AGATHUSIA

PROLOGUE

The room was wide but hard to identify as an office because of the surrounding darkness. There was a table at the centre, atop of it are scattered papers and a lit candle which was the only thing that provides lighting throughout the whole place. The windows didn’t help either for it was a cloudy evening without a glimpse of moonlight. Sitting in front of the table was a man wearing a military uniform with a cross-swords badge. He was very much focused reading a piece of parchment until a knock at the door made him put the parchment aside.

“Come in.”

The door opened slowly and a young lad wearing the same uniform stepped in. Despite of the bundle of papers he was carrying, he made an effort to salute to the man.

“Commander Castria, Good Evening sir. I have brought the list just as you’ve asked, sir.”

The man nodded and signalled the soldier to come closer.

“Unfortunately sir, the numbers decimated after the siege. Some of them lost their lives.” The soldier said as he walked towards his commander.

“We have been expecting that to happen, but the siege, it was not anticipated. How much did we lose?” Asked the man as he accepts the papers handed to him.

The youth twitched a troubled look before answering, “Twelve, sir… All confirmed dead.”

“Tsk… Tsk…” Commander Castria shook his head. “That’s already a great loss from the original count of 65.”He muttered.

He browsed through the papers then looked at the young guy with a blank expression.

“How are the preparations?”

“Everything is ready sir. All that’s left is to inform the candidates about their delayed training.” A look of assurance was on the soldier’s eyes as he gave the answer.

The commander stood as he put down the bundle and walked near the window beside his table.

“The sudden destruction of the walls delayed the training of the Paragon Assemblage and caused major problems. That’s why I’ll be making some changes.”

“Changes, sir?” ,still standing on his place, the soldier wondered.

“Roald…”

The soldier paid more attention upon hearing his name. “Yes sir?”

“Tell Hector that I’ll be replacing him as instructor. I’ll teach them myself.”

“S-Sir?” Roald, the young soldier asked in a surprised tone.

“Seven months’ worth of time was already wasted reconstructing preparations. Right now our priority is shortening the duration of training in just six months. Hector won’t be able to accomplish such in just a short amount of season.”

The commander’s explanation dragged Roald to a state of shock. “B-but, sir, there are more important problems to be dealt with regarding the status quo ----”

” You do know that these trainees are far more different than that of the normal brigades, don’t you?”  Commander Castria turned to face him afterwards.

Roald looked down, disturbed.

“Despite of the disagreement of some at first in the proposal of the Paragon Assemblage, the government did manage to persuade them in the end.” He paused for a while and continued.

“…A special trainee squad to make elites out of the handpicked children of soldiers from different military factions. As ordered by the government, they have been exposed to military knowledge and training at a young age by their soldier parents…and some of them are believed to be prodigies in respective fields.”

The room was silent for a while, not a word from the mouth of neither the soldier nor his commander.

“I’ll take my leave and inform Instructor Hector right away, sir.” Roald settled with a salute and resolution in his grey irises.

“Very well then…”  Commander Castria replied and just that, Roald walked out and closed the door.

Slowly, the rays of moonlight returned, enveloping everything visible. Commander Philip Castria gazed at the window only to see the view of the usual town at night and the surrounding barricade, Wall Rose.