Daylor rose with the sun that day, instantly realising he had not been woken up for his shift. Instantly worrying about why he had not been pulled onto his watch he ran out of his tent with his scabbard in hand, expecting to find someone asleep on their post, or worse.
However instead he stepped out to Bray and Harald, both of which turned to look at him with a look of confusion. Both of them seemed confused as to why their new captain had rushed out of his tent, with a sword in his hand.
"You okay there sir?" Harald asked with a raised eyebrow as he took in his captain.
"Why was I not woken for my watch?" Daylor asked as he relaxed, having taken in the campsite. He could see the other camps starting to come to life as people started to rise.
"Well sir we were not sure if you were joking about taking a shift, I had not heard of a captain being on watch." Harald answered bluntly as he shrugged, "Besides John told us to let you sleep, said you probably needed it after travelling."
"Next time wake me up for my watch." Daylor grumbled as he sighed, he went to turn back to his tent but was stopped by Sasha who gave him what seemed an attempt at a gentle smile.
"I couldn't help but notice you're using a duelling sword, sir." She stated bluntly. "I think you should start using another blade."
Daylor looked down at the enchanted blade on his waist and then back up at her, a look of confusion on his face as he did so. He had only gathered the second blade recently but he had already taken a shine to the magical weapon.
"Is there something wrong with my weapon?" He asked with an almost mournful expression. He knew as the commander he did not have to do what Sasha said, however from her records he also knew she was a Mistress Swordswoman that stood above many in skill.
"The rapier is a good weapon for duels, or one on one fights, yes. But it is not the best weapon for war, it's not amazing for taking on multiple opponents and it struggles against armour. I hear that some of those with demon blood are stronger than most people, is that true for yourself?" She asked as she assessed her captain.
"Well I have never really put much into training my strength in all honesty, I can lift more than most humans with ease but I am nowhere near as strong as half of my adventuring party." He answered with a slight shrug, Sasha then gestured for him to wait for a moment as she dashed into her tent.
She returned after a few moments holding a sword which had a hilt which at first glance Daylor could tell was at least ten inches, and when she drew the blade he realised that was another thirty at least. When the handle was offered to him he realised she wanted him to test the bastard sword, with ease the blade was spun through the air with movements that seemed more a dance than practice. The weapon had been lighter than Daylor had expected and he could already see the benefit of the hand and a half hilt, allowing for stronger two handed strikers or even for him to hold something in his off hand.
Without a word Sasha drew her own blade and stood opposing Daylor, with a simple gesture she encouraged him to move against her. He stepped forward and swung the blade down, yet with a flourish of her blade she sent his own flying while her foot tripped his own. Within a blink he was on his back with her sword gestured down at him, yet without a word to each other she stepped back and he reclaimed his blade.
This time he went for a strike at the left side, yet at the last possible second twisted his arm to instead strike the right. However before the strike even got close her own blade had clashed with his own and after a twist his once again was thrown to the side, and her blade swung into his arm. He winced expecting it to draw blood, or worse for him to lose an arm. However instead it just sent a jolt of pain through his nerves and left a bruise. Watching them from the side Aife had her hand extended, a silent chant on her lips. When he looked at both blades properly, he noticed a slight blue glow around them. A barrier to stop the blades actually causing true harm. For an hour Daylor repetitively got beaten, it took him half of that time just to learn to resist her disarm and in the entire time he did not even manage to land one hit on her.
Yet even as the camp rose and watched, no one laughed, or gave judging looks as he repetitively lost. Infact Brander seemed to be giving another approving nod as Daylor rose one again. No matter the fact he was bruised and saw he once again stood ready assuming a defensive stance, however Sasha nodded and put her own sword away. Throwing him the scabbard to the bastard sword she had handed to him as she took a towel from Aife to wipe the sweat from the morning drill.
"A Lot better than I was expecting, here I was thinking adventurers knew nothing about combat." Sasha said with a slight smile as Aife offered another towel to Daylor, as he wiped himself down she channelled magic into his body to lessen the ache that ran through it.
"What do you mean, I could not even get near landing a hit on you. I have not had a beating that bad since my early days at the academy." Daylor replied as he grabbed his shirt from the side, he had cast it off early in the duel when he had started to get overheated.
"Yes kid but everytime you got kicked down you roze back up, most people would have given up within a few minutes." Brander said with a kind tone.
