45 Gambert’s Solemnity

I am extremely tired right now... to say the least. After, staying awake all last night reading all nine stories, I felt a sense of honor and enlightenment but also sadness and insomnia...

If I had left my bed right now and managed to make my way to the mirror with my leg's cooperation, then I would doubt see a disheveled man staring back at me... no doubt blurred as fuck... my eyes couldn't even stay opened without setting of a migraine.

I had stopped right after reading Lucilia's eh... explicit story, it exhausted me... more ways than one. But when I was about to fall asleep, the kiss I had with Dayana kept popping into my mind and my mouth couldn't stop grinning.

It was my first kiss and it really was magical. A light film of saliva covered my lips, as if I could still feel her lips pressed against mine. My heart pounded, as my mind pictured her, snuggling within my arms.

If I was in front of the mirror right now, a reddened face would be reflected right back at me. Back on earth... or should I say this is earth? I have no idea, since reading those stories... my earth, we Asian's have a red face drunk stereotype... that's what I would see my self if I looked into the mirror.

I could feel my cheek's burn like the Australian summer sun. I hate summer... but this feeling is something else... warm... as I pressed my back on the backboard of the bed and laid my head against the wall, I felt myself calm down.

I had the information network interface in front of me as I acted like a kid that's easily distracted. It seems that with information network leveling up, it can now be permanently on. It's as if I had a VR headset on but my mind is the headset and my eyes are projecting the imagery. A full scale Game HUD like the augmentation that Jensen have in Deus Ex. H.R. I remember playing the game when it had first came out and it was a full on immersive experience. The same feeling I had playing the game, is what I'm feeling right now. I grinned at the thought but unfortunately, I'm no Adam Jensen.

As I admire the layout of the floating screen in front of me, three pop ups appeared. All three pop ups displayed my three companies, I currently have. Details and their progression are all laid bare before me. The three pop ups are lined up side by side, with them in acquired order. I lifted my finger and pressed the first pop up and in a flash, the pop up enlarged. In large bold font, The Knight's Order name covered the top of the pop up and underneath it are every detail about this company and it's members.

The Knight's Order, my first ever company has been leveling up all by themselves, slowly but steadily. Prince Marlos, Loc and Grayson are the highest levels in this company. I looked at the others and they were between level 10 to 15. I need to train these guys to the same level as Baihu, I felt my heart beat at the prospect of an army and I their leader and support would give them a boost to god tier.

Ba dump, Ba dump!

Baihu, who had came with me to the first dungeon, had leveled up quite a bit. Tavish even had some level up's too, though not by much since he's doubled everyone else's in level's. Everyone had proven themselves and with teamwork, they had even beaten a force nine times their size. An elite team, a force to be reckoned with, in theory, in the future, I could make Baihu in an unstoppable force like the Gurkhas special forces that fight for British army.

Ba dump, Ba dump!

Shadow legion, my newly acquired company is my largest company out of the three. At full compacity of 100 members, all trained and fought under the champion of Lofis Sha, Gambert Hask, I couldn't help but feel a sense of elation. And if what I read of Gambert's story is true, the actual number could be 240 members, 140 exceeded over the 100 member's limit. This could prove to be a great trump card to hold or just a bases for an unexpected reinforcement. I could just imagine it now, under heavy fire, with only minimal members around me and suddenly 140 shadow figures appear out of no where to help.

{"It is indeed a tactic I've used in the past. Master."}

"Gambert?"

In a thin veil of smoke, a shadowy figure rose from the left side of my bed. A battle worn solider knelt on the ground, his head lowered to the same height of my bed.

{"Master, I, Gambert Hask would like to pay my respect to our glorious leader!"}

"Eh... glorious leader?"

Why does that sound so ominous. Those two words put together, makes it sound like I'm a dictator or something.

{"You don't like it?"} Gambert asked. Now that looked closer at him, he looked like one of those butlers from movies and manga where they are old yet dignified and holds many secrets and untold stories.

Truth to be told, Gambert looked if Alfred from Batman had the same story line as Sebastian from Black Butler...

{"I told you he doesn't like it..."} Lucilia voice popped out of nowhere.

{"Yes... now that I heard it from old Gambi, it does sound a bit 'ass kissing-ish'. I say daughter's 'demon lord' suggestion is better..." Replied Lucifer, adding to his daughter sentiment.

Eh? demon lord...

I looked down at myself and wondered if my students would see myself as a demon lord...

{"How about Master dominant?!"} asked Rasuk.

{"Sounds sexy,"} replied Lucilia.

{"No."} said Posika.

{"Master is master, he's our master, so we call him as master."} Amilie stated.

{"Master."} Gambert still knelt down, his eyes never wandered, his gaze locked on to me.

{"You asked me about you being a leader when you read my story, whether you're worthy and the doubts that's eating you inside. Master, your now our new leader and as your captain, I would like to give you a hard truth. People die. That's the reality we all live in. I've seen my loved one and those under my command die right before me, led them to their deaths. I, their once called leader, was tormented by the guilt of my actions and leadership. You read my story, but the story you've read was only an overview.

Those years that I've kept low and hid from the world, all those years planning my revenge, I felt my heart weighted with the blood of those that kept me alive. The blood of my sister. But when she reappeared before me once more, she told me of how proud she was when she watched me from within my very own army. How proud she felt seeing my leadership. Leadership is a concept to grasp and master and it takes years to cultivate but leadership is easy to show. Master, as long as you show us your willingness, your drive, your ambition, we, your shadow legion and everyone one of your other companies will follow you to even the ends of this world and time itself. Believe in yourself and believe in us. A leader can't lead without someone to lead. As the former leader of the shadow legion and a platoon of 140, I would like to formally name you as our new leader. Master!"}

Gambert stood up and saluted me.

{"Master!"} A loud cry from the shadow army rung inside my head.

I felt my face reddened and my heart pounded within my chest as Gambert's sharp eyes stared into my very soul. I felt my mouth dry as the heavy stature of this moment finally sank in.

"I uh..."

{"We the Shadow Legion, hope to serve our master well."}

"I..."

What do I say? I never thought in a million years that I would be leading an army. To have people follow me, to have them put their trust in me. I have to return their sincere belief in me. Man up Ryan!

"I thank you all for placing your belief in me. I am your new leader of the Shadow Legion and Master. I hope we all can work together."

I got out of my bed and bowed to Gambert and from the look in Gambert's eyes, he seemed confused.

"It's a custom, where I'm from to bow. It's a sign of respect and gratitude. For me to bow, it's to signify that I've accepted my leadership and will give the same respect to those that are now under my lead."

"I see," Gambert smiled. Gambert than did what I just did and bowed.

Behind him, if it was my imagination but I swore I saw everyone in the Shadow Legion appeared behind him bowed as well.

{"Now then, Why don't you try on your new armor?"}

"Armor?"

{"Yes, the reward you've obtain when you defeated the first dungeon."}

As Gambert said those words, pop ups appeared before me showing the details of said armor. Not only did the details of the 'Shadow king's armor set' popped up but also the details of the other rewards such as the item, 'shadow orb' and the title 'Army from within the shadows' too.