XVII Iron Fist

It was the day after Hierd's speech. And the city, which had just recieved the fact that they will not leave the night prior by Adelheid; was as bustling as ever. The people roamed the streets without any fear, but the gates, of which had squads of soldiers, were people frequented less. But nonetheless, Hierd's first day was rather peaceful. But, this peace wouldn't last that long.

"I wish to crack down on the crime happening in the city." He spoke infront the people who were there the day before. However, with the added finance manager, foreign trade manager, and some of the city's architects and engineers. The new people had already been informed of what had happened last time by the squad leaders, and they were fully aware of what had happened in the city. 

"There's been a fraternity in the city's undergrounds for years now, even our knights couldn't deal with the threat they posed." Replied Adelheid.

"Well, this time, we have soldiers with guns." Said Hierd. "Something that poses much more of a threat than the average knight. So, because of the recent travel ban, they're about to reveal their little heads, trying to escape this stronghold. However, at night, my subordinates will crack down upon three spots where they are active. Which is where, you tie in, Adelheid."

Adelheid looked to the ceiling, at the past which he recollected after a mere few seconds. "Their members, though we do not know exactly how many, are gathered mostly at the pier. The reason to this would be the smuggling of contraband in and out the city. They are active in the night yet in the day they blend in with the crowd. We've had multiple instances of 'obscene' crimes happening in the city's indoors but not fully destroy this fraternity."

"If it may-" The architect interjected, seeing Hierd look at him, he said; "I am Kris, my lord. If it may, the implementation of nightly patrols with curfews should decrease their activity."

"It 'can' decrease, but not eradicate, sir Kris." He paused a bit before entering into the thought he had about the gang. "I instead, propose a more dictatorial approach."

"What may that be, lord?" Questiond Adelheid. 

"That anyone who even slightly looks suspicious, has had history of misdemenor, or frequent the pier alot, will be detained and questioned."

"That... Is rather dictatorial indeed." Said Adelheid, "However, it could crack down on their operations and help eradicate this group."

"Yes, indeed. So I will be hightening security on the pier, interviewing every ship's captain, putting nightly curfews, and investigating the city by day." 

( * )

It was the strike of afternoon, the merchants guild were the ones in charge of the ships that pass this city. And with the lord's permission, the port was full of soldiers and knights that were released from the prison that day prior. The sailors and captains who saw the mass amount of guards were afraid to tell anything to them, however, once their ships were searched. They fessed up and told them where the contriband laid.

Drugs, ale, and other suspicious items were uncovered in the ships' many boxes. Just that afternoon, the knights and soldiers had all accumalated a better part of a five tons of illegal contraband. And with such contraband, came along too the multiple sailors and captains that were arrested by posessing such material. 

In the prison, they were interrogated vehemently of whom their client was. All captains had one name, and that being; "Veril." When they asked them where the individual was, they couldn't come up with a response great enough to be considered true or even be considered at all! They'd come up; "Veril hides inside the northern quadrant of the city!" Or that; "Veril is someone who changes spots from time to time." And who could forget; "Veril is not in this city!"

Where-ever this 'Veril' was, Hierd was confident enough to say that because the ports have been siezed of usability, the fraternity will begin to move actively in the night to recieve the contraband that was hidden inside the prison's 'stolen and contraband' room. 

And by the strike of night, where the curfew was imposed and the people followed, the patrols had seen multiple figures in the dark, following them into the alleys and into the streets. Arresting them finally as they shot with their lugers. Though the gunshots had certainly waken-up the citizens, it was all for the greater good, as the citizens were being well protected by the soldiers.

It was the day after that, and Hierd gave a message that was posted near the manor's entrance. Reading;

"In this day alone, Unchean's darkness seems ever grey. We have confiscated the many contraband brought by Unchean's underground, and have interrogated the many members of this, dare I say, secret organisation. And hour by hour, we are getting close to cracking down on this idiocracy."

At the bottom, it read; 

"To my citizens! Against the enemies! -Hierd Die Grace"

The people who gathered to read the paper posted were very suprised and were in endless joy. Now that their new lord finally acted upon the dangers of Unchean's underground, they felt even more safer to walk and play outdoors. Chants of; "Glory to the new lord" were heard all around the city and soon enough became a phrase that even the children would say as they neared or passed the manor.

"You have gained quite the popularity, lord Hierd." Adelheid said as he followed him.

"My popularity is a good cause, without it, they'll feel insecure and wish to leave the city for good, but, knowing the travel ban, they'll instead live in their homes with anger to my face."

"I see, my lord." 

Hierd was going towards the prison, for a special person was there to meet them. As the prison was located further down the city, he and Adelheid catched a ride in a truck and had swiftly got there. Once they had departed the vehicle, his squad was there, awaiting him.

They opened every door and talked to every soldier and knight, and then, at the end of the hall, they opened the door to their special visitor. 

