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[h1][color=lightgoldenrodyellow][b][u]The Rank and File[/u][/b][/color][/h1]
[url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKT3Uf-6bVg&ab_channel=Ravnskjold](Mood Music)[/url]
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[color=lightgoldenrodyellow][b]"Aaagh... Wow she really didn't hold back..."[/b][/color] Auriel said as she groaned and rotated her shoulder.

Her mother's training had been intense, and it helped Auriel to see that despite her natural fighting talent, she still had a long ways to go to be on her mother's level. After all... Her mother had travelled with a great hero before Auriel's time. That hero would eventually come to be her father, a man who Auriel knew very little about. It made sense that her mother would be a ferocious combatant. It made Auriel think about how famous her mother might have been before taking up a life of peace in the Monastery to raise her winged daughter. It was a curious thing... Auriel wasn't that old, yet nobody ever mentioned her mother in conversation, or recalled tales of her and her father's exploits across the land. It was the one thing that always confused her about her parents, and whenever she asked, Auriel was always met with 'maybe some other time, when you're older'. Well Auriel was an adult now, and even still she had never managed to find out. 

Auriel clenched her jaw a bit as she rolled her tight shoulder again. She was walking toward the palace, the great stone gates leading into the castle shadowing over her. Some guards at the gate recognized the Holy Warrior and didn't stop her as she passed. One even nodded to Auriel with respect, to which she smiled back as she worked the soreness out of her body. As she exited out the other side of the gatehouse, Auriel's eyes turned to the sky. It was peaceful still, but Auriel knew that the peace would be gone soon enough. The first wave was near, and soon the skies would be dark with smoke, arrows, and twisted magicks. She walked slowly as her mind wandered. She wished she had more time before the bloodshed... More time away from the very hordes that she had done battle with before. But as fate had ordained, Auriel was to do battle with them again. The thought made her nervous, but that nervousness was quickly set aside when she thought of the two heroes she was going to be fighting with. The incident that crippled her wings wouldn't happen again as long as she had them by her side. With them, Auriel couldn't possibly be defeated.

The angelic woman heard a loud, uniform sound off to her right beyond a stone alleyway. She stopped and looked sidelong down the alley as the sound repeated itself in a pattern. She knew the sound. Soldiers were training and going through their drills together. The pattern was only broken by a singular voice hollering commands between the war cries. Auriel looked up at the palace, then to the alley again. With all of the travelling with the heroes, Auriel hadn't thought much about the soldiers that would be holding the front lines against the hordes. She had fought by their sides before, and she was always viewed as a hero by them. It wouldn't be fair to not see them before the waves began. She pivoted on the spot and made for the training fields. Once she was through the narrow stone path between barracks, Auriel's eyes took in the large training fields. There was close to three hundred soldiers practicing their trades in the fields. In one place, she could see a platoon of soldiers forming a shield wall with tall rectangular shields and short swords. They were practicing a unified advance in a testudo. Another section of the field was taken up by pairs of soldiers sparring with wooden swords. In another, archers stood in a long line and practiced their marksmanship against targets spaced out at several distances. Further across the field was a large space reserved for the cavalry as they practiced their charges and lancing. Off to the side in the shadow of the castle walls was a small group of gallant knights and their squires tending to their armor and weapons. Some knights were busy training their squires in the art of the blade.

[color=white][i]"Hail Auriel! The Holy Warrior of the Four!"[/i][/color] a mounted captain said as he pointed his sword to the sky in her direction. Behind him, a platoon of soldiers did the same as they all knelt before her fifty meters away. They all shouted in unison, [color=white][b]"Hail!"[/b][/color]

Auriel smiled and made her way over toward the platoon. The platoon captain lowered his sword as Auriel approached. Auriel waved a hand to the kneeling soldiers, [color=lightgoldenrodyellow][b]"You don't need to hail me, men. There are for more important people within the castle grounds than I."[/b][/color]

