"Salute to the Sergeant Major!" the First Sergeant barked, slamming a clenched fist over his heart before sharply turning to face the raised podium. There, Sergeant Major Connor stood with his hand solemnly pressed to his chest.
"Greetings to Sergeant Major Connor!"
The resounding cry split the air like thunder. The field fell dead silent in its wake—Balair's voice drowned in the roar—as the Sergeant Major prepared to speak, the old public address system wheezing with static.
The Sergeant Major stood high above, hand still to heart, eyes closed as if communing with something unseen then he opened his eyes and began.
"Mhm…" The Sergeant Major cleared his throat, letting the quiet hang, heavy and tense.
"You are here for one purpose. And that purpose is of course for the betterment of Pangaea and its people."
Silence again
"You are not just boys anymore. You are vessels. Soldiers. Symbols."
He paused, eyes sweeping over the crowd of young recruits. The silence became deafening.
Then, he continued. The speakers crackled in protest, the wheezing growing more frantic the faster he spoke.
"We will become beacons. Expanding our nation's reach to the ends of the world.
We will reclaim Pangaea. From the monsters. From the degenerates. From the demons."
"And we shall deliver it—whole and pure—to the one who gave us freedom from paradise:
The Great Lucifer."
"He gave us will. He gave the House of Armriths their divine crown.
And now, we reclaim our birthright. We will cast down the demons to the circles they belong in.
We will cleanse the unbelievers. We will use their very spirits to fuel our purpose."
He raised his arms, trembling—not with weakness, but fury—and lowered the mic to his lips.
A beat. Then—
"HAIL LUCIFER!!"
His voice tore through the field like a gunshot.
Balair felt his chest clench. He didn't understand it all, but he knew this moment mattered.
He joined in, heart racing.
"HAIL LUCIFER!!"
"HAIL LUCIFER!!"
"HAIL LUCIFER!"
That was it. The current in the air finally exploded.
As if on cue, the entire field erupted. Balair screamed too, forcing the words from his lungs as loud as he could. His AulWris was likely recording everything. There was no room for hesitation—not now.
"HAIL LUCIFER!"
The chants echoed long after the Sergeant Major had moved on to deliver the same address at the female barracks.
The crowd was still buzzing when the mic screeched again. The First Sergeant climbed the podium.
Stern authority written on his face
He cleared his throat, pausing to let the static fade.
"A powerful speech. From a powerful leader."
He paced slowly across the platform, hands behind his back.
"I hope each and every one of you felt it. I hope it cut through your bones not just a shallow wound.
But hope is cheap."
"Of course, for good results, we must also ensure discipline."
He stopped. Reached into his breast pocket. Pulled out a cloth and wiped his face.
"Punishments," he said, casually. "A word that shouldn't surprise any of you."
He gestured toward the cadets standing at attention at the far end of the field.
"Those boys have already started at the bottom of the barrel. Why? Because they slept like civilians.
You are soldiers now. Whatever you were outside these gates—noble-born or dirt-poor—means nothing.
On the battlefield, you are flesh. Monster feed. Your pedigree won't save you only effort just your ability to persevere through hardship."
Another pause.
"Keep your AulWris on you at all times. It's your lifeline, your orders, your record.."
He stepped forward.
"Now, to pressing matters: platoons."
A murmur ran through the field.
"You'll be reorganized into platoons of twenty. Evaluations have already been processed. Your assignments and squad placements will be available on your AulWris now.
And by tomorrow, I expect to see organized, disciplined cadets who know where they belong. For today, take time to get acquainted. That is all."
He turned from the podium.
"Assembly dismissed."
The field erupted once more—but this time not in chants. Movement returned in full force. Boys scattered in all directions, calling out, checking AulWrises, trying to find their new places.
Balair stood, breathing deeply. The sermon was over. The curtain had risen. His military life had finally begun.
He looked down at his device.
"Sixth Platoon, huh…"
He muttered, scanning the field for familiar faces. Time to find where he belonged.