by J Silverado
Turning the hourglass the group disappears in a whirl by the hall door, toward the courtyard and on the way out, forms two rows, beginning to circle the perimeter. The midday sun punishes the recruits who are already bathed in sweat at the end of the first lap.
When they finish the second, they see Feltam sitting on a wooden chair, next to a small desk, protected by a covering of straw, cross-legged, drinking a glass of juice, which seems very cold. On the table, the juice jar, sweaty with the temperature contrast, and next to the hourglass, that inexorable, pour its sand to the other end. As the table is close to the entrance of the barracks, at every turn, the recruits pass close to the coach. – Hurry up! Only did fifteen laps and I already turn the first time the hourglass. At this rate, you will fail in the first year... – He completed drinking the rest of the juice and serving more. – Come on, my part, of inexperienced! Thirty laps and I've turned the hourglass again.
Although the recruits were in fitness, the exercise was extremely strenuous, because each back makes up a distance of a mile, totaling seventy-five kilometers in three hours.
The recruits were already overworked, the worst of them Galaniel because of his overweight, already distanced almost half around the rest of the group. The hourglass ended before the group completed the forty-fifth lap. – Yeah... I do not think you are part of inexperienced. We will have to improve a lot, especially you, flabby – he talks, looking at Galaniel, who is propped with a hand on the wall and the other on knee. – Back to the "G" hall. – Yes sir! the group answers, ran in.
After the group rests a little and returns to profiling, Feltam starts: – now let's see how tyou come out fighting. Grab swords and shields for training and pair up. Flabby, you will double me. – Yes, sir!
When the seven pairs are formed the trainer explains the exercise: – you will fight each other until your opponent is at standstill or ask furrow, speaking or tapping twice on the ground. Get ready. – All are placed in a position to fight: shield forward and sword in hand. – Now!
The double begins the exercise, each a little clumsy, others more confident. Several minutes pass until some ask furrow. Feltam still punishes Galaniel, striking several blows with the sword and the shield. The recruits will be defending as it may, dodges using the shield and the sword, until they are the last two the year still in combat. – Okay, untrained! Now I've seen what he wanted. – Feltam invests face of his shell, hitting Galaniel in full, flying back with the shield and the sword jumping away. Before he can raise, Feltam is on him, with his knee on his chest and his right hand on his neck. – Fold? – Galaniel struggles, holding with both hands the coach's arm, trying to push him away from his throat, but without success. – Best give up... – The recruit continues until with the lack of oxygen, eventually faints. – I told you so.
Feltam rises and filling a bucket with water from a nearby fountain he turns on the face of the fallen serviceman, who wakes up scared and coughing. – Well, for today it is only. Tomorrow we will begin by dawn. Dismissed.
The recruits, tired and sore from exercise, keep their arms and go to the accommodation. – Puffy! – Yes, sir! – I'm not finished with you. – Galaniel backs and stands at attention in front of the coach, while the latter recruits out of the room. – You fought well, but you need to improve your defense and the position of your feet, to prevent the enemy can push it like I did. – Yes, sir. – That belly should disappear.
Two of the most important characteristics for a guardian are endurance and strength. His strength is reasonable, but his resistance is bad. Before returning to the lodge, I want ten more laps. – Galaniel thinks of questioning, then he remembers the letter from his father. – Yes sir. – Get out of the courtyard, starting exercise. When it comes to accommodation, more than an hour after it's over. The other recruits look at him, saying: – he is marking with you, huh? He took you for example... You better fit soon, but will only get worse. – Galaniel nothing speaks, takes his towel and goes to the bathroom.
At night, after a little rest, the group goes to the coffee store, where are the other recruits of all castes. Although there is some prejudice, many of the group has known of other castes and Galaniel sits next to his sister for dinner. – Hey, little brother, how was the first day? – Very tiring, and yours? Well boring, I had to read so many scrolls that I was cross-eyed. The best part was to initiate the use of spells, but for now, much nice. – In that Nirmiriel, Pelokir and Meneol arrive forming the old blue group.
