“We’ll be back before you know it,” answered each of the three travelers. Then they turned their backs to Sid and started walking away. After walking a short distance, they heard Sid’s voice from behind them.
“Please come home soon, okay? I’ll...be waiting for you! I’ll be waiting all the while!”
✦ ✦ ✦
“Looks like you’re done with your goodbyes. I’ll have you tackle your training now—immediately.”
After watching the party climb aboard the waiting horse-drawn carriage and ascend the slope of the crater, the man drew closer and spoke to Sid. His beard and hair were neatly combed with oil, and he wore a scabbard adorned with silver at his waist. He was the brigade’s adjutant, Hathaway.
“Yes, sir!” The forlorn face Sid had worn as he watched Dill and Nue’s backs recede into the distance was suddenly gone, and he replied manfully.
“The Halberd Brigade lost a great deal of its fighting strength in the battle of the Imperial City. We’ll have Orestes and Aegisthus bear the core of the Halberd Brigade reborn.”
“Yes, sir!”
As Hathaway was walking ahead of Sid, he stopped abruptly, turning back to gaze upon the relief troop camps spanning the outside of the wall. “Look over there. With the resurrection of the hero Aegisthus and our report of the assault on the Imperial City, Redguard has reclaimed its hope. The relief troops gathering here are proof of that. Burn them into your vision, Orestes. The man you aspire to be has moved so many and given them courage.”
In anticipation of a battle between Redguard and the Reincarnators, with all their forces amassed, how great in number were the relief forces sent by the Eleven Cities of the North, and what were the names of the generals who commanded them?
First in view was the encampment of knights who stood together in red armor. The knights that came in relief from Pallas of the Eleven Cities were a handpicked order of three hundred elites. They were led by the knight-commander Lance. An equal number of foot soldiers were also under his command.
Camped next to them were the mercenaries of Kynthia, who had braved many a harsh winter. Their native land was unsuited to agriculture, meaning anyone born there had to become an outstanding hunter or mercenary just to survive. The Kynthian mercenaries, reared in that environment, did not bear uniform armaments like the knightly order of Pallas, but there was no doubt that each one of them was a powerful warrior. Their commander was Lionel, son of Vomos. Five hundred soldiers followed his command.
After these followed the forces of Enosichthon, who cherished their oars, and the battle monks of the divine city of Phoebus. The forces of Enosichthon were commanded by Ingram, master of a great fleet. The ships from Enosichthon, numbering forty, were moored at the port closest to Vulcan. The three hundred battle monks of Phoebus accompanied their grand priest, Scepter.
From Mars of the Eleven Cities, where they worshiped Ex Machina Invade, five hundred and forty soldiers had been sent in support. They were commanded by Tomahawk the Fifteenth.
Thesmophoros, Cypris, and Argeiphontes, the Three Allied Cities, had crowned Rufus, son of Noel, as their common ruler. The army commanded by Rufus was the largest out of all of the forces sent to relieve Vulcan, numbering one thousand three hundred in total.
From Olgia, where the grapevines were fruitful, the chief of their city, Kingsley, brought two hundred soldiers under his command. From Westa, Simpson Junior came commanding one hundred and fifty youngsters, but this number was the smallest among all the forces brought by the Eleven Cities. The fame Westa had known in the Golden Age was a thing of the past.
“What I’ve just told you are the broad strokes of the relief forces sent to us at this point in time. I’d like you to at least grasp the numbers of each force and the names of their commanders, even if it’s just for the Eleven Cities of the North. I’ll test you again tomorrow morning.”
“...Y-Yes, sir!”
While Hathaway had smoothly recited these facts about the relief troops, Sid could only stare in bewilderment as he listened. This was clearly too much information, but it seemed that he really did expect Sid to memorize them.
Hathaway, feeling that he was about to break into a smile, turned his back to Sid to hide his expression. “Amongst the relief troops, there are many who hope to be admitted to the Reborn Halberd Brigade. But we only want elite warriors. Eventually, in order to appoint a lieutenant who will administer a selection exam to these hopefuls and afterward take command of them, we will have to conduct a further selection. Naturally, as the one who would succeed Aegisthus, you will need to show prowess worthy of this class of lieutenants.”
“I’ll do it. I’ll become stronger,” replied Sid, without a shred of hesitation.
“...Very good. An excellent answer, as expected. I can see why Whitehead thought so highly of you.” Hathaway would actually have liked to have left Sid’s training to Whitehead, in fact. They had lost many comrades—some good men, and others he hadn’t been too fond of. There were only a handful of his comrades-in-arms left from the days of the Holy War.
Hathaway turned around and looked at Sid intently once more. Although many foundational members had been replaced in the brigade, the name remained the same, to be handed down to the next generation. Now Hathaway felt he understood the true meaning of the expectations Dill had placed on the young boy.
The young boy, prone to blushing, did not understand the meaning of the look Hathaway gave him and stiffened awkwardly where he stood.
“Let’s go. Lord Halberd’s speech is about to start. Listen well.”
“Yes, sir!”