Chapter 8

It took a month to reach Terra Alta.

As Thomas and Ivan and the other recruits slowly marched out of the mountains, the rough terrain slowly gave way to wide, expansive savanna. The air turned thick and humid.

Ivan scanned the boys surrounding him, all eighteen. Some with fear in their eyes, others with delight.

“I see now why Valden always has so many soldiers,” said Thomas “There’s a lot of new recruits.”

The marching column, which started with thirty-two recruits from Bellwood, grew until their numbers were over three-hundred; boys from the northern realm of Valden. And all had the same destination.

“Do you think we will all train together?” asked Thomas.

Ivan shook his head. “I don’t believe so. My father told me we’ll be split into groups of one hundred. One hundred soldiers is called a company, and ten companies make up a legion. ”