THE DELIVERER'S DESTINY

Chapter 7, Part 1 - Stephanie

Zusia, Desmond, 10416 P.C.

The Army Barracks took up a large part of Zusia's southern end, complete with apartments, offices, and training centres. It didn't take Stephanie long to find her way to the courtyard — it was full of soldiers and horses ready for departure. The rest of the Graduates who had been sorted into the Army were already there, dressed in their crisp, new military garb: doublets and helmets all a deep crimson, with the Great Dragon's crest embroidered across their chests. Stephanie wore hers with a burning in her stomach, hating the way the gloves made it look as if her hands were drenched in blood. She wore the helmet with the visor down, hiding her tear-stained face as she fell into step beside the other graduates. There were only fourteen of them standing in their new armour, picked from over a hundred. The best of the best.

The eager murderers.

They weren't the only ones; another squadron was there, dressed in similar crimson garb. A crest emblazoned the backs of their coats, different from the one Stephanie had seen on hers. She knew the reasoning. Each graduating group became a squad — or if there were over thirty, two squads — and each squad was given a crest alongside the Dragon's to distinguish them from others. It was easier, then, during a battle, to know where one was meant to be.

The Commander stood before them, hands clasped behind his back. "You, Graduates, are Squadron Eighty-Four, and your squadron leader is Sergeant Josiah." He motioned to the young man who stood beside him. He looked to be in his early twenties, but he stood tall and sure in his mail and doublets. His crest was much more elaborate than the soldiers', proving his higher ranking. Stephanie knew he must have been exceptionally good to have become a Sergeant so young. "You will be joined by Sergeant Leah and her squad, Squadron Sixty-Two, to complete your mission."

The Commander went on, but Stephanie had lost interest, consumed with thoughts and ideas on how to properly execute her revenge. They were ordered to mount their horses and ride, and Stephanie approached the disciplined beast she was directed to and pulled herself onto it. Within minutes, they were trotting out of the courtyard, following the Sergeants' horses down the cobbled road toward the Army gate. Suddenly and for only the third time in her life, Stephanie was outside of the city, leaving Zusia far, far behind.

Stephanie didn't look back.

The ride was long and hard. Stephanie had had many hours of training atop a horse's back, but she was unused to such long, hard travelling. She was getting tired, finding herself staring off into the woods, wishing with all of her might that she could spur her horse into a gallop and leave the company behind. But then, where would she go? She had nowhere to go. Her only plan of action lay within doing as much damage to this mission as she could before she was inevitably cut down — at least she'd be going down defiant.

It felt like a part of her, the part that possessed her will to live, had died with Marcie. The ache in her chest wouldn't leave, no matter how bumpy the road became. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Marcie lying on the sandy ground, blood pooling around her... so Stephanie didn't close her eyes, however heavy they became.

The sun was far off in the west before they reached their destination. It was a village surrounded by trees, just miles north of the jungle. Stephanie had never been this far outside of Zusia before, but having studied the map of Desmond for hours on end, she knew this place to be the village of Sarum. What they were doing there, she didn't know.

They were called to a halt in the village market, which was unnaturally void of people at this time of day. The Town Officer, dressed in a red suit very similar to theirs, was there to greet the leaders of their company. They talked for a bit before Sergeant Leah, who was a tall, thickly-built middle-aged woman with a powerful voice, ordered the soldiers off their horses. Stephanie dismounted, grimacing at the ache in her joints.