Chapter 21
Almost everyone woke up at four in the morning as now that everyone was well rested, we had gone back to the routine of our training. Some realized what has happened and just returned to sleep while telling their friends that wanted to stay awake to wake them up when it was time for breakfast. Others planned to take it easy and just sit around until breakfast. The last group decided to warmup for the first day of the joint training exercise.
Pera and I, joined this last group, we headed for the mountain that had become as familiar as the back of our hands. We decided that we would walk the hardest and roughest path, and that we would walk only not run for anywhere between one and two hours until we got the least bit tired and then we would head back. We didn't go overboard as we didn't want to go overboard and not be able to join in the main training. Or worse get punished because we couldn't perform adequately.
After we were done with the warmup, everyone headed back to do whatever they wanted. Meanwhile, Pera and I headed back to the river and cleaned up, we also swam a little before we headed back.
As there was still two hours until breakfast starts, we decided to just hang out in the camp while waiting for the sun to fully show itself in all of its majesty. It was weird when we returned and we couldn't put our fingers upon it. After more than ten minutes of sharing ideas finally it popped into my head, so I shared my conclusion with Pera. The camp was silent, usually when we wake up there are ten thousand recruits trying to head to the different training areas that they use before the get punished, so a lot of screaming and shouting happens in the morning just after everyone wakes up. When we return for breakfast the same thing happens, everyone would be clamoring to eat as much as they can before the next portion of the training starts. This always caused those who finished late to come running and shouting for others to make way, and sometime fights break out.
The silence felt strange in this place, and that is why although we knew that something felt wrong, we were not able to pinpoint it immediately. Alas, everything returned to normal volume of shouting and blaming once breakfast started.
Once everyone we were done eating, we headed back to the tents to wait for our drill sergeants. We waited for five minutes after the canteen was officially closed when they finally arrived.
He shouted, "FORM UP," he waited for a couple moments for us to stand before him and seeing that everyone was well rested and maintained their discipline, he spoke with a hint of approval in his voice, "you the first camp along the rest of the first ten camps will be under my supervision from now on. I will not explain anything for now, you just have to follow me and when we meet up with the others you will know what is going to happen and how you will train."
So, we moved out and once we headed out of one of the gates of the camp, we started meeting the other groups that will be training alongside us. Along the way we met up with the second group and saw Brenda, we exchanged a few words quietly so as not to be reprimanded and continued marching without talking.
We walked for about half an hour before we reached a field with equipment there ready for us to claim. But none of us were dumb enough to try touching anything without permission.
Once all a thousand of us where there, our drill sergeant took the lead and spoke to everyone in a voice louder than usual so that everyone could hear, "now that everyone is here, I will explain, but I will only explain once so you better listen and understand because no one will help you if you don't. What we will train you to do here is called a shield wall, I doubt I have to explain what it is but I will. To know what a shield wall is you have to just look at its name and have more intelligence than an new born infant animal, it is when the front liners hold shields to block all attacks while those that are behind them use their spears to attack and kill their enemies, and those behind the spear users are support. That is all you will get from me for the time being. Now for the most important part, you have all been assessed in the two weeks of personal training and you will now be assigned your role based on the observations of your drill sergeants. Four hundred of you will be shield bearers, four hundred will be polearm users and the last two hundred will be reserves. So, when your drill sergeant calls your name, you step forward and claim the gear that you will be using, for now everything will be wooden as we don't want any deaths in training, you will also be asked to leave the polearms that you received during the first day of training. That is all for now."
After he finished his address, each group stepped forward and towards their drill sergeants. In the end, Donald and I were both assigned to be shield bearers, our gear, a chainmail hauberk, and an iron helmet, a round shield that would cover my entire body when crouching, a short spear, a seax and a hand axe, all in all they weighed around thirty kilograms and I finally understood why they added weights to our training, in order to see how much we can hold and still fight comfortably.
Pera ended up being one of the polearm users. Her gear light armor such as a padded jacket, a helmet, a polearm the same as we used previously, a dagger, and finally a medium sized shield that could be used if the person in front of her fell.
