The entire military strategy of the war effort had been thrown out the window because of me. It turns out the suicide mission of the war slaves was meant to be nothing more than a distraction to allow Nigel and his new 'espionage' team to sneak into the fortress and sabotage their water supplies to make starving them out take less time. This meant the main forces stationed on Red Beach Outpost weren't ready for the fortress to be taken and were expecting to wait another month before that happened. Though, because of me, or I should say, because of Wrath. Plans changed.
The sabotage of the Salt Fort was meant to be Nigel's opportunity to prove his new warfare method was viable to the war council before they would allocate it the appropriate resources. For now, they are using only what can be spared from the main forces, and the only members are people hand-picked by Nigel who are considered 'volunteers'. I know three already, Nigel, of course, being the leader and the twins from back home, Jakub and Lucas. How those two managed to get picked for this position is beyond me; back home, they seemed like any other teenagers. The other three members I was to meet on the shore of the beach near sundown tonight.
I spent my day like I had the others, not doing much. Sitting around my tent, walking about the army camp, sparring with Nigel as he tried to teach me basic swordplay. Even in just a month, I had started to improve a bit, but I was still an amateur compared to him. The pampering and lavish feats slowly began to diminish and were replaced with standard food, still far better than the slop I had in prison. Though I do really miss my mother's cooking and those black mushrooms.
As the sun began to hang low in the sky, I wandered down to the shoreline. There I saw the six of them. Nigel, Jakub, Lucas, and three others. Of the three remaining, two were women. One thin and slender, and the other was nothing short of a giant; between them was a man dressed in fine city clothes, not someone you would expect to see at a military compound.
"Hey Shinya! Come over here and meet the family." Nigel waved me over. "Oh, also keep speaking Viltin to a minimum. We're meant to be secretive, and our appearance stands out enough as is."
As I approached, I glanced at the twins, slightly concerned. Don't speak Viltin? Don't these two only speak Viltin? The two looked back at me as if reading my mind.
"We do speak imperial by the way."
My mouth hung agape, ready to let out a loud 'huh?', but I was so shocked I couldn't even muster that. The other twin chimed in.
"Yeah, our parents were ex-military generals in the Viltin high command. The bakery back home is their retirement dream"
They could speak Imperial this whole time? Not once did I know they could speak this language; I thought it was something only my mother and I shared back home. But the bakers, the twins, that old man in the book shop all spoke imperial.
"Anyway, let me introduce the other members." Nigel chimed in. "First, we have Sir Henri Dericourt, who has just arrived from Vilta."
The man with the fancy clothes and a strangely tall hat bowed towards me. A gesture I remember from years past.
"Greetings, I am Sir Dericourt, but please call me Henri."
"Henri here is an expert in unconventional warfare tactics and strategy and is a former military adviser who agreed to join because he…well, he uh."
"Was bored out of my mind! I want action, combat, a THRILL! That's why I've come along, and it seems I'm the last to join. Nye tells me you've been waiting for my arrival for some time."
Nye? That must be a nickname. I went to bow and introduce myself, but before I could get a word out, Nigel continued the introductions of the others. I suppose he might introduce me to them last. He turned to the slender woman who was wearing an ornate but thin dress.
"This is Josephine Baker. She is a spy and an expert thief."
"Thief makes me sound like a scoundrel, dear Sir Fenring. Spy will suffice as my official title for now."
She didn't bow but gave a faint smile and a nod to both me and Henri. I found that odd as she spoke more like a noble than Henri. I noticed her posture was stiff and she didn't move her body much when she spoke, unlike Henri, though I can't deny that she was strictly beautiful.
"Lastly and certainly not least, we have one of the strongest people in the Viltin Army."
Stepping forward towards me was a pale woman with long blond braided hair and piercing blue eyes who glowed. She stood towering above everyone else with a stature so high that she would have to duck slightly when entering a door. Upon her back was a large axe. I didn't know the States of Vilta even had people of this calibre, and then she spoke with a strange accent.
"Kona Godi, twelfth daughter of Yarl Halfdan Godi of the great northern tribes. Nice to meet ya."
She held out her hand and I shook it. Her hand eclipsed mine totally, but I just stared up at her.
"Was wrong with ye? Ne'er seen a Godi before?"
Nigel stepped forward. "He's from a small village out west, so definitely not. The Godi family are the ancient guardians of the wall of saints and are blessed with great strength and size."
"I can… certainly tell"
Kona let out the most masculine laugh I had ever heard at my unintentional joke. She put her palm atop my head, and for a moment, my right eye twitched, my body tensed, and my hands moved up slightly. Her hand was so large that for a brief moment I thought I was about to have my head crushed, though she just ruffled my hair.
