There was a bit of a struggle to stay in Germany. Many of the Krimvaldian soldiers I met were either injured, or pretending to be. These Germans were strict in their policies, and this ... "Locked and Shut," their leader imposed on Unchean made us, the Krimvalds unable to stay since we weren't technically 'Germans.'
The forces that Germany got were the more higher-up paid soldiers like those in the magical battalion. The other knights that weren't that important were to be sent away. I was one of the more important ones, as well as my captain friend, his name was Felmenn. He, unlike I, was a true captain (of the seas of course). As he was actually aboard that Galleon? Frigate? I don't know, that carried Krimvald's princess to Easel. Before it was... Ransacked by the Germans.
The first time I saw Unchean, I'd have thought it were another world. Even then, they were using these strange light appartuses, light fixtures akin to those gem-ones we sometimes attach on our living rooms to give light off in the night. Those cost alot, but apparently the black poles that line each street costed less than a good blade. And, to my great shock, they've done in and broken Unchean's walls.
It is, by international decree, that every city is to have walls to protect against Auferstehen. Villages were a neat exclusion. Just that, these prime places of civilization needed to be more better protected. To have walls, the absense of them actually, is stupid. But, lined up outside the now fictional boundary were many German soldiers in-training.
"They are doing what's called as a field-lesson." The lieutenant, Poloise said with a strict face. "They are part of our special group of forces; the Venit-Ille soldiers."
"Ma'am?"
"Yes?" She turned to me.
"What is... My job?" I put my hands to my waist.
"Well, that's not for me to say. I am simply the one to introduce you around. By tommorow, you're officially going to be my servant. I, of course, the superior." Her smile was awfully mischievous.
"But I am not aware how to use your technologies. Your..."
"Guns?" She interjected almost immidiately.
"Yes, that... Those metal wands of yours, I don't know how to use them. Neither the discipline your troops have so plentiful of."
"We'll find out. Tommorow." She stared to the horizon, the green forest of Tria smiling at her. "At Venit Ille."
Then I was thrusted into a huge field of soldiers at the outer-western side of the city. They had given me this sliver of paper, (for it was paper I still treasure it with me today). On it, the words; 'Special Transfer' was written across it. We were then lined in columns. There was probably a hundred or two hundred Krimvaldians there, if they were a bit more lax with the footsoldiers, they'd have a thousand reserve.
I was arranged with this column of twenty other people. Each had the designation of 'special transfer' on their paper. Felmenn was one of them. "Where were you? I couldn't find you after I woke from my nap." I questioned to him.
"I followed the smell of the sea," he so jokingly put, smiling gleefully. "Got a chance to see their iron warships, it's so staggeringly amazing! I'm just defeated, 'those' are amazing warships! Our galleons wouldn't stand a chance to that."
"I... Agree." Since I was indirectly hit by said warship.
"Please move in the truck!" I looked to the front of the line, and the soldier that yelled his announcement was guiding us inside the iron carriage. It was the first time I fully saw what it was, this... Iron entrapment. I knew of it's capabilities, as I had saw how they transported their troops from thence back on Unchean's roads. So lightning fast, but I couldn't with the smoke it emitted from it's back. The drawbacks of innovation I percieve.
We fit snuggly together, me and Felmenn stayed seatmates; the other eighteen soldiers I hadn't a clue of. But I knew I was to be aqquiantances with some of them, somehow.
Then, the truck started moving. It was rapid fast! I could feel the bumps of the road, and how I had bumped my head on the metal walls of the carriage multiple times, but the revolutionary speed that the thing throttled at was just downright outstanding! If only Betelion had these things, could they have better preped themselves with Kerfeliz and the other Northern Alliance countries.
For better or for worse, we had finally crossed the bridge seperating Venit Ille and the boundaries of the Tria Forest. It was only when we all exited from the truck (as I was at the very back) that I was able to see everything! Venit-ille is a military stronghold. That's the only way I could put it, 'a military stronghold.' I was informed by some passerbies that the smooth walls were of this material called; 'concrete,' and it made up every single building in Venit Ille.
It was strong, versatile, and not that expensive (from what I heard), the river had been lined up with the same thing; it raised the bank a little, creating a faster route for the water to flow through, amazing engineering on their parts! And, from the very end of the long road of Venit Ille, there was this beautiful 'mansion-like' house. Apparantly that was the 'HQ' of which I learned meant; headquarters.
