’s eyes slowly widened, heavy after a timeless slumber. The hellish light that caused all suffering did not break through the tarp that kept him cool. Hidden under the shelter and shade, even with a jacket and his bandages tight, he did not sense the warmth yet. But his awakening was hardly peaceful as a shadowed face loomed over, startling him.5Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRgs2uMLpaa
“Ya took ya sweet time.” A brute welcomed him on his return to life.5Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡziOB0Whn6P
Trailing behind the wagon, marching with dust in their faces disturbed by the clobbering of hooves and the weight of wheels, a squad came to realize that their comrade was awake.5Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1JCax6fydj
At his usual walking pace, a lancer neared the rear of the wagon, caring not to trip over himself as he leaned on its edge. “I’ve never known anyone who’s slept for a whole day.” Lev jested as everyone thought he would.5Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmEmKB90Kx5
Pushing past him, never did he ever hurry as much as then, Julien placed his hands on the floor of the wagon and leapt aboard as a bump in the road gave him a boost that without, he would have struggled to board. He rushed to Arminius’s side and knelt beside him who stared at the ceiling above. As his arm was held, squeezed by his friend unknowingly, he briefly glanced over and returned to his brooding. Knowing that he was responsive at least, though less talkative than usual, Julien sighed, glad that the most perilous hours had passed.5Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6QfCawtQvS
The repetitive knocks on the planks of the wagon disturbed the waking and brought their attention to a lancer struggling to stand himself. “If he’s awake, mind lendin’ me a seat?” Colt whined with a coarse voice, slumping over as he let himself be dragged along the ground by the horses who struggled to bear any more weight. “My legs are killin’ me…” He cried before he was yanked away by Miklós.
Kicking the earth, Colt was forced to stand as Gin watched him throw a tantrum with a smirk wide on his face. The brute’s arms laid wide along a bench on one side and patted down the dust from his trousers before raising a leg up to conquer all the seats which were empty. An ember in his antagonized rival burned but he lacked the strength to be agitated any more. Colt ceded their conflict even if his pride refused to and resumed his march, noiselessly, with his head tipped down.5Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡllJlR7KDSl
Surrounded by stocks of materials from nails to tarps, banners and thinly undersized mats, there was everything needed to erect field tents, bundled together, Arminius figured that he should rise and return to his duties, if he could remember what they were. But from his sleep, he had forgotten his place and time. Slowly sitting up, Julien held his back and helped him up, his wound on his stomach did not pain much, although he was sure that it would leave a serious scar. Blood rushed from his head to his body, and for a moment, his sight blackened. Blinking, his eyes adjusted to the glaring light that seemed less violent from the sanctuary of shade. Ahead, he faced a squad, his squad, who some flicked two-finger salutes upon seeing Arminius appear from his sleep. Looking around, peering through the cover over the wagon, he could find nothing that could stir his dazed memories. The heads of troops bobbed as they marched with half the shafts of their pitchforks and makeshift spears in view. They were unlike Nikola’s Bohemer who were better dressed and better equipped. These men were permitted chatter as their sergeants and lieutenants allowed, as long as they kept to the army’s pace. Their spirits were higher and their demeanors appeared unconcerned by anything. Over their caps, the flat plains of the country extended endlessly into an infinite space, and in the far background, trees were dotted underneath a sprawling blue canvas. The two colors of the world were equally split and the horizon was uncannily smooth.5Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc9EbLfavus
“Where are we…?” Puzzled by the foreign land, Arminius gazed out into the scene that was simple beauty.5Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS7n0CorluR
In the rank closest to the wagon, a soldier answered with sureness, “A day or two west of Akülonnarchs,” Marching was a task easy for him, even burdened by a bag weighing countless pounds on his back and a sword swinging on his belt. “Eighty leagues at best.” It was Arber who estimated.5Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCuY5D7YUUF
Realizing what had befallen them, Arminius looked down on his hands, quivering and burned by the hilt of his own blade. As the boiling air fed through the wagon, the heat trickled down his neck. His blood itched with blame, faulting himself silently. Julien did not speak, knowing whatever he said would have worsened the pain. With his hands together, Gin lowered his leg from the bench and sat properly, in his own contemplation that he had not yet considered.5Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLOGk3C00nV
Words could not escape his mouth that closed to hide his fear. “We were defeated…” said Arminius, faintly.5Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxziUlph00L
“Adam bought us six hours to retreat,” Julien recalled what Arminius had missed, his eyes lowering before his head followed, when he paused, unsure if he should say, “Only that…”5Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCwbOXUdlbc
Confused, the wounded lancer knew only one man with that name. “The lieutenant?” Arminius turned to Julien who did not seem to have spoken wrongly judging by his reactionless comrades.5Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8goWdWXxd2
Unconvinced, he felt a tap on his shoulder. When he pivoted his head, he saw Gin raising his arm as he pointed outward. Arminius lifted himself with half his body leaning on the bench and his jacket sliding off when he spotted the shape of a figure on horseback beyond the wagon and the wagoner. His excitable movements were familiar and catching a glimpse of his hair, he was certain that it was him. But why he was there, on the continent, fighting for an army that he held no ties with, no one could answer. Lowering himself, having expended his strength to prove his comrades right who he should have trusted instead, the agony of his lengthy wound flushed into his nerves as his body regained its full consciousness. Curling up, he brought his legs together from cramps as Julien wrapped an arm around his shoulders, urging him to lay down.5Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGJU2em6PFG
“I didn’t think the general would be so bold to provoke Vasilevsky.” Unafraid to say aloud, Colt brought upon him frowns from soldiers around. “Now, we’ve got a lion clawin’ at our ass.” Over his shoulder, he felt the chasing presence of an army, twice their size, burning the earth into black soil.5Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5KWSim5jOu
Lev let out an uneasy chuckle with a thought he should have reserved. “Bold or…y’know…” Tapping his temple, he insinuated.5Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4OSqDOkBdp
Before he could finish his sentence, a smack struck him on the back of his head. Choking, it was light enough to have not concussed him but strong enough to have him forget his words. As Lev rubbed his head, another boy, tiny in comparison to his stature, shoved past to repay his rudeness. The flames that were his eyes were riled. His arms swung loosely with a bow in his hand and a quiver on his hip as he marched lightly without the burdensome weight that his comrades suffered under.5Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO9aNeesnCV
A young archer slipped between the ranks of his column and emerged out of the squad which he belonged too, “I won’t have you say bad ‘bout my grandpa.” Károly scolded Lev and everyone else who had their doubts about their general however few they were.
Hooping the string of his bow around his chest, Károly swiftly leapt onto the wagon and jumped onto its bench. Despite the fierce rocking like that aboard a ship in the wild sea, he balanced himself. The wagoners ahead turned with a want to warn him from overloading the limits of their creatures but when they realized who he was, they did not speak out against him. It seemed to be it was was because they knew he would not listen rather than otherwise.
Looking down on his squad, the archer crossed his arms, annoyed yet protective. “I’m sure he has his reasons,” Károly was not much younger than Arminius but when he spoke, his voice was however juvenile. “Even if I do not understand it.” Flustered without a good argument to back his say, his eyes flicked away.
With his back turned and the poise of his stance, to the shade like flames of his hair and the outline of the small archer, a lancer could not seem to remember when he had seen him before. But he was sure that he recognized the boy from somewhere.5Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA4ofRsomRK