"Even with my title of Godi, heed me no mind. As the twelfth daughter, nobody cares about me. For instance, in imperial, my name quite literally translates to girl. How lazy can one parent be, huh? Say, what's your name, little man?"
"Shinya Akame."
I felt it, and an all-too-uncomfortable and familiar feeling. Eyes burning into my flesh, the crushing judgment. I'm surprised it took them this long; one look at my face is usually enough to do it, but I suppose if you've never seen a Metonym, you don't know what a half-breed looks like. Additionally, I had been keeping my head low and avoiding eye contact, as usual.
"Oi". The giant woman took a step closer, her towering frame casting a shadow upon me. What was about to come from her mouth? Questions, insults, judgment, hate?
"That's a cool name."
"Huh!" I looked up at an unexpected sight. Where I expected a scornful gaze was instead something strange and unknown to me. Amazement? Wonder? Curiosity? Perhaps a combination of the three. At the very least, it was far better than I expected. The other two I had just met wore a different face, though. Not of scorn but concern, after all, I share half the blood with the enemy; their people have spent half or all of their lives fighting. But this woman, this giant, was different. She looked down at me earnestly and without judgment.
"Do ya know what it means? Your name?"
"Uh…um…n-no."
"That's too bad, I saw they had some Nishigo texts in Balim. I only looked at them a little, though."
"Balim?"
"The great library city just north o' the border. Eeeehhh…yea I've travelled a lot before coming down here to fight."
She chuckled and scratched the back of her head, embarrassed. Only from that reaction, I realised I was gawking at her the whole time. Then again, it was hard not to, I had never seen a northerner before.
Nigel stepped in and reached up to put a hand on Kona's shoulder. Prompting her to step back. Once we all stood in a circle again, Nigel stepped forward and continued.
"So, yes. Shinya here is a half Metonym on his father's side. He's about fourteen, I think, around the same age as me."
Henri and Josephine whispered to each other under their breath about the information. It seemed like they knew each other before, from how instantly they began to gossip. I couldn't make out what they said, but it was something about my father. Their tones, however, seemed sympathetic.
"He's the one who single-handedly wiped out the Salt Fort occupation forces."
The murmuring stopped. The twins looked down. This was old news to them, but the other three locked their eyes on me. Their eyes were so wide that my usual instinct to look away was replaced by bashfulness. They seemed amazed by this, but the two Viltins' amazement quickly gave way to confusion. For a moment, I could read their thoughts on their face. 'Seriously? This guy?" Though the northern woman didn't think that, she instead looked eager. I know they are a culture of warriors who value strength in all forms, perhaps she thinks I have a hidden strength or skill. I just hope she doesn't want to spar with me; Nigel is already a tough enough opponent.
"He will be acting as our last resort option on missions; otherwise, he's to act like a normal member with no specialisation, like myself and the twins here."
With that last line, the focus of the group shifted towards the twins. Nigel stood in the middle of the circle with his arm out to them and his mouth agape as if frozen mid-speech. His finger pointing to one of them, I realised what was happening. Nobody could tell them apart. Though that was the whole point and what they liked to do. They both dressed the same, both ate the same food, wore the same clothes, and styled their hair the same. They worked hard to ensure they were indistinguishable from the other.
"The one on the left is Jakub"
Everyone turned to me, stunned that I could identify them. Even the twins looked at me, shocked that I knew who was who. In truth, I just guessed and happened to get it right.
"Well then, that's everyone, I suppose. I'm sure you'll chat a bit here and there before our first mission."
"On that note." Henri stepped forward and removed his strangely tall hat. Reaching inside, he pulled out a note and handed it to Nigel.
"This is from high command back in Vilta. I was given this before I left. It details the enemy supply chain networks for their ships."
"Thank you, Henri. I want you to come to my tent tomorrow to talk about this further. Same with you."
He turned his head to look at Josephine Baker, who stepped forward towards Nigel.
"If you would like, lord Fenring, I could come to discuss strategy tonight." She spoke softly as she leaned in closer to Nigel's ear. He took a step back.
"Miss Baker. Need I remind you, you're old enough to pass as my mother."
"But you're so tall and mature looking."
I started to feel uncomfortable watching this happen and looked around to see if anyone else was wandering off, and I could sneak away with them to disappear with a crowd.
"Oh, come now, Lord Fenring. Nobles like you are usually betrothed at fifteen. Why not have some fun with the prior year, hmm?"
