Sargon the Great, ruled the land by the blessing of the sky. A king, a wise one, knew his destiny, acting by the strong will, and power god Anu blessed him with, he showed his people what it took to be the first king, to ever rule on the land. The exquisite high priest of the polytheism temple, Sargo the Great, his powers unmatched, as well as his cleverness, and intelligence—this is where everything started for me—a war orphan, who became a soldier in a kingdom, born upon the holy war of the nine races.
Before Sun rises, I opened my eyes to Hadleigh blowing into a horn, a signal by the commander responsible for honing the orphans, a tall fire attribute user, a gold tier weaponry master, skilled in swordplay, unmatched by none other but the royal guards, brown skin, few wrinkles on his face, and black sharp dead eyes. You can tell those eyes, witnessed countless deaths, and battle, the other orphans stood up, time for them to get ready for their last training month to become a new sacrifice, for the unity of AKKADIA, this place… a birthplace to multiple hopeless soldiers, with no past, no future, nor a family, Left behind. One father they serve, with their body, and soul they live for him, and die for him.
I spent the last ten years of my life, becoming a tool. I knew the lies they fed us, were the hope my peers held on to. A dream to achieve higher ranks.
"Who do you think would not make it alive from the carnage exam, Ursang?" I said to my best friend, slightly taller than me, with messy brown hair, and black eyes emanating a joyful feeling of home. I don't know what home is, however, the feeling is familiar within my heart.
"Does it matter who?". Giggling to himself, a way of annoying me
As the second horn released, all the orphans went to the yard perfectly lined in front of Hadleigh, this would be their last time here. They were preparing for a life-changing step, they had been preparing for this. Either die on the exam, or live to become a warrior.
"Today is your last day, the ten years of training, done. Yet it's a new beginning. Now it's your chance to show your worth. Survive the carnage, and you will be a soldier for the great holy AKKADIAN kingdom. Or die in the process. You may split yourselves into groups, or do it individually, it's all up to you. However, even among you, traitors exist, and you cannot trust one another. Trust yourself, and you will win". Hadleigh speech for the orphans .
"You don't need luck to survive, you need power. You had enough time to obtain it." He added before leaving.
The orphans stood mumbling to each other. Random thoughts, the second in command gave them a few minutes to split into groups.
He approached Ursang with a warm smile. "Ursang, my boy, I guess you guys have a group already. I don't need to be worried here, right?" He said to Ursang, encouraging him that he was strong enough to pull through.
"absolutely, sir!!!" He said happily, nodding.
No changes were needed. We already knew this would happen, from a source, the second in command, who admired Ursang, yet no special treatments were given, apart from this one.
Gently approaching Ursang, a girl named Elin. With long fine yellow hair, and glowy hazel eyes. She's an angel in a human form. A kind spirit, the smile on her face never fades, a hardworking exquisite fighter, yet she's a soft human. You heart will open to this beautiful girl, with no grudge or hatred within her.
Next to her speira, another girl embodiment of the orphan ideology. White skin deflecting her personality, cold vigilant, her hollow black eyes is what I love about her, a representation of unmatched determination to an absolute victory.
"Assume the four of us stuck together for this one." Elin said to Ursang, patting his back with a half smile on her face.
To which Ursang replied, "Perhaps the carnage is not enough to get rid of the crotchety owl here?" Smirking at Speira.
Faking a smile, cracking her fingers. She leaned her head side to side, cracking it too, "The bigger the object, the easier it falls!" replying to Ursang, as a way of challenge to a fight, yet the four of us never fought, we trained and challenged one another. But no fights among us for personal reasons.
We spent the day planning our best chances to an absolute victory. This is not a simple test to us, this is a road to achieve a peek of our capabilities.
Ursang's physical strength, and earth magical attributes. Gave him leverage to take the lead, as the shield of our team. Speira wind magic attribute, and elin water magic attribute. two attributes that, if not used properly , could negate each other. However through countless months of training, they harmonized their attacks, increasing the use of various magical spells, which left me at the rear of the formation, the fastest of us, including the thunder magical attribute, as well as the fire attribute making me the striker.
For weapons. Ursang's weapon of choice was a double-edged sword, he is capable of swinging it like a weightless feather, and his earth attribute serves as the best shield a warrior can have.
spiera weapon of choice was her favorite double short swords, along with her wind attribute, she slashes through bones as a butter.
Elin weapon of choice is simple a regular sowrd, her magic skills are unmatched to her swordplay,making her relayion her waters attribute more.
