Warbringer by Aaron Hodges

Author:Aaron Hodges [Hodges, Aaron]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780995136519
Published: 2020-03-27T04:00:00+00:00

19

The Recruit

“I though you said not to care?” Lukys croaked as Romaine turned towards him.

Standing in the front ranks of his regiment, Lukys couldn’t keep the horror from his face as Romaine met his eyes. His heart was pounding in his chest, his ears still ringing. It couldn’t be true, couldn’t be happening…

They were doomed.

“Who here is afraid?” Lukys flinched as Romaine looked away from him, speaking instead to the entire regiment.

Standing at the head of the column, the warrior’s red-streaked eyes swept the gathered recruits, seeming to take them all in at once. Lukys wondered what game the man was playing. Every single Perfugian, even Dale, was trembling in his boots. Surely he could see that.

No one spoke, and after a moment, Romaine began to pace up and down the line. That continued for a while. Every man and woman in the regiment watched the warrior, until he came to a sudden stop, and looked at them again.

“I’m afraid,” he said unexpectedly, voice soft. “Many of you already know me, but for those who don’t, I am a warrior of Calafe. Tomorrow we will be marching into my homeland.” He paused, lowering his head, though Lukas still saw the sadness in his eyes. “But it is no longer my home. It has become enemy territory, the home of our nightmares.”

He started to pace again, though now his eyes were on them. He spoke as he walked: “As of tomorrow, we will be brothers and sisters in arms. If we are to stand any chance of surviving, we must trust each other. Even with our deepest, darkest fears.” He stopped mid-stride, looking at them in earnest now. “My name is Romaine, and I am afraid of what we will face on the morrow. But that fear will not stop me.”

Lukys swallowed as he locked eyes with the warrior. A shudder passed through him and before Lukys knew what he was doing, he stepped forward. “I am afraid.”

A snigger came from somewhere behind him, but already another voice was emerging from the ranks of recruits.

“I’m afraid.” Lukys smiled as Travis stepped up beside him, head held high as he looked back at their fellow Perfugians. “But I will not run from it.”

“I am afraid as well.”

Others followed, then all the recruits who had trained under Romaine, and others too, those who had not joined them, but perhaps had wished to, if only they’d found the courage. The laughter that had come from Dale and his friends died away, drowned out by the whispered admissions. Lukys glimpsed anger in his rival’s eyes.

“Very good,” Romaine spoke again from the front ranks. “Then we will face our fears together.” He drew in a breath. “Well, we only have the day. I will not press you—we will need every ounce of strength for what we find in my homeland. But I must know your capabilities.”

Whispers went through the recruits as they exchanged glances. Even those who had not joined Lukys knew about the gruelling training regime Romaine had subjected them to.

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