Max, on the other hand ended up as one of the reserves. His gear, light armor and a helmet, he also had a medium sized shield, but steadier and heavier than the one Pera had, so he can plug a hold in the first line if needed, he also had a polearm to use if he has to replace one of the polearm users, he also got a bundle of javelins to throw and harass the enemies when he is not needed to help the others.
After everyone got their roles and equipment, we stood back in line waiting for instruction on how to proceed. We were told to jog for an hour to warm up and get used to the added weight on hour bodies.
When we finished our jog, we were already tired as no one had ever had this much extra weight when running. Then we were led to the other side of the plain and there standing before us are two ranks of straw scarecrows. The first rank held shield and the second had nothing.
Once we saw what it was in front of us, we were confused but not for long as the drill sergeant then explained. He said, "we you weaklings for as long as we want, but if you do not even know the basics then may the Keepers have mercy on your souls because it will not be long before the Banished comes to lay claim to it. And to understand the basics you something to train against, you can't expect to have good results if all you do is wave at the air. So, today and for as long as I see is needed these straw scarecrows will be you enemies and sparring partner."
He waited for everyone to get comfortable with the idea then he continued, "now everyone is to follow my instructions, all shield bearers to the front and form a tightly packed line."
Everyone followed his commands and we stood in line at the front facing the army of straw scarecrows. However, the drill sergeant was not happy, and judging from the scowl on his face he wouldn't mind breaking a couple bones, so we all took whatever happens next seriously.
We were right as he shouted full of anger, "I TOLD YOU TIGHTLY PACKED… THIS IS WHAT YOU CALLED TIGHTLY PACKED I CAN PASS BETWEEN EACH OF YOU WITH WHILE RIDING ON A HORSE, SO GET CLOSER TO EACH OTHER." Seeing us shuffle closer he was still not satisfied, "DO YOU NOT UNDERSTAND THE WORDS THAT ARE COMING OUT OF MY MOUTH, I SAID CLOSER. AND WHEN I SAY CLOSER, I MEAN CLOSER THAN YOU HOLD YOUR WIVES AND HUSBANDS, CLOSER THAN YOUR MOTHER HELD YOU WHEN SHE WAS STILL NURSING YOU… UNDERSTOOD?"
We were all afraid of the consequence of what might happen so we shouted in answer, "YES, SIR," in our loudest voices then we go close enough that our shoulders were touching.
Looking at us he nodded, "adequate, I suppose it will enough for the first day. Now bend your legs and crouch, the raise your shields and lock them in place with the others. You will stay like this for an hour, if anyone lets their shield fall the time will increase to two hours."
Then he moved on from us while the nine other drill and assistant drill sergeants continued to watch us. We heard the drill sergeant shout commands behind us but we didn't dare turn around to look, he we heard enough to understand what was happening. He was saying, "now the polearm users, stand behind them and hold you weapons ready."
We heard the shuffling of feet behind us that signaled that they had gotten in position. Then he commanded them again, "Now I want you to hit the scarecrows in front of you through the gaps in the shields in front of you. While the reserves stand behind everyone and start throwing your javelins, if you hit any of your fellow recruits your punishment will be severe."
He continued to watch as the two lines behind us hit the straw scarecrows in front of us for an entire hour, not allowing anyone to rest. Once the hour was up, he allowed us five minutes rest and then told us to get in formation again.
Then he said, "this time it will be a little bit different, as I am sure you all noticed but you will not be able to kill anyone if you can only hit their shields or extremities. So, the front row will use their hand axes to hook the shields of their enemies and open them up for the second row to hit. The second row can also use their polearms to hook shields to allow the first row to strike the finishing blow. So, I want to see more fatal strikes and less hitting shields… oh, a reminder for those in the front row, when you open your shield to strike at the enemy you will keep it open for only the duration of the strike and jerking if the shield if you can. If your shield stays open for more time that that you will be punished."
We continued the training until the usual time for lunch and everyone was preparing to eat what they managed to get from the canteen before it closed, and that is when we learned what the punishments that the drill sergeants were talking about was, as they did not allow those that did something wrong to eat.
We continued this training even after the sun set barely having any time to rest between drills. So, by the time dinner came around everyone was thanking the Holy Father that we had finally finished the training. So, we returned to our tents and sent the ten runners for the day to bring our food. While we ate we talked about our experiences today and cursed those that had said that this phase of training would be better than the last.