"So you are the infamous... Veril?" Hierd sat down on the wooden chair. Adelheid, who was standing right next to him, freaked out as he heard what he said. But, keeping it professional, he did not further react. 

"I am." A young man, with a rather fit body. This could be Veril, but Hierd was so sure that this 'Veril' person was an old crack addict.

"I was told that you walked into the prison just this morning claiming you were that, Veril. But, seeing you as you are right now, I find it difficult to ascertain that truly you are that 'Veril' you speak of."

"Why so, new lord?" He had quite the angry expression. "Your regime has totalled mine. And my members are leaving me left and right. And you think you have the right of mind to suspect this isn't me just because I, Veril, is some young crook?"

"I think I have the right of mind to kill you."

Veril had shut up and his angry expression turned into a nervous one. 

"I suspect you don't want to be your group's leader now, and that's why you've come here today to negotiate something for something. Am I correct, Veril?"

"Yes, lord." He gulped. "I want my freedom in exchange, you will know every location of my group in the city."

Hierd looked at him intently for a long seven seconds, those seconds were rather nervewracking for Veril.

Hierd smiled. "Tell me where they are."

( * )

In a matter of an hour, the streets were full of soldiers, equipped with machine guns and Lugers on their hands, ready to fire at any second. There were five squads actively moving, and all of them were set to designated areas. There were, as Veril said to Hierd, five such locations, two at the city's northern quadrant, one at the city's port, and two at the city's southern quadrant.

In Heduc's squad, they stopped at a rather unsuspecting house down by the port. It was two-storeys but it's windows were baracaded by wood, as it was so unsuspecting for syndicate's house, he went to its neighboring house. It was a shabby bakery, with a rather old woman selling bread. "Good Afternoon, ma'am." 

The old woman looked quite distressed, being visited by the new lord's army was not no common occasion, but she carried; " Good... Afternoon-- to you too."

"Have you noticed anything strange with your neighbor?" He pointed towards the house.

"Uhh... Not at all, sir..."

"Are you sure, ma'am?" 

She looked deep in thought for a couple seconds before saying; "Oh! I remember... One time, sir. There was this... Queer gentlemen with a rather.... strange posture..."

Heduc looked confused but thanked her anyways with the information. He went back to his squad. 

"What did she say, sir?"

"That there's someone there."

The citizens that were on the road were not coming close to them in fear that they'd be breaking some rule of some sort. As well as when they saw the figure of a man, that, Heduc, that was at the very front of said group. Heduc and his soldiers walked up to the front door. 

*Hmph

"BAAAH!"

The door broke open. 

There were many people inside. Staring at the beast of a man that had just broken through. 

It took a second before Heduc noticed that they were handling drugs. 

"FIRE!" 

The soldiers started firing at the wooden wall of the house, the bullets coming from outside to inside, hitting the dealers with ferocious fire, even decapitating one by the sheer amount of iron plunged into him. 

Heduc stood at the door, the only sillhouete left standing, overlooking the carnage he had started. The stench was disasterous but Heduc had no words to comment it's aroma. 

The citizens from outside had covered their ears in shock and looked at the men with scared eyes and gasped mouths. "Investigate the inside."

"Yes, sir." 

( * )

Another hour passed and all the locations were all destroyed. Their members dead, and the ones who had unfortunately survived were detained for questioning. Hierd and Adelheid were back at the prison. In the same room as Veril, Hierd ordered for the three criminals, the ones who had survived the carnage. 

The men had bullet holes across their arms patched with white bandages but still oozed out of them blood. Veril looked at them with disdain, and they looked at him with pain and anger. One took to vent; "Traitor!" 

"I am no traitor!" He shouted. "I just made the inevitable happen faster!" 

"You were our leader, you leave us like this!?" 

Veril didn't want to look further at them. 

"So it's true." Said Hierd. "You are their leader. And as a leader myself, I find it disgusting that someone of such stature would expose their members. For some 'inevitability' you say would happen." 

"What then, lord!?" Yelled Veril. "I had no choice! Your leading made worse mine! You think my company would run with your rule!? No!"

Hierd looked at him with a blank expression. 

He unbuckled his luger.

"Wa--it! Wait! W--What are you doing! Lord! You had accepted to my terms! No lor--d Would not be a man o--f their word!" He stuttured and lifted his hands as the luger was pointed at his head. 

"I remember saying; 'Tell them where they are,' and not; that I agreed to your agreement."

Veril's heart dropped. The three men laughed at him. 

"Why are you laughing!" He yelled. "Why are you laughing you damn scoundrels!" 

Still laughing, though in pain one said; "We--ll Veril. Your ass was handed back to-- you! Hahahaha!" 

"Silence!" Adelheid yelled. 

"You are sentenced to death, Veril..." He put his hand to the trigger. "Effective--now."