The troops stood silently as the captain dismounted and removed his helmet. She recognized the man. Calder, once a squad sergeant in the King's Army when Auriel led the fight against the encroaching hordes. Calder was a well respected man in the regiment, and it was no surprise that he would be elevated to a commanding position after so many fell to the hordes. It was actually Calder that had led the charge to break the horde lines when Auriel was pulled from the skies by catapulted nets and chains. Calder and ten of his best men formed a circle around the fallen angel and managed to get her to safety. He had saved her life, something Auriel would never forget. [color=lightgoldenrodyellow][b]"Besides,"[/b][/color] Auriel started, [color=lightgoldenrodyellow][b]"I should be the one hailing you, Calder. I owe you a debt I don't know if I'll ever be able to repay."[/b][/color]

Calder laughed and shook his head, [color=white][i]"Ahh, sweet Auriel."[/i][/color] Calder placed a hand on her shoulder and gestured toward the men, [color=white][i]"We hail you out of respect. Many of these men fought alongside you on the field of battle. Many more are standing her today in one piece because of your heroism. They would rather pay their respects to the Holy Warrior over some noble that has never once seen the horrors of war."[/i][/color]

Auriel looked back at the troops in formation, all of them were staring at her. Now that she was closer, she was able to make out some of the faces underneath the open faced helmets. He was right, many of them were series of battles against the hordes that signaled the coming of the Waves. They were all veterans and the most experienced warriors Melromarc had when it came to doing battle with the evil forces that were nearly upon them. While she looked at the troops, Calder continued, [color=white][i]"As for repaying the debt, perhaps we could discuss my proposal that was never finished the night before the battle?"[/i][/color]

Auriel blinked and blushed, looking quickly back at Calder, who had a cheeky grin on his face. The man all laughed knowingly, [color=lightgoldenrodyellow][b]"Calder!"[/b][/color] she gasped, [color=lightgoldenrodyellow][b]"N- now is hardly the time!"[/b][/color]

Calder laughed, moving his hand to pat her on the back, [color=white][i]"I know! I know! I just wanted to get a reaction out of you. I can wait! I know you've got bigger fish to fry at the side of the sword and the shield! Just know I'm still waiting on that answer."[/i][/color]

Auriel buried her face in her palm and the troops all laughed again. It was no secret amongst Calder's men that he was sweet on the Holy Warrior, not that Auriel minded. But things were always so complicated. First the hordes. Then the injury and following recovery. Then the summoning. Now the heroes and the waves. She simply couldn't afford to distract herself with fairy tale romance! Auriel puffed her cheeks out at Calder, her blush still present on her pale skin and her wings furrowing. He chuckled again. Then his eyes turned back onto the platoon, [color=white][i]"We're to guard the main gate to the city when the first wave comes. You can rest assured that no monster will breach out defenses. Just focus on what you do best, Auriel. Bring victory and hope to the people."[/i][/color]

Auriel's blush faded a bit when she followed his gaze to the soldiers. Their formation had turned to more of a gaggle as things seemed to relax. They were all laughing and joking with one another. She was glad to see the morale was high and the troops were practicing hard to prepare for the wave. [color=lightgoldenrodyellow][b]"Well I can only deliver hope when I have given it. And I am pleased to say that I have plenty of it after seeing the troops here."[/b][/color]

A distant ringing bell of another passed hour took Auriel's attention away from the troops and Calder. She blinked and looked back up at the palace towering above them. Calder followed her gaze before looking back down at her, [color=white][i]"I suppose you should return to their side. You should go, Auriel. We're all glad you came to visit. And if we don't see each other before the first wave, know that I am wishing good fortunes upon you."[/i][/color]

Auriel smiled again at that and nodded, [color=lightgoldenrodyellow][b]"And I you, Calder. Thank you."[/b][/color]

Calder nodded curtly, [color=white][i]"Take care, Auriel."[/i][/color] He fitted his helmet back over his head and mounted his horse. Pulling the reins aside to turn the horse back to the troops, Calder hollered to his men, [color=white][i]"Form up! Testudo formation! We're taking it from the top! You all have thirty seconds to get those shields locked together! Go!"[/i][/color]

Auriel watched for a few seconds as the troops went from relaxed to cold-faced instantly while moving into position. She chuckled a bit and turned to head to the palace and reunite with the heroes.
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