As Caedus weaved through the growing crowd toward the fortress gates, he quickly realized navigating through hundreds of people was harder than it looked.
Trying not to be late, he moved faster than he normally would, slipping between groups of attendants. Every few steps, his shoulder brushed against someone.
"Sorry."
"Excuse me."
"My apologies."
Despite his attempts to be polite, he was met with annoyed looks wherever he went.
Some people clicked their tongues in irritation.
Others glared openly after being bumped aside.
By the time Caedus finally reached the gates of the massive compound, he could practically feel the burning stares drilling into the back of his head.
He resisted the urge to turn around.
'Great… I already look like an idiot.
Just as he was about to step through the open gates, he heard a voice in his head.
"Halt!" Suddenly, Caedus's vision went dark, and he was in an empty room.
Caedus quickly stepped back in shock, readying himself for a new surprise.
"Relax, kid." A gruff voice spoke across the room. In a puff of smoke, a man and a desk appeared.
The man had long brown hair with glasses adorning his face. He was wearing the Ironwood uniformed armor.
"Where am I?" Caedus didn't let his guard down while he waited for a response.
"Never mind where you are. Why are you trying to get through the Obsidian Gate? You haven't been preapproved for access like the rest of the civilians you were trying to sneak in with." The man with long hair asked, as if he were almost bored. As he waited for a response, he took out a cigarette and lit it.
"Oh, I am just trying to get to the Ironwood Crown Intuitive." Caedus relaxed a little, putting two and two together. "Are you the gate guard?"
The smoking man nodded.
"Do you think anyone can just join the Initiative. Honestly, you civilians are really entitled, aren't you? You want to waltz on in and--"
Cutting off the guard, Caedus quickly spoke up. "Sir, I really am part of the Initiative. Here is my paperwork." Caedus stepped forward to place the paperwork on the guard's desk.
As he leaned down to put the stack of papers on the desk, Caedus saw a confused look in the man's eyes.
Without responding, the man took a long inhale of his cigarette and started shuffling through the stack, reading it quickly.
Smoke was beginning to fill the room, and Caedus had to hold back an urge to cough loudly.
"The Corvane Family is sponsoring you?" The man frowned, reading that. He looked up at the nodding Caedus, who was confirming his question.
The guard took another long inhale of his cigarette before exhaling and blowing the smoke into Caedus's face.
"Asshole." Caedus coughed through the smoke, waving it off. His eyes were stinging a little from it.
When he opened his eyes, he was back in front of the gate.
"Proceed through the gate. You have been cleared. Take a right immediately after you get through, and that's where you check in." A voice floated into his mind, similar to before, when he was in the empty room.
Caedus nodded in acknowledgment while finally stepping forward through the gates.
On his right, he saw a huge ceremonial building, where he assumed he was supposed to check in. The occasional soldiers were going in and out of the building.
Caedus was lost in thought, thinking about that weird interaction as he followed the man's instructions.
'He had interesting powers. Was I actually in the room? What's all in my head? How does it work? Maybe if I see him again, I will ask him.'
"Hello, sir." A voice called out to him, breaking him out of his questions. "How may I help you?"
Caedus put on a smile and stepped forward to the desk. A young lady around his age was behind the desk. She had blonde hair, up in a bun, giving her a secretary vibe.
"I am here to check in for the Ironwood Crown Initiative. Here is my paperwork."
"Oh? This late?" The lady asked, confused, as she took up the paperwork and read it.
"Excuse me? This late?" Caedus' heart dropped. "I thought check-in was supposed to be at 7 a.m.?" Caedus quickly looked around for a clock. On the opposite side of the room, he saw one that showed he still had 15 minutes.
"Well, you technically aren't late…" She said slowly, not looking up from the paperwork. "But every single one of your comrades checked on Friday, before the weekend, to get to know each other better. You are a few days late compared to them."
"Fuck." Caedus cursed Umbra in his head. 'That damn crow!'
------
*Achoo!*
"Are you getting a cold, Young Master Umbra?" Jim called out through the carriage.
"I feel fine. I wonder if someone is cursing me, though…" Umbra responds through a tissue.
------
"There shouldn't be anything to worry about, Cadet Violetshade. There are two barracks buildings used by the First Division: the Black Steel barracks and the Silver Wood barracks. You will be in the Black Steel barracks. Follow me back to get your uniform and essentials. We need to hurry so you don't miss the welcome ceremony."
Caedus nodded and followed the clerk quickly without hesitation.
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A huge auditorium was filled nearly to the brim with chairs. Young men and women were in groups speaking to one another like they have known each other for years. Smiles could be seen on all their faces.
They were all wearing the same uniform, showing they were all part of the First Division, the first generation of the Ironwood Crown Initiative.
The cadet uniform consisted of a fitted black military coat lined with dark silver trim along the cuffs and collar.