"Also most of your strikes were well aimed and enacted, though don't spin in the future. Unless you know you can beat someone you should never show off like that, it's useless in most forms of fighting. Besides I can tell you will be a fast learner, it took John days to learn how to counter my disarm technique but you did it in half an hour. Most of all you have shown us that you are not only willing to learn, but that you don't consider us too far below you to be worth your time or listening too." Sasha added while she smoothed her own uniform down. "You also showed yourself to not be too prideful or aggressive, many high ranking officials would have ordered me to be lashed for putting them on their asses. Hell's many have tried."
Taking their words into mind Daylor accepted a flask that was offered him by Brander, he took a deep gulp from the flask before realising that the ambered coloured liquid running down his throat was most definitely not water. This made him add that when he accepts drinks from brander to first check what exactly he was accepting, however he could not deny that the mead tasted sweeter after the morning practice than it had the night before.
As the last few of his camp arose and started to pack up the tent Daylor rekindled the fire, starting to cook breakfast for his own camp. However as the smell started to waft through the air he heard laughter and heavy footfalls behind him.
"Ahh cooking like a servant, exactly as your kind should be!" Boomed the loud voice of Charles as a few members of the Gryphon followed after him, the laugh that followed behind him sounded like scared hyena's as his escort forced themselves to laugh with him.
"I wouldn't expect a spoiled and sheltered brat like yourself to even understand what cooking looks like, I'm impressed your small brain was able to figure it out." Daylor replied without even turning to look at the newcomers.
A sound like a snorting pig seemed to leave Charles as his face heated up with rage, his hand dropping down to his hilt before he took a deep breath. Though he wanted to draw his blade and cut down the demon, he knew that the punishment for cutting down a fellow captain would be severe.
"Why did they stick us with a group as useless as you and your soldiers, it's only orcs and other lower races? It's not like we are going to be that desperate for extra numbers." Charles spat as his face remained looking like a swelled tomato.
"Making judgments like that may result in your death, you know, if they are pulling in these many companies from all over the country it must be something dire. But then a thick-skulled man like yourself won't listen to common sense so I will stop wasting it on you." Daylor said as he waved his hand dismissing the other captain, while still not having turned to look at him as he cooked for his own company.
Charles stormed off making more frustrated snorting noises as he muttered curses under his breath, some of his company looking at the cooking with longing before they all turned to follow their fumining leader.
Once his soldiers were packed up and fed, Daylor ordered them to load their gear then mount up, pulling himself up on top of his own horse with ease. He made his horse canter to the front of the line, making sure to lead his company from the front as he took in the view of the other companies starting to move. He couldn't help but notice that almost all the other captains instead seemed to ride in the middle surrounded by their soldiers.
After a little while of travelling John rode up to the front to join him, his hatred seemed to have eased a little and he spoke to Daylor in an almost respectful voice.
"Sir as the captain you should really ride in the middle for your own safety" John informed Daylor.
"John, can you tell me something?" Daylor asked calmly, ignoring the man's suggestion "I have noticed you have a… disliking to me, being what I am. I'm used to it but I need to know now if we are going to have problems."
There was an awkward moment of silence before John finally brought himself the ability to respond. "Sir it is not your race that I have an issue with, It is the fact you were appointed at all"
When Daylor only looked at him and spoke nothing John carried on.
"I am sure you're aware, I am the bastard son of Duke Purefel. I was meant to be the next Captain of this group and I was planning on improving it, and therefore giving me something more than just being a bastard. But then the king placed you as our captain and undermined the hope I had, I mean no disrespect."
Daylor nodded at the man as they rode once again in silence for a little while. "So your issue with me is that you wanted this god's forsaken role?"
"Yes sir"
"Well I am only here for two years, I will advise you to be the next captain when I leave" Daylor informed the man.
"Thank you sir" John replied. As they went back to riding in silence.
It was on the third day that they finally got to the town they had been sent to protect. The town had a population of under five hundred, and the stone walls that surrounded it had started to moss up and crack in some places due to lack of care. The faces of the group fell when they saw how much the town's defensives were in disrepair, due to the fact they had been assigned there meant that even if they were not going to meet the enemy here they had to ensure the town was in the best position for defence.
The reason this town had been chosen to be defended was because the town was on the other side of a great bridge, and it was the only bridge that crossed the great Lucent river, meaning that this bridge had to be taken to cross any deeper into the country. However the reason that his group were the only ones to defend this town was due to the fact that the rest of the towns and the fighting would be done much further in the country, the next town was three days away, and most of the fighting would be done a week's travel at least from here.
"Well soldiers, we best get this place in the best condition we can" Daylor ordered as they rode into the unguarded gate "And for the love of the gods, John please get whatever militia they have here of their asses and onto guard duty"