The Book and the feast (2)

Artirian would then trot to an unexpected village inside the neutral zone and as it looks from afar it has many people and are glorious to have a good life why does from the earlier the village from inside the coalition forces have an abandoned village while here inside the neutral zone there is a developing village.

Then as he travelled from the near village. Artirian would see their farm at the outskirts was blooming then as he travelled further the village he would see the children playing the townspeople are outside and not afraid. Artirian would step down and ask one of the local villagers. "Hello Ma'am may I intrude your work for a second?" said by Artirian with a smiling jolly face.The lady responded with a nod then Artirian asked again "Why is the town so amazing that it is blooming with energy aren't we inside the neutral zone?" Then the lady would reply in a soft calmly voice "Well because the Empire is here to protect us and if we call for the forces of the empire they will surely help us especially lord Thornwind." Artirian eyes widened and bit startled so Lord thornwind held some lands here.

Artirian would bid farewell as he got a good answer from the lady; he then hopped on his horse and grabbed the leash he then trots forward to the outpost of the Empire which is a few kilometers away from the village. Soon he would reach the outpost as it has a small merchant trade market that is currently being happening.

There is also a flock of nomads that are willing to trade for the raw materials they have to the merchants that are going to sell inside the Empire. The merchants that are dealing with the nomads are Class 5 merchants one of the lowest of the classes in the merchant industry.

After a few minutes of looking around the merchant market that is near the outpost. Artirian would notice a few more nomads that are heading towards the outpost some have big raw materials some have medium sized the diverse of raw materials differentiate on how it would sell in the Empires markets.

Artirian would walk inside the outpost and would see a ton of soldiers that are forming and some would be cleaning their armor and some would be fixing the makeshift tents. The outpost is semi stone and wooden, the wall is stone but the upper exterior is wood the watchtowers are wood only the wall is stone.

Artirian would then trot his horse to the main tent but before he got near the tent he was halted by a few knights and asking for my identification. Artirian showed the old identification when he was still the commanding officer of the 12th shock infantry unit. Then the knight would be shocked and startled as they also heard the news that the 12th shock infantry unit commanding officer was a teenage boy who has been promoted to probationary Lieutenant.

because of his excellent strategy and tactics in the war of the Moon ScarCity. And then everyone in the outpost would start to hear the news that the 12th shock infantry unit commanding officer in the outpost Artirina didn't know that he was this famous for holding a fortification that was overwhelmed by 10 to 1.

Then because of the sudden ruckus General Conrad timothy Thornwind would be out of his tent with his two aide de camp on his side he would walk to the place where there had been a ruckus. His left Aide de camp would shout " FORM!" The conscripts and knights would suddenly form their columns and Artirian would have a face of confusion. As all of the conscripts were moving to their formation while he would be all out confused.

Artirian then would see a middle aged man with some white hair and a jet black beard he would have some wrinkles and his height would be around 6'2 ft tall. The man would be well built but not too muscular his uniform would have a whole variety of ribbons and on his shoulder his rank signifies an Eagle and a Star which correspond to a general of 4 corps. Next his uniform was colore grey tunic.

Then comes next was the Aide de camp there are two Aide de camp one is shorter and one is talled the taller one has glasses whole the shorter one would have his hand on the handle of his sword. Their uniforms are dark blue tunic with a few ribbons and a rank of 4 horizontal lines then a flower in the middle.

Artirian would be intimated so he would go down off his horse. He would then give a snappy salute to the General as he recognised the middle aged man insignia on its shoulder Artirian would then look straight forward but didn't look at the officers eyes.

Would be little nervous as to face a general who controlled 4 corp forces that are handling the matters at the neutral zone the 4 corps that General Thornwind hold is the 3rd Corp, 24th Corp, 6th Corp and last the 23rd Corp. those corps are positioned at the front lines as the Thornwind family is one of the best strategist at the Empire second only are the Cartelan but there is a time that Cartelan has taken first but failed due to some circumstance and that is the betrayal of some of his men. The general would salute back and Artirian would put his hand down.

The general would observed Artirian from food to his face as he is still wearing a mask and the general asked "If you are the Commanding officer of the 12th shock infantry unit of the Moon Scar City why are you wearing a mask.?" Artirian replied with a straight face "because i was caring for my identity because I am traveling and adventuring to gain more experience sir.

I was allowed to move freely because the 12th Shock infantry was under the new Commanding officer before I left because I was going to enter the Divinie Empire Military Academy that is why I am travelling to get some good sources to learn form." Artirian said those words exactly the way he wanted straight to the point with enough explanation to let the General know. Soon after that Artirian was invited to get dinner in the General makeshift tent to have a small discussion between them.

The evening came and Artirian would wash his face from a local military encampment bath before heading towards the makeshift tent that the General prepared he would wear one his good attire that he got from this back the most decent one.

After that he would head towards the makeshift tent. But Artirian would be amazed that the makeshift tent became a grande type of tent chairs and light would be seen. The good gave such a good fragrant that other knights would drool and then the General would be seated at the middle while his two Aide de camp would be at his side also seated.

Artirian would be guided by a usher to his seat at the left side of the a long table the knight and some commissioned officers are also invited the dinner would then begin as the General would stand up and give some introductory words

"Greetings my dearest officers we are here gathered because of a special person that is here with us and one of the bravest and excellent type of officer. Well without further ado let us welcome with a warm applause Probationary Lt Artirian which is the hero of the Moon Scar City fortification and also one of the young officers who fought bravely with the Republican and Coalition forces all together. I heard that this man has been able to suppress 30+ waves of charge with only 500 men on his disposal. Lets give him a applause gentlemen".

Officers who were early feeling doubtful would be the one who were clapping the most. The General would give me a sign of toast and I replied back with politeness.

The feast had started and the food was being served. Some of the officers would be talking with other officers. as for the General he would be talking with Artirian. Artirian would be mentioning a woman that he met in the scouts guild.

The officers looked at Artirian with a startled look when he mentioned that he entered the scouts before being drafted as an officer in the fortification. Because of the scouts guild rigorous standard and almost few have a passing on that kind of test means Artirian is a well proficient fighter and tactician. That means Artirian is above a regular commissioned officer and a proficient officer in the hierarchy.

Artirian would be kinda confused because he only reached the finals of the battle test before his team would lose. And he also showed the Mondragon insignia that was given to him by the famous Mondragon.