Chapter 641: Joining The Line
Laz didn’t look through the bag after Nesha left and instead laid down to sleep. It had been a long day and the next day didn’t look like it was going to be any better.
After the normal morning run and lunch, it was time for formation training. For the next several hours, they all practiced two formations. Line and Shell. While it wasn’t anything special, it was a test to see how well they could respond and how quickly they could move when needed. The biggest problem was teaching the prisoners how to be effective. The first several times they did it, they spent time showing everyone where their spot was. Line was easy enough, shell was the problem. Once a few people were pulled out, the rest had to move into the gaps to complete the shell. It wasn’t the famed turtle shell of the classic roman legions as that would have been too hard to teach in a short amount of time. Instead, it was just gather around in a circle with your shields out and your bodies braced. The ones in front would keep the enemies away while the ones behind them would stab, slash and attack.
Simple enough to say, impossible to do, especially when people kept getting removed and the ones inside needed to make their own adjustments on the fly.
Laz was keeping his eye on a few talented people, especially the stick thin one from the day before, but he noticed they didn’t stand out at all. What’s more, they didn’t garner any particular feelings from others despite their impressive performance against Laz yesterday either. It was clear they were a loner but what wasn’t clear was how they were able to go about unnoticed to the degree they did. By the end of the day, they weren’t falling apart even when they were being attacked by the numbers with long sticks.
"Well... That’s about the best I can hope for," Laz said, reading a missive that had arrived.
"The enemy will arrive tomorrow around noon. Your legion is being ordered to assemble before nine bells by the north gate for assignment," was all it said, but that was enough.
After dismissing everyone for dinner and bed, Laz went up to the loft and sat to drink by the candlelight. While not the best alcohol, it was something rather than nothing. There was a bit delivered with dinner that had immediately went to him and the Numbers, much to the anger of the prisoners.
As for Laz’s response to this?
"You can try to take it if you want it?" He had asked them with a grin before the glare from the armed Numbers got them all to shut up. While there was only seventeen of them, the bloodlust they exuded was enough to quiet even the most vocal of the prisoners.
Laz saw the leather bag while enjoying his second cup and decided to see what it had to offer. Inside, he found some coins that were used as currency and a strange black ring that kind of looked like a rather shabby wedding band. Besides it unusual black sparkle, there was nothing very eye catching about it. Other than that, the bag was empty.
"How the hell is this suppose to help me on the battlefield?" Laz asked out loud, but then jumped at the response he got.
*Wow... A spatial ring. I didn’t think I see one inside a pocket dimension like this,* Kat said out loud.
"A spatial ring?" Laz asked.
*It serves the same purpose as that pouch you told me to look for in the treasury. Out in the wild universe, rings, bracelets and necklaces were the most common type of spatial storage device as something like a pouch was much to flimsy for use on a battlefield. Try using your sense to connect with it and inject it with your energy to open it up. Unless it’s locked, you should be able to see what’s inside,* Kat suggested and Laz did just that.
In it was a space that was quite a bit bigger than the pouch he had used in the past, almost being the size of a standard garage from Earth. What’s more, there were piles upon piles of weapons and many sets of armor along with some foodstuffs and barrels of water.
*Hmm. That will be useful incase they can’t get supplies to you. Even better, there is enough armor for you to equip the Numbers with almost a full set each. I’m sure you understand that you should only expect shields and swords tomorrow and what you get will be the worst of the leftover garbage. At least with this stuff you have a chance,* Kat said with encouragement and Laz knew exactly what to do.
The next morning, Laz had everyone gather up early before they marched on the gate. He then handed out the packs of armor he had prepared the night before to the Numbers before directing the rest to the wagon where swords and shields of questionable quality along with some pieces of armor had been delivered.
"Why the hell do they get the good stuff?" One of the men yelled out, pointing to the Numbers.
"Because I’m not worried about them stabbing me in the back on the battle field," Laz responded, adjusting his own armor. While it was still Kat, Laz had her change the color and design to match that of the Demon armor they had been sent as a gift. If Nesha checked, she would wonder where they got the extra set from, but he didn’t think she would find time to do that today.
After finishing a meal, they began the march to the North gate, on the opposite side of the town where their stable was located. Passing by many camps, they quickly noticed that every single troop in them was dressed better and more heavily than they were, but they were wise enough to to speak up about it.
As if reading their minds, Laz spoke once they entered a lane free from other camps.
"You want some gear worth putting your lives on the line for? Then today is the day to earn it. Right now, you’re scum and all of us together are nothing more than trash. Many of you won’t survive today, not because of your gear though, but because you still don’t trust one another to have your backs. But if you make it through today, I will find you your own set of armor and a weapon to match. This is only the first day of a long campaign so each of you who lives should be shown the respect you deserve. This is probably going to be the only time in your lives where you will be offered the chance to change your own faith. So the question is... are you ready to grab this chance by the balls? Or will you just let yourself fail, like every other thing you’ve been doing? Laz asked, inspiring the men into a bloodlust right as they arrived as the gate.
The answer was clear.
Once arriving at the gate, they didn’t slow down and although the guard tried to get Laz’s attention, he didn’t bother responding, instead leading his men right outside. Laz and his men had no horses nor other gear besides what was in their hands. And besides, Las knew exactly where they would be going anyway, right out in front to face the onslaught as there was no way they would give such a dangerous position to anyone that mattered.
"Remember yourselves when they come. They will charge forward and break themselves on our wall, over and over again as many times as it take. Two line formation. Front holds the shield, rear supports and attacks them. Be on your guard because once I call for the Shell, it means things have gotten bad, real bad and the only thing we can do at this point is preserve our own lives. Understood?" Laz asked and the legion yelled back; "Understood."
Waiting while on alert was a mind numbing task, but Laz didn’t mind. If no one came, no one would die. Even still, when he saw the first lines of beasts crest the ridge, Laz couldn’t help but feel a little excited.
Reaching down, Laz picked a few fingers full of dirt and rubbed it between his fingers, letting it break apart in his hands. Laz then rubbed both hands together as though washing with it before letting the rest of it fall away.
"What’s that first?" Number three asked seeing Laz’s strange ritual.
"Something a famed gladiator used to do back in my hometown. He would test the soul, feel it... figure it out. He wanted to know the feeling and smell of it, just in case it was the last thing he felt or saw as he died," Laz explained
All of the numbers had been listening and they too reenacted the ritual, finding peace within the dirt if this just so happened to be their last day.
