The Beast Within

CHAPTER THIRTY- FOUR

Less than a week later just as they had been expecting, the enlistment officials from the Capital came to Thrika.

It was a day just like any other but Ceraun and Adrik had stayed behind at Haneul's directions.

Somehow, the news had gotten around town so there was already a small crowd at the entrance to the city.

Everyone was eager to know who would be willing to sign their lives away.

There was a clear difference between the people who had made up their minds to enlist from the rest because they mostly sat in smaller groups or all alone, and always apart from the noisy groups.

No one was sure when the officials would come although they were known for being incredibly punctual as the soldiers guarding the gates of Thrika didn't seem inclined to answer any Mage's questions.

They didn't have to wait too long because hoof sounds were heard approaching the closed gates even before midmorning, the guards in charge of the gate scrambling around to get to the huge gates.

Ceraun got to his feet to see better, he hoped that the officials coming would impress him better than the Lord that had made a visit mere weeks ago.

They would be the first to willingly enlist to be a part of the army, although looking at it with scrutiny, it was not exactly a choice.

A single carriage was drawn in by rows upon rows of horses when Ceraun counted it was half and quarter a dozen black steeds, all pulling an intimidatingly huge carriage.

It was painted a stately black color and the amount of horses pulling it was no doubt for speed.

If they had gotten to Thrika so early in the morning, it meant that they must have started the journey at least at midday the day before.

But if Ceraun thought it through, they didn't seem like the type to go through all that trouble, they probably just started out at dawn this morning, the fact that they were already in Thrika was a testament to how powerful their horses were and how sturdy the carriage was made.

A thick silence fell over the place, the guards already running to stand in line to salute stiffly.

Ceraun was entranced, watching expectantly.

The carriage was flung open, a big boot sticking out of the dark interior.

A woman stepped out, big boned and intimidating, her weapon took its time coming after her, a huge hammer with blunt, smoothened ends.

Her huge arms were bare, intricate and dense tattoos wrapping delicately around her left arm, her black hair was cut short and shaved to one side.

She raised her head up to sweep a deadly look over the crowd gathered and the children all instinctively shuffled backwards or cringed away from her gaze.

Ceraun couldn't blame them, feeling cold lick down his spine when the official's icy blue gaze flickered over him before coming to settle on the guards lined up in front of the carriage, looking just as terrified as the children gathered around.

"It wouldn't kill you to smile, Laela." Another official said, coming down as well.

While Laela was entirely draped in what had to be tons of leather and metal, this official wore a simple but elegant tunic over leather breeches, impressive boots hitting the ground with a thud.

"Another word from you, Ciel, and you'll be tasting metal at the back of your throat." Laela muttered in a cold voice, stepping to the side.

Dritan was the best to handle this, she would rather be back on the battlefront than to be here recruiting runts who looked like they barely got enough to eat.

Ciel wisely kept his mouth shut, sharp grey eyes scanning the crowd of curious children, it seemed most unlikely that what he was looking for would be in a place such as this.

The last official that Laela had referred to as Dritan, stepped down, an impressively adorned sword sitting in his scabbard.

Ciel had a a quiver full of beautiful arrows over his back, his bow slung in the opposite direction from his quiver.

The soldiers saluted again when the last official made his way out, he was easily taller than the first woman that stepped out and Ceraun was starting to understand why the carriage was so unnaturally large.

Adrik had gotten up as well at this point, his eyes fixed on the happenings in front of them.

The Ration Master had stepped forward to bow down to the last official and also exchange a couple words with him.

Ceraun wondered if Adrik could hear them, he was yet to see the limit to the other's abilities.

But he did not say a word about it and Ceraun figured that it was wise to keep shut as well.

"A place has been prepared for the enlistment?" Dritan asked, his words more a statement than a question.

The Ration Master stumbled over his pudgy feet as well as his words, nervously patting his big stomach as he struggled to bow again. "Y-yes, Captain, Sir." He mumbled nervously, gesturing to a shed a little distance away from where the carriage was.

"Well, let's get this over with." Laela muttered, already moving in the direction that the fat man had gestured in.

Dritan turned around to close the carriage door, his ponytail of thick, blond dreads swerving around.

The sides of his head was shaved, tattoos inked on the exposed skin.

A guard walked in their direction, looking quite out of place, Ceraun decided that it was a look he rather liked on the usually pompous guards.

"Attention!!! High ranking officials from the Capital are here to enlist as many of you willing to go to war!" He informed in the most polite tone Ceraun had ever heard a guard use to address them.

But his thoughts were occupied with more prevalent issues.

"So if you have chosen to be a part of the army to defend our beloved Kingdom, make your way over to the shed!!!" He concluded, after his announcement, he turned around and disappeared into one of the endless buildings erected around the gates.