Chapter 140 – Voices of the New Commanders
I. Arno Kruger – The Wall That Never Breaks
The name "Fenrir Eisenwald" first reached Arno Kruger's ears in a small tavern on the northern border of the Luminaria Empire. At that time, he had just returned from the bloody internal war—a battlefield that had claimed many of his comrades.
"The Crimson Wolf," said a merchant as he sipped his ale. "The baron who rules the marshes and toppled three barons at once. They say he was summoned by the Emperor himself."
Arno, nearly two meters tall with shoulders broad as a doorway, said nothing. He was already used to hearing names of nobles who rose swiftly and fell even faster. But there was something different in the tone of that whisper: not only fear, but also respect.
Fenrir Eisenwald… is he truly the one capable of uniting the frontier?
Arno came from a poor farming family in the North, a land of cold and stone. Since childhood, his hands were used to wielding an axe for cutting wood, not a sword. But when the internal war called, he earned the nickname "The Iron Hammer." Not because of his weapon, but because of his unshakable resolve in the frontlines.
When he heard Eisenwald was opening a grand recruitment, Arno felt it was destiny. He no longer wished to fight for nobles who only knew greed. He wanted to fight for a land that would recognize him.
On the day of the selection trials, as he stood before Fenrir, his eyes caught the young man's aura. Not the fiery red glow like lava that shook the field, but a gaze that did not waver for even a moment, even when thousands of eyes tested him.
"Arno Kruger," Fenrir called his name. "You will lead seven thousand heavy infantry."
Arno's chest trembled. He looked toward the defeated rivals before him, officers who had failed. He mocked none of them. His heart carried only a simple vow:
I will be the wall for this army. If I fall, then Eisenwald falls. That will never happen.
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II. Mirae Farlheim – The Arrow That Never Hesitates
Mirae came from Farlheim, a border town constantly harassed by raids from wild tribes. Since childhood, she had wielded the longbow passed down by her father, a hunter. But her father was killed in a bandit raid, and from then on Mirae vowed that her arrows would no longer hunt deer—they would pierce the hearts of her enemies.
When she first heard the name Fenrir Eisenwald, she was skeptical. A young noble, they said, who had defeated the old barons. In Farlheim, tales of nobles were always the same: they sent soldiers, while commoners suffered.
But this tale was different: Fenrir gave land to his soldiers, gold to the families of the fallen. That was no ordinary tale. It was a story that made many in Farlheim—including Mirae—decide to march to Eisenwald.
The day of the selection came. Mirae stood among hundreds of other archers. Some were former regular soldiers, others hunters like herself. She could feel the gaze of her rivals, full of doubt because she was a woman.
"An archer doesn't need brute strength," she told herself, drawing her bow. "What's needed is clear eyes and a heart that never hesitates."
Her arrow flew, piercing through three armored targets in a single shot. Cheers erupted. Fenrir himself nodded lightly in approval.
When her name was called as captain of the archers, Mirae looked up at the Eisenwald sky.
Father, look… your daughter now leads two thousand archers. Our arrows will be the rain that erases Eisenwald's enemies.
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III. Varek – The Lightning That Refuses to Die
Varek was no famous name. He was only the son of a minor noble family, nearly ruined, from western Luminaria. As a child, he used to ride a skinny horse across the plains, imagining himself a knight. But war ruined his family, and he became a mercenary to survive.
When he first heard Fenrir's name, he felt envy. A young man his own age had become a baron, even a viscount. He himself, despite years of fighting, was still a nameless sellsword. Yet that envy turned to fire when he heard Eisenwald was recruiting.
"I will prove myself," he vowed. "If I fail, I'll die on the battlefield. But if I succeed, my name will be known."
In the duel trials, he faced Garrik Stormhoof. Varek fought with all his might, his sword clashing against Garrik's lance. But in the end, he lost. His breath ragged, blood running down his temple, his sword fell from his grasp.
He thought it was over. But Fenrir stepped forward and offered his hand.
"Varek, you lost today," Fenrir said. "But I will not waste your courage. You will lead the Cavalry Crossbow Division. A thousand soldiers will be lightning in your hands."
Tears nearly fell—not of defeat, but of recognition. He glanced at Garrik and nodded. No hatred, only a new vow:
I will prove that even one who has fallen can rise again, to become lightning on the battlefield.
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IV. Calder – The Fire of the Forge
Calder did not come from nobles or soldiers. He was born in a small industrial town, son of a blacksmith. Since childhood, his hands were burned by embers, the hammer his closest companion. But his dream was always larger: not just to forge swords, but to craft weapons that could change the course of war.
When he first heard Fenrir's name, Calder didn't care much about politics. What caught his interest was the rumor that in Eisenwald, innovation was valued. Blacksmiths were given room to experiment, to turn crazy ideas into reality.
He brought a crossbow design no one had seen before—stronger, faster. Many blacksmiths mocked him. But Fenrir saw it differently.
"Prove it," Fenrir said.
The first crossbow bolt was fired. The steel bolt pierced a heavy shield as if it were rotten wood. Silence fell, then thunderous cheers erupted in the forge. Fenrir clapped his shoulder. "From today, you are no mere blacksmith. You will be the architect of Eisenwald's new artillery."
Calder bowed, sweat and tears mixing.
I will forge weapons remembered for centuries. Eisenwald is not just an army—it is home to the dreams of blacksmiths.
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Epilogue – One Name, One Vow
That night, after the ceremony, Arno, Mirae, Varek, and Calder stood on the balcony of the temporary citadel. They spoke at length of their visions and missions ahead, their eyes fixed on the red Eisenwald banner emblazoned with the wolf, waving under the moonlight.
Arno, Mirae, Varek, and Calder. That night they made a vow.
Each of their hearts whispered the same words:
Fenrir Eisenwald is not merely a leader. He is the fire that ignites us all. And from this day on, our lives belong entirely to Eisenwald.
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