The conversation is about the first day and the differences between workouts. When everyone issatisfied and sleep begins to beat, the group fades away until there are just Inara, Nirmiriel and Galaniel. – Well, I go to sleep than tomorrow the day starts early. Good night, boys, do not stand there chatting until late. Judgment! – Inara foreign to both and goes out smiling.
Nirmiriel gets a little flushed and Galaniel takes a glass of juice to disguise. – Do you want juice? – Yes, thank you. – So was it what you expected? – Yes, as Inara tired of repeating, today was pretty boring reading that lot of paper, but it was one thing means expected. And you, were the exercises very pulled? I heard your coach takes heavy. – Yeah... He's a veteran guardian and he has been in many battles, but I think that does it for our good, after all, outside there is no second chance... – It's true. And his arm was good? – Arm? – Yes, when it hurt to help me. – Oh yes, it was all right, I do not feel any pain. – I... I did not thank you. – No need, all we were focused on getting through. – Yeah, but anyway, I thank you. – He provides a hand in greeting, looking into his eyes with a smile. Galaniel acknowledges compliance, returning the smile and gently rubs his thumb on Nirmiriel’s skin blushing and pulling his hand back.
An uncomfortable silence is formed, then Nirmiriel pulls another matter. – Did you not notice anything strange when did the third stage, no? – Immediately Galaniel remembers the voice in his head – Was it you? – He questions amazed. – Yes, I was worried it would not get used a spell and read during the trial. – So we're even. – Galaniel offers the glass for a toast. – Yes, quite – she says, smiling.
When they finish drinking again the silence is established, as they look. When he will say something, the bell tower hits northwest, indicating that it is in the tenth hour. - Time to sleep - she says. - Yes, we will, because tomorrow that coach will take my leather again. Good night. – Good night. – They go to their bedrooms.
Before the first sunbeam, Feltam enters in the bedroom of the guardians with a sword and a shield and training, beating heavily on each other, he creats a deafening din. The recruits agree frightened, trying to put standing next to the bunk bed, wiping the corner of the mouth and throat clearing his throat, red eyes while looking to stay open. – Good morning, my part, of inexperienced! Time to wake up. You have five minutes to arrange and pay me the fifty laps today, plus five from yesterday, walk! – He concludes leaving the dormitory. – This guy is crazy! I think it's not even six o'clock yet and he wants us to leave to run in the dark? And that business about five laps from yesterday? Does it mean that what we fail accumulates? My God! – Then a voice is heard in the corridor: – time is running out. Who is still in the bedroom, run, and he will clear the entire bedroom floor.
After listening to the coach, the only sound was that of the recruits rushing to pack up and leave the courtyard. When everyone was outside, profiles, awaiting the start of the year, Feltam said: – I heard the complaints, tricks and big cries. We are keepers! The last line of defense! When forwards retreat, the Mentalese have finished their spells and biota exhausted its magic, we are still fighting and protecting your backs! If any of you still think that our caste is weak and cowardly, reread your history books. Improvisation! Adaptation! Overrun! That's our motto. I want to hear from you – Improvisation! Adaptation! Overrun! – The group repeats without courage. – Again, and higher if you want to stop running before it gets dark again. – Improvisation! Adaptation! Overrun! – This time the group speaks loudly a
nd with conviction. – Well, part, of inexperienced, start to run – he concludes, turning the hourglass.
Beyond the turns, the group also had to carry sandbags and digging trenches. In the afternoon, the coach took them to the scrolls room. – Here, you will learn the mantras required for war. They sre separated by objective: attack, magic, healing and defense. A guardian needs all the four elements. Attack to gain ground defense. Magic to trick or lure enemies. Heal himself, to continue fighting and finally the defense, to protect his comrades, their place of battle and himself.
