The rest of the trip was hell for me. Minimal sleep combined with the vast amounts of information I had to memorize. I would find out that I needed it all to get through the training.
We started our last day on our trip to Mount Spire and I was so tired that I didn't care if Commander Harriot would kick me off my horse, I was determined to fall asleep in the saddle.
She let me fall asleep in peace as this would be the last chance she would give me to rest before our 2 weeks were up before the fall training season started. "Rest boy, you have done well these last few days and have learned much of the rules of a soldier, now you just need to survive till your Mage training can start," she spoke softly.
She didn't think she was a bad person she was just preparing me for what was to come as she knew almost better than anyone that being a Firemage was both terrifying and exhilarating! She had been training Recruits for many years at this point and she had seen too many of them die in the line of duty to be able to go soft on them.
This was what was best for them and the kingdom. A dull blade doesn't cut, but a weapon that has been ground down to a sharp edge was a fine weapon. That's what she did, she made weapons the military used to defend the kingdom!
I finally woke up once we started into the foothills when Kevin began to prod me between the shoulder blades with the ever-present staves they all carried." Wake up me boy" he said as he came up beside me after I stirred with some life.
"Yes sir!" I said instantly as I automatically saluted with my left hand over my heart before I was fully awake.
"That's a good lad," he said with his ever-present accent, "we will make a soldier out of ye yet" he laughed out at me.
"Where are we?" I asked as I looked around trying to get my bearings after I dropped the salute.
In front of me were rolling hills and after those, a big valley could be seen going into the mountain range that unendingly ran east and west as far as I could see with tall white-capped peaks occasionally in a gap in the clouds.
A massive castle sat in the middle of the mountain pass with giant walls going to each side of it till they reached the mountains on each side. Unbreachable and Unyielding were what came to mind when I looked at the castle that was many miles ahead.
"Wow! Just how big is that castle?" I asked Kevin as we road down the road.
"Oh I don't know, I think it's only the 3rd largest castle in the kingdom lad," the man said with a mischievous smile on his face, " Don't think too hard on it as we are going to the Training Outpost that's a few leagues before that behemoth of an eyesore," the man said as he indicated a smaller looking town-sized camp that was in the foothills only a few hours ride from us.
As The commander saw that I was awake at last she ordered our pace to be increased so that I could get my paperwork in order with the army and my bunk room found before it got dark.
We got to the North gate of Granite point which was the name of the training outpost that was under Mount Spire castle before mid-day. The guards stopped us and checked over the Commander's identification and our paper before they apologized for the interruption and let us finish our journey.
The commander marched up to the Recruitment office that was just inside the walls and deposited me with a lieutenant that had what looked to be a permanent frown on his face. "This is Bruni a trainee Firemage, he is an orphan now due to the border attacks and was awoken when Mercenaries from The Order of The Grim burned down most of his village and killed his mother," she explained as she handed over my documents to the man. "He is your problem now," she smiled at the lieutenant with amusement before turning to me and giving a pat on the shoulder, "you will do good kid, remember all I have taught you and study hard, I have hope you will be a great Firemage one day, sorry I can't train you for as long as I wanted, something came up and orders came in, but master Flint will take good care of you," she said before turning around and leaving just as fast as we had marched into the office.
"she must have high hopes for you boy, she doesn't just deliver anyone to my office." the man said with a raised eyebrow.
I was so sleep-deprived and mentally exhausted that all I could mumble out was incoherent words at him.
Hearing this the man looked at me with his full attention and noticed the dark bags under my eyes and the drawn look on my face, "Ha, she must have already started your "training." the man laughed out before leading me out the office and showing me to a room that had 6 bunks but all were empty. "pick any bunk you want, this will be your home for the foreseeable future so get comfortable, your other bunkmates will be arriving in the next few days so just rest and if you want to eat meet me outside at sunrise and I will give you a tour of the facility, if not then come find me in the office that we met in when you wake up.
" Yes sir!" I saluted before dropping my stuff beside the furthest bunk from the door and collapsed onto the bed in blissful sleep.