*BOOM

( * )

At the stike of dusk, the soldiers posted yet another notice at the manor's community board. The people, after the soldiers left, went to the letter to look at it. The ones who witnessed the shootings just that day were even more interested at what had happened. 

It read;

"My people, Unchean is finally clear of that dark that riddled the streets! For the group that terrorized the people and brought illegal items into our city is here no longer! Rejoice, for you can be at your safest in my command!" 

"Your lord, Hierd Die Grace." 

It was a most terrific notice, the people who read it first were all delighted and immidiately began talking to their loved ones, their neighbors, the people who were around of the letter that was posted. And soon enough the letter got around the whole city with good intentions. As the people now regarded the lord as one who would finally bring the iron fist of the law towards those who dare break them!

"Glory to the new lord! Glory to the new lord!" Began from dusk to curfew, and Hierd onlooked them from the manor's many windows with joyous eyes and a smile. 

"Your campaign, lord." Adelheid came to him. "Something that would take us years to accomplish, done in just two days. You are... Much more better than that father of mine."

Hierd laughed. "Adelheid... I appreciate your comment. However," He began to take a more serious expression. "My campaign has yet to end. As you might very well know, Unchean's new lord would now be known throughout the kingdom by this point. The ships that came here with sailors and all, they would past word to their superiors, then their superior's superior, then at the very top, the king." 

"What are you going to do, lord?" 

"Extend the military." 

 "How so?" He looked perplexed.

"How much gold do we have in the manor's treasury?"

( * )

It was the very next day, it was still morning by that time and people have only just been waking up. But as the early birds walked near the manor, they discovered that there was another notice. Immidiately as word got around that there was another notice they began to gather to the community board once more. 

It read; 

"Dear Unchean, as you all know. I, your lord have soldiers that excel in using weapons of destruction. And that I, your invading lord will be in war with your kingdom. However, with your help, this war will be nothing more than a walk in the park! In the afternoon, we will be accepting applicants to become soldiers under I, Hierd Die Grace. You will recieve one gold per month of your term and with it you will recieve ample food, water, and other nessecities for you and your families. Your applying to our command will help in the upcoming Auferstehen and too that war I had aforementioned. Once more, we need your help, and your applying will be greatly appreciated by I and the rest of my military officials." 

"Your lord, Hierd Die Grace." 

The letter posted had people in excitement, to recieve, "One gold per month!?" Was quite the seller. And people were lining up to the manor to apply to Hierd's military. 

"That's quite alot of people!" Commented excitedly Naturvege who was watching from atop the manor's window. 

"Indeed so." Said Friedrick behind him. 

"I heard Adelheid that Hierd'll be giving us pay and increasing our ranks!" 

"Oh how gracious of him, but we were the ones who needed his help and not the other way around. But I could see why we'd be getting increased ranks in Hierd's military." Friedrick looked at the crowd of applicants lined up outside the manor. "I just hope that our new recruits are not hard to deal with."

"I hope too, Friedrick, I hope too."

The four squad leaders were in charge of leading the exam that happend in the manor's rather large dining room converted into the an exam room. That peopel who were there were commenting on the manor's interior and looking at the suits of the soldiers with admiration. Telling their friends how fun would it be and how cool would it look to look like them and act like them too!

The examinees were a total of two hundred people. The knights who were imprisoned were given the chance to join or not to join and ultimately, some of them did and some of them did not take Hierd's offer. The rest of the applicants who couldn't fit in the exam room (the dining room) they were sent into the manor's library. Both mediums having soldiers packed to avoid the instance of stealing or cheating. 

Before the exam had even commenced, the two hundred applicants were asked three simple questions. Whether they spoke, whether they understood, and whether they wrote in the common language. And suprisingly, all of them could.

The exam was rather hard, featuring questions about; 'If your sword was at arm's reach of the enemy with a sword as well, would you... A: Grasp the enemy's neck. B: Parry the enemy's soon incoming attack. C: Retreat the fight. or D: Quickly stab your sword into his neck.'

But really, Hierd had devised these questions with his own basic understanding of sword play with the amount of videos he's watched in the internet. Naturvege, Friedrick and some other soldier had revised and created some of the questions in the exam making it even more longer and even more difficult. 

Hierd looked at the soon-to-be soldiers, some were itching their heads in confusion, some were getting pass question by question with ease, and some where just blankly staring at the paper then by some miraculous decision, picking an answer. 

Hierd had difficulty identifiying whether any would pass, but he waited. The exam had a deadline of (5:00) as Hierd had placed his alarm clock at the front, and if it was to ring at that time, the applicants would then stop immidiately their work. Hierd was rather generous, as the time it started was, as the clock had dictated, 2:00pm. 

But he quickly realized an hour in that the majority of them took their time analyzing the questions and some quarter were blasting through them. 