Although the coach has warned each of the subdivision that the group had defined, each strives more when the mantras of interest are explained. – Jong Kwan twak – Feltam recites and then hits the sword against the face of his shell, causing a powerful sound and a vibration that travels around the room, bursting a glass bottle he had placed on the opposite side of the room – This is the main mantra of war that every guardian should know. With it you hurt the ears of the damn things and attract to himself, giving chance to the other effecting a strong attack without suffering serious injury. – Oh, oh, it's not like I'll be knocking on my shield. I want it is to attack, kill as many as you can hellish – Temar whispers to Galaniel, which says nothing, only nodding in agreement. Every new mantra, the group will practice in pairs, with Feltam correcting intonation, posture and movement. The days go by, the physical exercises are becoming heavier and the study of mantras is, religiously, made each afternoon.
At night, the blue group normally meets for dinner, the conversation is fed up with complaints of exercises, coaches, study, plays with companions and love interests. Galaniel and Nirmiriel talked every day, after the others retreated.
They exchanged experiences about their training, talked about their childhoods, their families. The friendship that already had been formed during the Molodok outside narrowing and growing, until the first kiss had been exchanged and made vows of love.
With only one month of training, the guardian and the mentale had been dating, but in secret, because although largely done among recruits, the affective relationship was forbidden during the training period. They have chosen not to reveal, even to the group, and only when they were alone, let bring out the feeling. Feltam demanded the most from his group, especially Galaniel, making them strong and resilient in combat due to tests, the recruits were required to keep the mantras at the ready, because in every fight, some were chosen to chant them.
The training days were very drawn and, although with sameness itself, every one that was going on, something new was learned and the days turned into weeks; the weeks, months and the months, years.
Hell
The group intensifies search looking around the rooms of which, until the back of the cave, appear hundreds of demons. – Quick, let's get this room here - Hrothgar calls to all. – Assemble a barricade, we need to prevent the passage of that flood of spectra – Galaniel commands. – Stones, wood and other objects found in the room are used. – This will not stand, we need to get out of here - Codaino warns. – Here's a way out, let's go – Pelokir points to the other end of the room. The group moves to the other chamber, which has another exit. – Cod, drop that room that we left, else we will die. – You can leave, sir – the group continues while the mentale returns and conjures an explosive spell and runs off.
When he returns to the group, an explosion is heard echoing in all directions. – If they did not know we were here, now they know – Rion attests. As he passed the camera output, the group enters a room with five narrow stone bridges, connecting the two ends of the hall, with a gap between them and at the end of it, boiling lava, making extremely hot. – Now what? – Hrothgar questions.
Before anyone could say anything, many winged spectra appear above them, casting their damn energy attacks. – Split up! Together we are easy targets, each use a bridge – Galaniel determines. Rion takes the first, Codaino and Pelokir the second, Hrothgar the third, Relfer the fourth, Galaniel and Nirmiriel the fifth.
The demons attacked in waves, from the first bridge. Each was five meters away from each other, making the defense even more. Several spectra had been defeated, when one of them threw a flaming stone toward Relfer, striking his bow, breaking it into several pieces. – Relfer! - Hrothgar screams, worried about his brother. – You can leave brother, I still have my sword.
The battle continues until it remains only a winged that disadvantaged flees into the shadows, but the fight was not over, as dozens of infantry spectra appear on the opposite side of the bridge exactly where the group was getting at. Metal clashes with claws, blood and green smoke mingle.
The group moves forward, but every inch is conquered with much struggle. When they are almost there, the winged spectrum returns the back of Relfer and goes through the flesh of his back wide open veins of blood. The forward fight to defend on both sides, Galaniel sees the attack on Relfer, looking briefly to his sword, and then the flings toward the winged demon, hitting him full and then losing themselves in abyss, while Relfer kills the last spectrum in front and drops to his knees, bleeding profusely. – Relfer! Hold on, we're coming! – Galaniel screams. – Brother! – Hrothgar screams, too, to see Relfer kneeling in a pool of blood. – Gathering his last strength, Relfer looking to his brother, takes the right arm to the chest in greeting sign, saying: – Courage and honor! – Then he drops into the abyss – No! Do Not! Relfer! – Hrothgar cries desperate, to see his brother disappear between smoke and vapors.
