The Last Infernal - Innocence of Youth

A Dawns' March Away (XIII)

A Dawns March Away. (XIII)

The light breeze rustled the field grass in the waking of Early-Dawn. Jarshal, the High-Commander, and general of the Valblades, sighed as he woken, lying upwards from his bed. He didn’t like having to wake up so early in the morning, though he had to for his soldiers under his command was needed now. The Valblades were in the open plains field in the upper north of Kelreth, having spent eight dawns to cut a path through the Fortha Thickets that bordered this land away from the rest of the province. Splashing his face with cold water in the wooden bowl he had set for in the morning, Jarshal starts to put on and wear his gold-trimmed silver polished armor, sliding the arm guards on, to the greaves and the chest plate. As he was equipping himself, he was deep in thought to himself in the early morning, scowling to himself.

“Why do we have to go through with this nonsense of an order from the king…”

Orders were orders though, he had to obey, and he had to obey. As he finished donning his armor, it came to him that he was the only one to hold great distaste for the order given. It flashed through is mind of the direct order from king Valreth himself, clearly stating that the dragons known as the Infernals were to be all slaughtered to extinction, from every egg smashed, to all the adults slain, even the young were to be shown no mercy, all in order to find this… Ruby that supposedly contains the element properties of fire. The Infernals were known to be the primal fire element dragon species of Kelretha, wielders of the element of fire itself and strengthen in it. The idea of having to kill off a species sickened him. The king’s goals were unknown and why he wanted the Infernals dead, though the order was given despite whatever hidden reasons to why. Even though they were viewed as just beasts who can’t be understood by other humans, doesn’t mean they don’t have lives and were mindless animals. Jarshal himself… was one of the few humans who can hear the dragons speak in their language. At first he thought himself crazy or as if he was hearing things when he first heard a dragon roar and speak when he was younger at his home farm, during the…tragedy of his for his tenth birthday… He shook his head to clear the memories, taking a deep breath while letting out a light sigh; he didn’t want to fully obey the order… If only he had a reason to defy a direct order… he would do it. Jarshal was a young adult of the age of seventeen, though unlike any other normal person, he, along with the rest of the Valblades were gifted with the kings blessing of an ageless gift, to where they would never die of old age because of this blessing. More of a curse he once thought. The Valblades of Kelreth were consisted to be an Immortal force due to the fact none of the elite soldiers would die from old age, but one true fact remained, that even though untouched by time; they could still be killed like any man could from wound of sickness. They were not immune to sickness; they could die from combat and disease. Jarshal having finished getting himself prepared, being mostly awake and focused, he stood tall ready to depart, trying to shake the memory of the events of what it was like at home ten years ago, days before the other Valblades soldiers taken him away as a recruit for the army. It's only been a year since he has received his part of the blessing, and having exceeded all in training against all other recruits, he has been promoted to the rank of High-Commander of the Valblades. Only one other was his equal, the second in charge, which was known as just a Commander. Jarshal finally stepped outside his tent, brushing the small flap away of the medium sized military camp-tent.

“Good morning sir!”

He hears from the two guards posted by his tent posts, glancing at them as they salute to their High-Commander. Jarshal nods his head, but had no need to respond; instead he started observing the encampment, seeing the soldiers moving heavy siege ballista’s; large heavy crossbow objects around, as smith’s were forging and sharpening weapons of swords and axes, while other soldiers were preparing for the march ahead to come soon. The Sky Mountains were able to be seen from the Valblades encampment from where they were in the plains, seeing them reaching high into the clouds. He himself heard rumors speak that the Sky-Mountains are so tall, that they reach the heavens itself, and that those mountains protected the Infernals and their land within, that there was only one wide side-passage way that was the only way in and out was through there as it was told by King Valreth showing on a map.

“Commander!”

The Legate, the second other high ranking leader, called out as he approached. Jarshal sighed softly as he responds respectfully.

“Yes Carshan? What is it?”

Carshan looks to Jarshal with attention, showing some respect, though Jarshal did knew that Carshan was quite envious of Jarshal, simply because he was the High-Commander and not him.

“All the men are prepared to march now at you’re liege, as the smiths are finishing with their work, the archers have their bows strung and are ready, also the catapults and ballista’s are ready and functional, and lastly, if we marsh now, we shall arrive by next Star-fall.”

Jarshal nodded to Carshan, holding a strong firm expression, though inside he did not see any joy in this. The Valblades were a strong force of a thousand soldiers strong, all elite soldiers, skilled in combat to serve King Valreth, and to gladly follow such orders that he himself has great distaste for. Carshan waited patiently for his commander’s response as Jarshal sighs, having no choice, no option, and no chance to deny, but to fully obey or risk treason… He couldn't have that due to the fear of what King Valreth and his own dark companion can do, for they had a strong power it seemed; it is why treason or disobeying was no option. After a moment pause, Jarshal then utters the words that would start a war… no, a slaughtering with full dishonor and cruelty that he knew he would regret for his life afterward.

“Give the order to move out, arm the sieges, don the armor, we march now. We shall arrive upon Star-fall tomorrow.”