Beneath the coat was a gray high-collared undershirt paired with reinforced black trousers tucked neatly into polished combat boots.
Each cadet also wore a black beret tilted slightly to the right, bearing a silver Division One insignia pinned above the left eye. The beret gave the uniform a more elite and disciplined appearance, making the cadets resemble a specialized military unit rather than ordinary soldiers.
On the left side of the coat rested the same silver Division One emblem stitched into the fabric.
On the right side of the chest, each cadet had their last name embroidered in silver lettering, which appeared above their assigned cadet number.
A thick leather belt wrapped around the waist with attachments for training weapons, supplies, and utility pouches.
The overall appearance was sharp, uniform, and intimidating.
"Welcome all! I know you all must be excited so please take your seats!" A booming voice rose from the center of the auditorium, standing behind a podium where there was a hulking figure of a man, which he made look like a dollhouse toy.
He was wearing a similar uniform but not quite the same.
Very quickly everyone took their seats and chatter died down. As they all gave their full attention to the man at the podium.
"I am General Draven Voss. I am the commanding officer of Obsidian Gate." The man's voice thundered through the auditorium effortlessly. Every single cadet could hear him perfectly. A lot of them even sat up a bit straightener. Trying to give off a better impression.
"For the next half year, this is your home. You will bleed, sweat, shit, and piss here, in these walls. We will feed you, pay you, and train you. All we ask in return is for you to get strong. Get strong enough to be a deterrent to any nation who dares to attack our land or have any designs to harm our people! Is that understood?!" The General's voice raised louder with every passing word. His passion could be felt by every single person who heard his words.
"Yes, sir!" A unanimous shout came from the seated cadets.
"You are the First Division! You will be setting a precedent as the strongest and most efficient soldiers our Ironwood Kingdom has!" He shouted even louder.
"Do not disappoint our King!. He has been gracious enough to give you, 1,000 cadets, his utmost support!"
Just as he said '1,000 cadets', if one had good enough eyes, they would be able to see a wisp of smoke appear behind General Draven Voss.
"Oh really?" Suddenly he said normally, making a few heads tilt in confusion.
Whispers crept up from the cadets.
"What's going on? Why did he pause?"
"Maybe something is happening?"
"Do you see that smoke behind the general?"
General Voss spoke again. "Where was I? Ah yes." Speaking louder again he continued his speech. "Do not disappoint our King!. He has been gracious enough to give you, 1,001 cadets, his utmost support!"
Instead of cheers this time even more confusion was apparent in the crowd.
"Did he just say 1,001 cadets? I met every single person over the weekend and I am sure the last cadet number is 1,000."
"Did we get a new person at the last second?"
"Man, I hope it's a hot chick."
While most of cadets whispered amongst themselves a group of 7 cadets, who had placed themselves in the front row, had slight frowns adourning their face, except for one who looked like he was trying to hold back a laugh.
The young man who was trying to hold back a laugh was a young main with blonde hair that almost looked gold with golden-flecked eyes. He was just as good looking as Caedus in his own way.
Through his stifled laugh he glanced at the woman sitting in the middle of the group.
"I can't believe they added one more person last minute." He laughed.
"Shut it Eric." A woman with silver hair sitting next to the woman in the middle snapped at him, glaring with daggers in her eyes at the laughing Eric.
Before Eric could retort, the sound of a door opening in the back of the auditorium grabbed the attention of 1,000 recruits as well as the general's. In walked a handsome young man.
The cadet uniform actually suited Caedus surprisingly well.
The black coat and silver trim gave him a clean, sharp silhouette, and the beret with the Division One insignia made him look more like a proper military officer than a fresh recruit. Even without experience in his posture, there was a natural composure to him that the uniform seemed to amplify.
The silver embroidery- VIOLETSHADE above 1001- seemed to shine a light on the mystery everyone was dying to know the answer too.
As Caedus's eyes adjusted to the darker room he realized that over a thousand people were silently staring at him.
Some looks were of annoyance, some were of intrigue, and some just didn't seem to care.
But no matter what, all eyes were on him.
'Fuck! Why is everyone staring! I thought the clerk said I could sneak in.'
Caedus nodded slightly to the crowd before ignoring his stares and hiding his embarrassment and taking a seat in the very back row.
"Listen up!" General Voss's loud voice dragged everyone attention away from Caedus.
Some still glanced at him curiously but eventually turned to listen to the general.
"Do not waste this opportunity. Here before you I swear an oath. I swear that for the good of our King, Kingdom, and its people. I will make you the best of the best! Repay that oath with your own oath! Swear to never let our Kingdom down!"
Suddenly all 1,000 cadets shot to their feet shouting. "We swear!"
Caedus was a moment too slow but not enough for everyone to notice.
"Now, let us begin!" General Voss shouted.