A Time of Tigers - From Peasant to Emperor

"When I was a boy his age, my father only tasked me with wandering the streets of the East District in Ernest, and helping out anyone I saw… When I finally passed the Second Boundary, it was a squadron of men that I was placed in charge of. That's a good bit easier than ensuring the protection of near five-hundred peasants," Tolsey said, unable to stop his smile.

"That is indeed how it tends to go. Your master must be quite the maverick, foisting such responsibility on you so early. He must be quite eager to see you progress through to the Third Boundary," Lombard said.

"The Third Boundary?" Tolsey repeated, his skin whitening. "But he's only a child still. Surely he won't pass through the Third Boundary before his twentieth birthday?"

Lombard looked at Tolsey with a harsh expression, enough to quieten him. But Beam could see the slightest traces of amusement about the man's face. "You worry that he'll reach the Third Boundary at a younger age than you reached the Second, mm?"

Tolsey hung his head, apparently embarrassed to have it pointed out as such. "Not only that, but he's still a peasant… He didn't have access to all the things we did as children."

"The Gods seem to care less for social rank than we do," Lombard said. "Competence is competence. The military is one of the few places that almost acknowledges that, at least in our country, with us on the losing end of this damnable war. Such would be true for you, boy, if you showed I could trust you."

"Trust me, don't trust me, I no longer care," Beam said, entirely done with the routine by now.

Tolsey looked greatly put off by Beam's attitude, but Lombard merely waved a hand. "It is comforting, is it not, Vice-Captain? To see that despite his manoeuvrings, and his aura, he is still a child at heart."

"I suppose you could say that…" Tolsey said meekly. "Though I'm not sure of any other sort of child that would dare to speak to a Captain like that. Not even a noble child would."

"He's greatly lacking in many areas," Lombard agreed. "Though I could see why another knight might have interest in him. You're not the schemer you appeared to be when I noticed your attempts to gather information and unite the villagers. Now that I look at them through the eyes of reflection, I see the clumsiness in those attempts." Lombard said.

Beam twisted his face in a frown. He was still too irritated to respond to the Captain's lighter tone.

"So, you're being tested by your master, are you? And it's the defence of the village you're concerned with? Assuming those things to be true, should we not be allies? In terms of military might, having another soldier that has passed through the Second Boundary would greatly ease the strain that we feel on our defence," Lombard said.

"It was the village that my master charged me with protecting, not the soldiers. You've allowed your soldiers to do whatever they pleased," Beam said.

"So that's how you see it, is it?" Lombard murmured. "Did you think they were behaving that badly, Tolsey?"

The Vice-Captain grimaced. "Well… I'd heard a couple of reports, as I looked into the death of our men these past few days. And some of them might have been heavy-handed, at times… But such is their right as the peasants' social superiors."

"Our only concern is keeping the men disciplined enough for battle, after all. As long as they aren't actively damaging our defences, they may do as they please. They all need an outlet of some kind, after all," Lombard said.

"Do the lives of peasants mean nothing to you?" Beam said, his eyes flashing. "Do you think just because you're given rank, you can do whatever you please? I will defend this village with or without you. I do not mind making you my enemy."

Ingolsol called, as Beam's hand rested on the hilt of his sword. He wanted mayhem to be unleashed. Such blindness was infuriating.

Tolsey grew alarmed as he fumbled with his own sword, but Lombard merely regarded Beam with interest. "Such an honest boy, aren't you?" The Captain said. "Your feelings are written on your face. 'Why should I listen to men weaker than me?' is what you're thinking, yes?"

The Captain unleashed his aura in full, letting it loose like the wind. Beam felt it buffet him, enough to make it difficult to breathe, to put a weight on his shoulders, but it did not cower him. Dominus' aura was far stronger, after all.

"Hm… Even after feeling that, you do not fear me?" Lombard said. Tolsey had turned white from the pressure, but Beam was resolute. "I think I begin to understand you, boy. Sheath your sword, Tolsey."

"But Captain…" Tolsey protested, as Beam still radiated hostility.

"Do it. I had an inclining before, but I realized something as you spoke, boy," Lombard said. "You're the Mountain Slayer, are you not?"

"The Mountain Slayer?" Beam repeated, his anger giving way to confusion.

"Well, that is merely what the men have taken to calling you. Judging from the quantity of blood we've found, you've likely matched the kill count of over a hundred soldiers by your lonesome – assuming that was you," Lombard said. "So for you, I might dare to make an exception."

"An exception for what?" Beam asked.

"For directing your aggression towards a Captain," Lombard said with an icy smile. "My distrust of you has vanished, now that I see how easily you wear your emotions on your sleeve. I will make use of you, I will. But it is plain to see that I cannot entice you like I have the other men. You pay no respect to authority, nor even reason.

You were so quick to make an enemy of me and my army the second I suggested that we might get between you and your role."