Glyph

Chapter 21

When Dirk arose the next morning, it was with happiness.

He was excited. Excited to leave Redvale. Excited to see the rest of Teramen, even if it was as an invader. But most of all, he was excited to leave Brooke and Aderyn, the traitors, and all the failed hopes they represented.

Contemplating his reasoning made him sad, so he resolved to not think about either Brooke or Aderyn until he was far and away out of the city.

Per the usual morning routine, his squad assembled and met the rest of the Third Company at the Parade Ground. But that's where the semblance of any normality disappeared.

As they usually did only on nights they fought war games, equipment was distributed amongst the Company. Unlike previous times, the equipment was all real.

Leather armor was distributed throughout the men. Each sergeant and corporal had two marks or one, respectively, burned onto the left shoulder of their breastplate.

Dirk of course, had his sword and strapped his dirk to his right side, but each normal soldier was issued a spear and a much shorter sword in the event of the spear breaking. Everyone now carried a round, reinforced wooden shield strapped to their back.

As the ranks were quickly reformed, there was no sound of soldierly banter, no smiles, only grim faces.

Ahead of them, Captain Aetil and Lieutenant Seral wheeled their horses around to face front. When the hooves stopped moving, quiet again descended on the group of men.

With such a silence, there was no need to shout, only speak over the sound of rustling cloth and the rasp of gravel. "Move out, " Lieutenant Seral said gravely.

With a rustle, the ranks lifted up their feet. With a crunch, they crashed down on the dirt.

They were off.

When they arrived at the North Gate, they were given the order to halt.

When he heard noise behind him, Dirk risked a glance behind him.

He saw two other companies, presumably from the North Brigade , lined up behind them.

Quickly he turned his attention back to the front. As he did so, the wooden doors of the gates began to open.

"Move out, " ordered Lieutenant Seral.

Similar commands were echoed all along the line.

As they passed into the cobblestone streets of Redvale, Dirk caught a glimpse of a face at a window, but it was gone too swiftly to be sure.

As they moved deeper into the city, the absence of both sound and sight of people began to become conspicuous.

It must be before curfew, Dirk realized.

They moved through the city rather quickly and were at the South Gate just before curfew lifted.

A small restaurant nearby tugged at Dirk gaze. He glanced

Nonetheless, he could feel his thoughts begin to be drawn toward Brooke, like moths to a flame.

With difficulty, he resisted the impulse.

The gate seemed to take forever to open, despite it probably being about the same time as the North Gate.

Dirk could feel his facade beginning to crack, his grief threatening to spill through.

Just as he felt he could no longer hold on, Lieutenant Seral gave the order. "Soldiers, move out!"

As the ranks tramped through the open portal, Dirk felt his emotions begin to recede. He breathed a sigh of relief. He could grieve later, but not now, in front of these men marching to war.