Rise of the Crimson Standard

Chapter 1

Percival jogged along the well-trodden paths within the grounds of Fort TimberWren, the emblem of the Training Corps proudly displayed on his uniform. It had been five long years since the day he had lost his mother to the merciless claws of the Beastmen. In that time, he had undergone intense training, honing his skills and determination to a fine edge.

As he ran through the brisk morning air, he reflected on the gruelling years of preparation. The Embersteel Corps had sculpted him into a formidable soldier. He had endured relentless drills, mastered various weapons, and absorbed the wisdom of strategy and combat from seasoned veterans. Each day, the memory of his mother's tragic end had served as the fuel that pushed him to excel.

With the sun beginning to cast its golden glow upon Fort TimberWren and the moat around it, Percival reached the quarters where his comrades in the Training Corps were housed. As an officer candidate, he was on the verge of realizing his dream to serve in the legendary First Corps. He had been waiting for this moment with bated breath, ready to take his place among the finest warriors Emberfell had to offer.

He entered the quarters, only to be met with an unexpected sight. His comrades were still sound asleep, their bunks arranged neatly in rows. Percival knew that waking them early was not only a duty but also a privilege he cherished. Of course, the part he cherished the most was the way they cursed him to Hell and threw pillows at him as he swept their bedsheets from over them.

Percival got ready to wake them all up and took in a deep breath. Then he screamed in his most convincing act of the drill master "GET UP YOU LAZY HUMBUGS".

Samuel quickly got up and hit his head on the bed post, saluting with groggy eyes. James screamed and had his mouth shut by Robert' hand slamming over his mouth. Robert himself, fell off his bed in a bid to shut James up.

Samuel, now fully awake, growled "Percival".

Robert and James stopped their antics to see Percival grinning at them. James threw a pillow at Percival while Samuel darted for his legs, aiming to tackle him. Robert, meanwhile, tried to stand up, but with the lower half of his body still on his bed, fell down again. Percival caught the pillow James had thrown at him with his head and Samuel succeeded in tackling him, taking Percival down. Robert stood up and rushed to open the washroom doors. James ran over to help Samuel in holding Percival while Robert opened the doors. Finally, Robert succeeded and went inside, filling a bucket with water. Samuel and James struggled with Percival, who screamed "GUYS GUYS IT WAS A JOKE".

"Ahem". Captain Marcus Kellis stood at the door, with an annoyed expression on his face "What the Devil are you all up to again?"

Samuel, James, and Percival snapped to attention. Robert chose this moment to enter the room with a bucket full of water and threw it at nobody in particular. The water, of course, sprayed all over the three trainees' backsides, and more importantly, on Captain Marcus' face.

When Robert saw who he'd given the honour of getting splashed with cold water, he froze. Samuel had to forcibly suppress his laugh while a big smile decorated James' face. Percival was the only one with a straight face. Marcus glared at Robert and said "As much as i'd love to have you run the entirety of the fort until your legs dropped, today is the day you'll all be commissioned".

Percival could hear Robert' sigh of relief as the captain walked away shaking his head to himself. A moment later, Percival looked at his comrades and said "Now unless you're all planning on taking your commissions in your underwear, now might be a good time to put some clothes on".

Samuel swore.

Cedric looked at the reports from the last skirmish between the Beastmen and the squads of the Recon Vanguard. The Beastmen had been unusually aggressive ever since their first attack on Greenhaven. There had been several envoys from the southern Silvantide Forests. Despite Cedric's protests, after they voiced their protests that they weren't involved with the northeastern Beastmen advance, their pleas held no interest to the parliament. Bloody politicians. Some Beastmen had even started grouping together to create an army.