It was approaching that 5th four of noon, though some are still answering. Hierd had even thought about adjusting the time a little, but... Would they even qualify as good soldiers at that point? 

*Ring Ring Ring

The sound blasted through the manor's halls as if that was the only sound in known existance. 

The applicants, understanding the ringing had stopped answering. 

"Thank you everyone!" Hierd shouted. "Whether you pass or don't pass will be up to the message you all will recieve tommorow. If you do not pass, please remember, that you shouldn't sulk, and as you have tried, then try to learn from this failure to train better in the future! Now then, you may now leave."

They got up from their seats and proceeded outside with the guidance of the soldiers. And soon after, the dining room was silent. "Now begins the tedious task of checking their answers." Hierd sighed and went towards the dining room table and began picking up the papers Naturvege and Friedrick had also done the same. 

( * ) 

It was the day after, at afternoon to be exact, and the streets were filled with soldiers (mostly were they from Ridge), and they had baskets straddled on their shoulders, within such carried letters. From house to house the applicants were opening them with hesitation. 

In the manor, Hierd was in the office, looking the city from that window. Adelheid and the rest of the squad leaders were stationed there. 

"There were not alot of bad applicants." Said Hierd. "From the two-hundred, a-hundred and-eighty had stayed. Which is... Great."

"I gather the letter explicates that they come to the manor?" 

"Yes." As Hierd had said that, a number of applicants were approaching the manor's front gate, the soldiers that were there had opened them. Releasing a crowd of soon-to-be soldiers.

"Heduc!" Hierd had called for him.

"Yes, lord?"

"Please bring them to the manor's courtyard."

"Yes, lord."

Heduc ran out of the door with due speed. Whilst Hierd walked a second after him to the courtyard. Adelheid and three squad leaders had followed him. In the halls where they walked, to the stairs where they stepped, and finally through that door out and into the courtyard. It was spacious indeed and could fit two hundred people. It faced the port and the sun was staring at them with its intense rays. Hierd was standing on a wooden stage that was rather high up the ground and it was pretty nice for the speech Hierd was to give. 

Hierd saw the mass amount of applicants shooting out from the other door into the courtyard that was all the way in the opposite direction from where he stood, awaiting. 

As Heduc and his squads were finished setting up the applicants in the courtyard, Hierd took a second before starting. "Congratulations for passing the exam from yesterday! Please, applaud for you and your brethern!" He clapped, and so did they, as soon as Hierd stopped, so did they. 

"However, your journey into becoming a soldier of my army has yet to end. Expect days of training and weeks of exhaustion! But of course, your struggles will not be in vain, for I ensure that by the end of the month you will recieve that golden coin. As for today, you will obtain uniforms such as ours. There are two branches, the Venit Black and the Ridge Brown. They serve much the same purpose. However, you all will be starting in the Ridge Brown branch!" Soldiers were carrying out boxes of Ridge Brown uniforms and putting them behind Hierd. As each box piled up behind Hierd, the crowd of applicants were getting even more excited. 

"Though, if you wish to join the Venit Black branch, you will have to undergo more intense training! But this in turn will output to three gold coins every month."

The crowd was fascinated and intrigued to think that they would get three gold coins if they passed such training enticed them to that branch. Hierd recognized this and said immidiately. "But! Soldiers, if you think of coming into the Venit Black branch you must first complete the Ridge Brown training and even then, you must be recommended by your superiors to even be considered into the Venit Black branch!" 

The crowd's intrigue was still there however, the hope of suceeding is as small as could ever be. 

"Well then!" Hierd exclaimed to jolt the crowd, it succeded. "You will now be recieving your uniforms!"

The squad leaders had directed the first soldier from the first column forward the stage that Hierd had stood on. Soldiers had directed the giving of the uniforms, that were neatly folded and handed with upmost care. And then on continued, from column to column, the applicants were handed their uniforms, it was a slow process of giving them it, it was like a medal awarding but you got something more cooler than a golden medal of sorts. As soon as the last man was given his uniform, Hierd had went to the very front of the stage, where it seemed that he could fall forward at any second. 

"I congratulate you once more for passing the exam!" He yelled. "There are a few reminders you must understand before using the uniform! First, you must understand that this uniform carries symbolism, and you musn't dirty or step on it at all! Second, this uniform will be weared at all times! Of course you can wear your normal clothes at home. And third, if you lose the uniform, you lose your position in my military!" 

The crowd of applicants had a comical invisble gulp, they were worried and in their minds they didn't even want to wear it, but it was ordered to be worn at all times, said truly by Hierd. 

"As soon as you leave the manor and go into your homes, shall your loved ones greet you and applaud for your acceptance into my military. And hope that as you come home, you wear that uniform and feel confident, as if no man could ever defeat you! That, my soldiers, is the feeling of being us--!

The feeling of being inside of my military!"