As I looked back, she had pressed her body against his. I almost felt bad for him for a moment, but she was strikingly attractive. Part of me was jealous a bit, but mostly, I wanted to leave. The twins had already long since vanished; I didn't even notice they had gone. Henri was watching the ordeal before us a bit too enthusiastically. All that was left was Kona, who was standing next to me. As I glanced over, I saw she was glancing at me at the same time.
I looked away on instinct, but when I looked back up at her, she was staring at me with a big grin on her face that made me nervous. What was she about to do? I hope she didn't get any ideas from watching this farce in front of us.
"You're interesting. I take."
HUH!? Before I could even react to her insane statement, she had squatted down, wrapped an arm around my torso and picked me up with ease. As I got carried away like a sack of grain, I heard laughing from behind me. Maybe the spectacle of my being taken gave Nigel a chance to back away. Either way, I didn't bother fighting my captor. There wouldn't be much point, after all, she's a giant.
"Where's your tent?"
"That one." I pointed out casually. Rather than letting me go, she carried me into my tent. I only hope she won't toss me on the bed and take things further. Thankfully, she gently placed me down, and then she sat on my bed, so that we were at eye level with each other.
I stood there for a moment, unsure of what to do or say. I didn't know what she wanted, but I could tell she was inspecting me like a slab of meat.
"So you wiped out the Fortress by ya'self? How d'ya do it? Surely not brute force by the look o' ye. But I can't quite figure it out."
I want to deny it, but it's true. I know how it happened now, at least in theory. But I can't tell her.
"Secret."
She let out an understanding hum.
"I'm sure I'll see it myself before long. Now, you're interested in me a bit, aren't ye? Most are since children of the snow never come this far south."
"Children of the snow?"
"That's what the imperial call us. Other than barbarians or savages o' course. Guardians is also something we're called, but not so much these days. But you seem shocked at my body. Wanna see it?"
She stood up and lifted her hands to her breastplate straps on her shoulders. Instantly, I covered my eyes with my hands as I heard the metal armour clang against the ground.
"I'm not getting naked, ya know. It's so damn hot in the south, I feel like I'm cooking alive in this thing."
After a moment, I reluctantly looked. I involuntarily let out a small gasp. Before me stood a towering woman lathered in muscle. Arms larger than my head, toned abs, legs that look like they could outkick a horse. Her leather armour only covered her chest, parts of her shoulders and her waist down to her knees with dangling leather that swayed to reveal the massive legs underneath. As I looked at her body, she smiled with a tooth-bearing grin as she then knelt down, turned her body to the side, raised her arms up and flexed. Showing her arms and her back.
"Feel free to touch. Admiring the body of a warrior is the highest praise"
I reached out and poked at her back. It felt like a rock. I placed my hands on it and pushed softly; there was no give at all. I then wrapped my hands around her bicep. Suddenly, she stood up, and I was hanging from her arm for a moment, which she kept outstretched and flexed. I let go and dropped to my feet.
"I've never seen anyone as strong as you before."
She smiled again.
"Thanks. I suppose you're not going to replace me then. If'n ye can't move heavy things. Before you, I was the 'last resort' option, so I am curious to see what you can do in a fight. So, wanna go at it?"
"Fight?"
"Course."
"No thanks, I'm a terrible fighter. Nigel beats me every time we spar."
"Hmmm, so your strength is in yer head then?"
I nod, it's not exactly wrong either.
She slapped her hands down on her knees and stood up. As I continued to look at her face, her height caused me to lean back slightly and even stammer back a step.
"How tall are you anyway?"
"Bout, two meaters. Almost double your height for sure." She chuckled.
"How tall am I?" I mumbled to myself as I put my hand atop my head.
"I would guess one point three maybe. But you're still a kid, fourteen, right? Nearly a man then, but not quite. Even then, you'll still grow after that." She placed a hand on my head and ruffled my hair again.
"How old are you then?" She stopped her assault on my hair and squatted down, keeping her hand on my head."
"I'm only seventeen."
My shocked expression made her laugh. She was only seventeen and was already this tall? How much taller would she get?
"Godi's grow fast, I'm already full size. Curse o' the clan."
She explained their clan to me. The Godis are considered the "lords" of the northern tribes. All family members of their clan share the same trait. Blond hair, muscular physique, and being taller than most other humans and their eyes. Snow crystal eyes, they called them, and only the Godi clan had them. I felt it would be rude if I didn't tell her things about myself as well. I told her where I come from, about my mother, about my absent father, and about being a half breed. It was short and omitted most details; after all, my life was boring and uneventful. She offered to train me, and I told her I would consider it.
As she left my tent, it was already dark out. I poked my head out and saw Josephine Baker walking out of Nigel's tent with messy hair. She spotted me and held a finger to her lips. I guess Nigel didn't manage to get away from her after all.