“Attention!” I shouted. “My name is Arelion Errus. I am your new commanding officer!” I continued. I was introducing myself to, “The First Arrows”, the best archers in the entire Meronic Republic. We could hit a target from one hundred yards away, track any beast, or enemy troops for miles without being detected.
I was assigned to be commander after training, because I had exceptional sniper skills. “The First Arrows” were deployed as frontline wall defence against an impending attack from an enemy kingdom. This was their final push. They amassed a force so great, the horizon was painted with shades of orange. As if a great blaze was stoked, and it was razing the once beautiful plains and steppes I knew as a child. The fire kept spreading, consuming, and killing everything in its wake. Razing the land until it was nothing but a mass of charred and yellowed grass.
I would have drawn tears to see my beautiful home burned like this. however my training has beaten that out of me, taught me to only think of winning the battle, taught that my only concern should be my troops and myself, taught when young to blindly follow the country and always agree with the rulers, taught to exist for the sole purpose of fighting for your country. As what a good soldier should do.
I was giving a speech to my platoon to boost morale, “Men, I know at twenty four, I am much younger than you, and being half elf spawn, due to the current situation I am not your ideal choice for a leader. I am sure you all think that even if I look like you all with blonde hair, grey eyes, and square jaw, but the slender nose and compact build of my elf mother still exist. Put that aside, there is no room for prejudice on the battlefield.” I said.
Due to the great chaos the continent has been thrown into, every one has had suspicions of different races, both human and elf. For me, I was born in the Republic of Meronia, I serve Meronia. I had no prejudice to anybody but the enemy.
However, I am not a brain-washed militant, I am patriotic but I still have my disagreement with the higher authority. Which I am unfortunately bound to never disobey. I am chained, like a mutt on a leash, only being released when my higher-up masters need me to sic someone that displeases them. As is the life of a soldier. It’s honest grunt work. Or at least I think so. Its not malicious if you’re just following orders, right? Being a commanding officer I had no time to ponder these questions.
I resumed my speech, “As you know, the enemy force is massive, they have insurmountable numbers. I understand the fear.”
It was true, the enemy army seemed endless. I could see the fear in the eyes of my men, the fear of not getting off that wall. I reluctantly admit, I was scared too. As the leader, I showed confidence, and I never found out what I looked like that day, but I am sure the fear leaked out a bit. like an old dam in need of repair. You couldn't blame anyone for showing fear, only beasts can face death with no emotion.
The enemy army was marching fast, so I hurried to finish my speech, “But you must defeat your fear! We stand atop the border wall, this is the last and greatest bastion of defense for Meronia. Our birthplace, our home, our life. We stand! Never cracking, never falling, and never faltering! I know that all of you have someone or something that is worth fighting for, and they place all of their hopes on us and the army. We must stay strong and not disappoint, and when we defeat that filth that defile our lands with their feet, we will march into the city as heroes!” At that, my men shouted with such confidence and zeal the enemy heard it.
After the speech, I ordered the 1st Archers march to the edge of the wall. We saw the enemy force upon the horizon. I ordered them, “Knock arrows!” My whole army reacted as one, the pulled back their bowstrings and aimed towards the sky. I then shouted the final attack order, “Fire!”