For me, The spear remains my best companion. The weapon I spent sleepless nights practicing, making it a part of me.
for magical abilities, the orphan's spell manipulation lessons made them silent enchanters, capable of throwing average spells. A different case for big scale spells which only two have mastered, me and Ursang. However the big scale spells in our condition, compared to the vast number of people out there, is barely anything.
the commander Hadleigh permitted us to rest, to prepare too. But it wasn't that simple, another horn was blown, surprising everyone on the base. This orphanage is a base, yet another blow was let out, louder this time.
The second in command, we never knew his name, entered the dorm where we sleep.
"Get your shields, your weapons. The orders have been sent!! Effective immediately!! All trainees, go to harbor one now!!"
We had never been to harbor one or any harbors on the island, they never let us go near any facilities except the orphanage and training ground.
As we were getting ready, Ursang approached me with a serious look on his face.
"It is time to be a seiken."
No idea what he meant. I nodded agreeing, letting it go, we marched to harbor one, and behold, in front of us. A wooden red ship, with a red dragon figurehead. Bright orange lights serving as the eyes, a mast tall as a mountain with the kingdom flag waves, colored dark blue , with eight heads star, a symbol representing the nine races, the top head slightly taller with another triangle inside it, representing the humans are protected under god's wings. The sail is black as night, it ends in the center of the ship,with the similar symbol in the middle. A ship big as my eyes tip can reach. Soldiers with a meter distance between them, looking down at us, dozens of them. Chains and three gunports lines, one under the other, decorating the ship from the side I stood in front of.
A man imitates an aura, I have never seen before, a tall, muscled man in a silver armor, black vambrace, gauntlets covered with spikes. Both his hands holding his sword, that he withdrew from its scabbard, slightly piercing the ground, a serious look on his face, with Emotionaless expression .
Hadleigh approaches the man, identifying him as squadron leader Orcham Takmoeru, the heir to the Takmoeru family, a man famous through countless battles against some of other races, and creatures from the unknown grounds. A hell servant who burns everything in his sight.
"Squadron commander. welcome to parish island, as expected, early as usual," Hadleigh said with a smirk.
"- no need for formalities Leigh, let's just get this over with. We are in a hurry this time. " The cold expressions slightly fade as he met an old friend, yet no time for a catch-up.
"I do not care what Leigh trained you to be, or your capabilities, nor do I expect anything. All aboard the ship, and rest while you can," he turned his back, inviting Commander Hadleigh to his cabin.
That's it? That's what he had to say? I thought the hell servent to be a typical fire user, heat-headed, loaded man, but ironically he's calmer than Spiera. We made our way to the ship, a noticeable glare upon us by the soldiers, pitty? it seems. Perhaps disgust, similar to consecration glares, we paid no mind, compared to the training ground that a morning treatment after opening our eyes.
The ship sails after all personnel are on board, the cold midnight air, felt gentle as we keep accelerating through the ocean waters. The silence is faintly broken by the heaving sound, Hedleigh wasn't in sight, he must have been discussing an important matter with the squadron commander. wondering what our faith is, What our purpose os?
Once Commander Hadleigh told me, we master our future with mistakes from the past, yet our only past is an orphanage on a bloody deserted island. With all the orphans resting, you can see the worries mixed with excitement, and a bit of fear, we are merely humans.
HADLIEGH POV.
Such a luxury lies within a warship, this cabin is more like a small palace, with a desk in the middle, and the wall behind is one big window, with a great view. Orcham invited me to sit on a chair, curious about my invitation to take this new generation of warriors, among all ten orphanages, this orphanage, rised prodigies, as I noted in my letter.
"Leigh… I'm curious about what you have told me. This year's participants, being capable of using two up to three attributes, can't be that special, even among orphans, don't you, out of all people agree?" He said curious and annoyed.
"No orcham!!! no those brats... are the new era of Seiken army, warriors skilled in both. Magical attributes and weapon mastery!!" excited I added: "They managed to reach a level close to a veteran soldier in ten years, something only a few orphans managed to do at the training base."
Smiling at me,he lied down on his chair, witj confidence he replied: "Too much power stirs up problems my dear, discipline is a must, or have you forgotten the prodigy among the Seiken army?"
How can I forget. The wicked chills I felt in my bones, fear and happiness. I once crossed the path with a seiken-foot soldier, far stronger than any commander,—a definition of talent—a prodigy.
The Seiken army is a merciless war machines, born from war, and for the war they live. Infants from burned villages and cities. Gathered and sent to royal orphanages. We wipe out their memories, but we keep their names, we brainwash them for a decade, to be used as tools for the unity of the kingdom.
I assured squadron commander Orcham. those warrior, worth the chance I am giving them, for a better future. The cold face they have seen so far, is an act. I'm not a seiken, but I have sympathy for them.