Shadows over Sigil - The Deva Spark

Theory and Patrol

"Consider the one who reveals your flaws as someone showing you something of a hidden treasure."

Words of the sky dragon Yosei, the Morning Star

Second Lady's Day of Tithing, 126 HR

After seven days of tests, Kiyoshi, in full armor, the naginata slung across his shoulder and the helmet on his right arm, stood in the Barracks' drill ground, early in the morning. He was to carry out his first patrol duty in the city of Sigil with an experienced officer. A great honor, as this would be his first time representing the venerable Harmonium in public. He hoped that the officer would be the son of Dwozurt Nallart-sensei, who had already been in charge of the practical parts of his training in the past few weeks. Kiyoshi looked around the Barracks' inner yard and was reminded of the beginning of his training seven weeks ago.

It had been the morning of the Third Market Day of Retributus, and on the Harmonium's drill ground, the twilight of the night had not yet given way to the brighter light of day when Kiyoshi had entered the field. In full armor, so the order had been, he had to report for duty at dawn. In the courtyard of the Barracks, recruits in the armor of the Harmonium had already lined up in rows of eight in front of an instructor and received their orders for the day. Kiyoshi had stood alone, no other recruits who had started their training that week, just him. He had let his gaze wander when he had suddenly heard a deep voice bark behind him: "Recruit Kiyoshi, fall in!"

Kiyoshi had jerked around and had seen his instructor for the first time. Although he himself had not been the tallest among the recruits in the yard, his instructor had been about a head shorter. What he lacked in height, however, he had made up for with his broad chest. The veteran, dressed in magnificent plate armor with red and gold decorations and a long black fur coat, had looked at him with golden eyes between silver-gray hair, thick eyebrows and a mighty silver beard - those eyes almost the only part of his sun-tanned and wrinkled face that could be seen between his hair.

The young man from Kamigawa had snapped to attention in front of the dwarf decurion of second rank, as a quick glance at the shoulder straps had revealed. "Soldier Kiyoshi reports for basic training as ordered."

The old dwarf had nodded. "Right, basic training. As long as you have not completed it, in my opinion you are not a soldier, but a recruit. There must be order. I am Nallart, son of Dwozurt, decurion of second rank and I'll be your instructor for all the practical parts of your training to become a soldier. Clear so far?"

"Yes, son of Dwozurt Nallart-sensei," Kiyoshi had replied to the decurion's short speech. Even if his face hadn't shown it, he respected someone who stuck to the rules so strictly.

"I've been told that you add honorifics from your homeland to all names. All right, recruit. You're polite and punctual and your uniform is so clean that I could view myself in it. But by Moradin, that gets you nowhere in the streets of Sigil. Now let's see what kind of ore you're forged from. Follow me, quick march!"

"Soldier Kiyoshi. As punctual as ever, you could set your watch by it. I see that hasn't changed in the last few weeks."

The voice of son of Dwozurt Nallart-sensei tore Kiyoshi out of his thoughts as he closed the distance between them at a brisk pace.

"Very good, order is important. And the armor is still as clean as on the first day. I must say, I can't find anything wrong with you, no matter how hard I look. I like that, soldier."

The dwarf came to a stop a few steps in front of Kiyoshi, and the ends of his magnificent, well-kept moustache rose slightly, suggesting a smile. Kiyoshi still remembered this smile from his first week.

"Recruit Kiyoshi, that won't do." The son of Dwozurt Nallart-sensei had dropped the training weapon with which the two of them had just fought their first practice fight after Kiyoshi's physical condition had been judged 'sufficient' on the first day. "If we replace some of the physical training with hand-to-hand combat exercises, then you have to attack. You are standing there with your pole, parrying my blows, but that's it. Factol Sarin told me that you had served in your world and fought in a war. You certainly didn't survive like that."

Kiyoshi had kept his eyes down and remained silent. After a short pause, son of Dwozurt Nallart-sensei had approached his recruit. "Is there a reason why you're not attacking me?"

"Yes, son of Dwozurt Nallart-sensei, it wouldn't be right. You are higher in rank than I am."

"I don't think so, recruit Kiyoshi. I have to test your abilities in order to train you. That's ... " The dwarf had thought about it for a moment. "Recruit, do one of those katas you were telling me about, I'll be right back."

Kiyoshi had started to perform a few movements with the quarterstaff, strictly measured sequences of attack and defense against non-existent opponents. Meanwhile the dwarf had walked over to another group of recruits, spoken briefly with the instructor there, and then returned with one of those recruits, a young human.

"Recruit Kiyoshi, this is recruit Gorn. So boys, now show me what you can do."

During the fight, Kiyoshi had spotted the tips of his instructor's beard moving upwards, even when recruit Gorn had had him on the ground after about ten minutes and both had been breathing heavily.

"Well done, recruit Gorn. Dismissed. Recruit Kiyoshi, you are a good, enduring fighter. You have received good training. Now I will show you how to fight dirty."

"Now then, soldier Kiyoshi. Let's go to the Clerks Ward and I'll explain the basic things to look out for. Let's start by moving along. Harmonium soldiers don't march, they walk. When you need to cover long distances, you should not exhaust yourself along the way already."

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This chapter was written by Kiyoshis player.