Taken from hatred for fellow loss, the group fiercely fight against its opponents, decimating them and managing to get to the other end of the hall.
Hrothgar tries to go on the bridge where was his brother, but new spectra arise from there and, this time, they are with their poisoned arrows, almost hitting the forward. – Come on, there's nothing we can do, friend – Rion pulls to Hrothgar, who struggles to return to the site.
Codaino helps Rion and they can go through with him at will. Galaniel beats violently with his face on his shell on the side of the will, to do the ceiling sag and close the passage.
The group moves to the next chamber, which has two passes. The first gives to another room and the second, which was closed to break into, to some kind of deposit. – Let's get some rest, entering the tank – Galaniel directs, and the group enters the room, sealing the passage after spending. When everyone sits down to rest, tears stream down on Hrothgar and Nirmiriel's face, while others look at each other downcast. After spending a few minutes Galaniel calls the group: – Let's personal, unfortunately, we cannot wait any longer. – Leave the poor boy crying for his brother, sir – Pelokir calls the leader.
The guardian kneels in front of Hrothgar and says: – my friend, unfortunately, I have to ask to save their grief. Take all this pain, all this hate and use them to get to the surface and enforce the sacrifice of his brother. – A few moments pass until Hrothgar says, wiping away tears with the forearms and rising. – Damn! They will pay. Do not worry, Gala, I will not leave you in the lurch. – Let's get out of this room and find a path to the surface – Galaniel speaks the group beginning to allow unimpeded passage. – Lord, back here. I think that we have entered a deposit of spoils of war. Several jewelry, gold and other precious metals as well as items that emanated power. – Wonder! Let's get some for us, maybe help us to escape, or at least we were rich – Rion proposes.
All scour and take the items that interest them. When Galaniel approaches the jewelry, its shell begins to emanate a violet light, specifically the central stone and the eyes of the dragons. – How strange, it never happened before – the Guardian says, as it approaches more. Getting the shield to the left, the light intensity reduced a bit when I went to the right, increased. Then he noticed that there were small beams of light emanating from underneath the jewels. Rummaging them, he found a small triangular amethyst shining brightly. Galaniel caught it with his right hand to see it better, approached the center stone and realized that it had the same cut.
; He removed the shell from the left arm and turned it to himself and then it became clear: the triangle, along the top of the shield, was not only a symbol, but the setting of the stone that was in his hands. Galaniel approached the stone setting and when it was just inches away, the stone flew from his hand and perfectly fit the triangle, emitting a dry thud. Immediately, the shield out of the arms of the guardian and levitated, shining so brightly, with the same violet light, that all had to protect the view.
After a few seconds, the brightness was reduced and the shield again touches the ground, though it was balanced only in its lower end. Galaniel returned to hold his shield, which, on contact with the keeper, lost that unusual balance. – Wow! What was that, Gala? – Rion questions, dumbfounded. – Not sure, it seems my shield was incomplete... Until today... – the guardian answers. Then a booming voice is heard behind the group: – It is just that! – Everyone turned back immediately, already with weapons in their hands. – Settle down, warriors.
The view was grandiose, a very tall man, long blonde hair, blue eyes, wearing a robe of the purest white, which left his chest and arms exposed. He seemed a superhuman strength and protruding from his back, a pair of wide wings made of light. – What kind of demon are you? – Pelokir asks the stranger. – My name is Ethanael, I am not a demon, but an angel of the Lord. – It seems, an "angel" inside the slot. You need to improve your lies, damn. – Rion quips. – Calm down guys, lover your weapons. I recognize this voice, he was speaking in my head - Galaniel explains to his companions. – And why you only appeared now? Why you do not appear before and helped us? So my brother had not died! – It was through the man that the devil could enter the surface, and only he can kick you out. It is not for us, servants of God, to intervene. We can only help with information and recommendations. The always free will should govern them. His brother gave his life for you and your companions, fulfilled his destiny and now dwells in the house of the Lord.