There were already many soldiers roaming about in march form. Their leading advisors challenging them ahead with these rigorous-looking walking strides. The marches step by 2/4 time, and they also adorned these very much so comfortable clothing. Great for the incoming summer, and each and every single one of them had hats on, a luxury for us folks north.
But we twenty were lead somewhere else. "As you are one of many who have joined some military academy," lieutenant Polois stressed, "you all will be part in a special regimen to bring out 'more of you' during your ten month long deployment. Basic training takes five months, and your special training will take another five. After; we split you all up to your respective branches. Seamen for the sea, and footmen for the land." She then led us inside this 'hangar' building.
One of the larger buildings I had seen, and inside, it was even more spacious than what I had anticipated. I forced myself to look up and admire the engineering put into the roofing, how they had used these triangle frameworks to arch them into... Well... An arch. The walls were of this shiny metal, same as the ships, just less thicker. With the base of each wall (the bottom part) had this reinforced concrete, which apparently strengthens the structure.
"You will sleep here, eat here, rest here, train here, and live here for the better part of ten months." And with her smile, tilting her head a little to the right, "got it?"
"Yes, ma'am!" We had all shouted.
"Then that covers it," -she pointed at some drawers at one side of the hangar- "pick your cabinets, open it and you'll see a towel, two set of clothes; 'soldier-formal,' and, 'soldier-reserve.' Out back, there's a shower. I believe you don't need explanations, however, please wear your soldier reserves only."
"Yes, ma'am!"
"Thank you." She left without another word.
We hesitantingly went to our cabinets, since we knew each weren't different, me and Felmenn stationed ourselves together. Opening it up revealing the uniform we were given to us. There were three sections inside the cabinet, one for the towel, one for the formal and one for the reserve. I brought out the towel, not bothering to look at the uniform for now. But Felmenn did the opposite.
"Look at this!" He cried in joy, "what an exqusitely simple, yet great design."
Unlike those I saw from the Venit-Ille black forces, these are what the primary and in-training wear. I do not know what to call these 'suits' but they are beyond doubt; exqusite pieces of fashion. Felmenn had also rung out from the cabinet the formal wear, the others from the group were already heading out back to the shower.
"This one's white, with a navy-blue overgarment."
"I believe this was what ma'am Poloise was wearing,"
"No she didn't she wore the black one, the one the Venit-ille ones have." He retorted immidiately
"No, the navy-blue garment, is like her black one. I recall her telling me it was a; 'trench coat.'"
"Good for the rain and cold I guess, but a heck of a dang in the summer time," he felt for the cloth, it was certainly heaevy and thick.
"Let's... Shower."
It was just a walk away, blocked by a simple curtain. It was a communal shower, it could house ten before it was full, and as the others were already done, we could get in our turns. The mechanism of the 'shower' part was pretty straight forward. Turning this... Gear? The right way round released the water. It was pretty cold, Felmenn even shouted aloud in profanities because of the cold, I simply embraced it.
We went out screaming, the others who were already dressed were conversing. And the room itself was pretty lively. We got to our clothes, fitted them on; and it was oddly the correct size for me, and for everybody else. "How'd they get my measurements?" I said in sarcasm.
"Probably magic!" Felmenn interjected with his wild-self. "I swear it looked like the right size at first look too, and it fits amazingly!"
I didn't think about it longer. And neither did he. Ultimately, we wanted to sleep. No one really told us what to do about the sleep thing. But we figured out a little something with the extra and bigger drawer at the complete other side from where we had our drawers. It was a compact list of cushionings. As we touched and groped the white rectangles; we found it was probably a bed.
Pulling it out was pretty easy, and we immidiately got to setting it up. There was this extra case at the bottom of the big drawer that housed pillows, twenty all, perfect for us twenty. It was small, but how could we complain? I took the liberty of occupying the farthest corner, beside Felmenn, already fitting the bed with the sheeting that accompanied it.
The sun was still up, but we were tired enough already. And the lot of us were injured from the capital. And the Krimvaldian officers were worrying about the families, but, seeing how the German govern, I don't think it'd be too much of a problem.
( * )
more on the third release (too bored to add to this since inkstone didn't save the rest of this chapter)