Chapter 17 – The Shadow Battalion
The morning wind swept across a clearing at the edge of the elven settlement.
The grass glistened with dew, and the newborn sunlight painted the ground in silver.
There, Valdyn stood with bow in hand, facing ten young elves lined up in a nervous row. Their eyes darted, their hands trembled. None of them had ever shed blood.
"From this day forward," Valdyn's voice carried sharp authority, echoing through the trees, "you are no longer children hiding behind the forest's shade. You will become the eyes and fangs of our people. The Shadow Battalion."
The youths exchanged anxious glances. They knew exactly who stood before them—Valdyn Thalorian, the prince rumored to be the child of prophecy, the heir chosen by the ancestors.
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Valdyn lifted his bow.
"Magic and arrows. That is our strength. One without the other is weakness. Today, we begin with the foundation—melding the two as one."
He drew his bowstring. The air trembled as wind gathered around the arrow. With a single release, the arrow shot forward, cutting clean through three stacked wooden boards.
The young elves' eyes widened.
"Your bow gives direction. Your magic gives power. If you cannot make them one, you are useless."
He pointed at a boy with trembling hands. "You. Step forward."
The boy obeyed, fumbling with his bow. He muttered a wind incantation, released the string—
The arrow sputtered and fell short, landing harmlessly in the dirt.
Valdyn walked up to him, calm but sharp. "Your mistake is simple. You separated them. You thought of the arrow first, then the magic. That will never work."
He guided the boy's grip, pressing his hand over his. "Your bow is your conduit. Your arrow is your spell. When you draw, let the magic flow with the motion. Not after. Together."
The boy nodded, swallowed hard, and tried again.
This time, the arrow rode a faint gust, flying straight and striking into the wooden target.
Cheers erupted, but Valdyn raised a hand. "Do not celebrate. That is only the first step."
---
The training dragged into midday.
Arrows loosed, spells chanted, mana surged. Some hit true, some fizzled out, others exploded in raw bursts that sent their owners sprawling into the dirt.
Valdyn's tone never wavered. Sharp, commanding.
"Stand up. Again. In battle, a single mistake means death."
Sweat dripped from foreheads. Hands shook from strain. Yet beneath the exhaustion and fear, something else began to take root—resolve.
From a distance, Sylwen watched silently, her silver eyes reflecting the young warriors' struggles. A rare softness touched her face. So this is what it means to be born a leader.
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By late afternoon, Valdyn called them back into formation.
"The Shadow Battalion will not be mere archers. You will be ghosts in this forest—unseen, unheard, but deadly."
He drew lines in the dirt with an arrow. "Three rows. Front shoots flame arrows to burn the path. Middle sends wind arrows to drive through. Rear binds with earth arrows to halt pursuit. Every strike overlaps, every move pushes the enemy further back."
The youths leaned closer, wide-eyed.
One boy, Erian, lifted his hand hesitantly. "Prince… are we truly to fight humans?"
Valdyn's eyes locked on him. His voice was flat, cold.
"Not if. But when."
A chill rippled down their spines.
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The training ended as the sun sank. The young elves trudged home, weary, bruised, but with fire lit in their eyes.
Valdyn remained alone in the clearing, bow resting across his knees. His breath came slow, his thoughts heavy.
This battalion is still fragile. But one day… they will be the hidden blade of our people.
Sylwen approached quietly, settling beside him. "You made them believe. That's the first step."
Valdyn allowed a faint smile. "Belief alone won't win wars. They'll need to learn to kill without hesitation."
Sylwen tilted her head back, watching the stars. "That day will come… sooner than you think."
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That night, a forest bird landed on a guard's shoulder, a small scroll tied to its leg.
"Human patrols spotted. They're moving closer to the borders."
The message spread swiftly through the settlement, reaching Valdyn's ears.
His grip tightened on his bow. His emerald eyes narrowed.
So… they're already testing the edges of our forest. It won't be long.
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The Shadow Battalion was born—young, untested, fragile.
But time was short.
The enemy's footsteps were already brushing against their borders.
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