Part 1: Asfalia Chapter 9: Inspection and Subjugation

We were moved to a bus where we spent four hours driving toward the magical barrier. In the distance we could see the prismatic reflection of the magic dancing in the sky. As the sun continued to dip down the light show grew even more fantastic. Colors that were too dim in the day time spiraled through the air with sparkles of pinks and bright blues so bright that were practically white.

“Alright,” Cronus stood up toward the front of the bus and turned to face us, “When you get out you will find your assigned cabin. It will be your home for the next five years. You are free to make it such, there is a general store on base. You have one hour after leaving the bus to find your cabin and then get to the training field. Are there any questions?

We all learned “are there any questions,” was just a way to show he was done talking. He really didn’t want us to ask anything.

The sun had finished setting when we arrived and we filed off the bus into an open cobblestone yard. It was a large training yard filled with primitive weaponry, padding, and an obstacle course that I’m sure we would utilize a fair amount. In the distance a row of cabins. They were made out of wood and didn’t have any pathway leading up to them. To me it looked like they had just been erected a few days ago. The fresh scent of chopped wood was still clinging in the air. To the opposite side a large brick building that had full sidewalks and streetlamps just to firmly solidify it was the senior structure.

“I guess we should get going.” Dreyma led the way to our cabin, it was marked with metal numbers. They shined with a glisten that confirmed these were new.

The inside could be described as rustic at best. Three beds lined one wall they were at least beds and not cots. They had their own standard issue blankets and pillows to go with them. On the back wall we had a small wood burning stove and then a sitting area where I guessed we could hang out. One thing that I noticed looking around was the lack of technology. Candles were all over and the utilities clearly only worked from burning wood. Was this some kind of test?

We agreed who should get which bed and then continued back to the cobblestone lot. We weren’t the first ones there but no one was wanting to talk or encroach on the other groups. Silence filled the air until finally we knew our one hour was up.

“Attention!” An officer in field clothes walked out of the brick building, followed by Cronus and a second man. Cronus seemed out of place compared to them, they were warriors Cronus was more at home with books and science. All he had managed to do with his booming echoing voice was get us all to look his way. What we had to do besides that was a mystery. If we were born boys, we would have had drill training in school that told us what to do. If we wanted to be a careerist, we could have attended summer camp. Since clearly none of us but Gallo wanted this we just watched as he came closer and closer.

Gallo, to her credit and her group she showed them what to do. She stood back straight, looking forward head held high. Her group, Shen, copied her making sure her arms were flat against her sides balled into fists.

“Soldiers!” The man called again, echoing off the walls of the building, “Did I or did I not call you to attention?”

Sylis of course, was going to throw her two cents in, “You did, but we have no idea what that means. So can you just first tell us-”

“Silence!” He marched in front of her his face getting close enough so their noses bumped together, “You will speak when instructed.”

“Was that not a-” She stopped talking when a fist made contact with her cheek.

“Not another word.” He hissed and then turned to Gallo and her group, “This is proper form. You have Five seconds to get in line and follow the example set by your superior soldier.”

Five seconds I took note of Gallo’s stance and slid in line with her putting my feet together straight forward and arms down to my side. Dreyma next to me did the same but it obstructed my view of Sage. I had hoped to see how she did but I guess inspection was going to be next.

“Time’s up!” His voice certainly had a way of carrying and I guess this is why he was chosen to train us all.

He marched, because let’s face it this guy never walked anywhere in his life, to the first person in line where I figured he was getting right in her face and barking every way she was failing. “Name soldier speak it now!”

“Maylin Zephris,” she answered back but apparently that was wrong.

“Zephris,” He yelled, “When you address your superior, you will answer with sir. Do I make myself clear, soldier? Answer now.”

“Yes sir.” She answered, but apparently her meek voice was also an affront to his very nature.

“I can’t hear you soldier!” his voice louder, and I could just imagine him right in her ear, screaming until her head ached.

“Yes sir!” She called but I could hear a tear being caught in her throat.

“And you solider,” He must has moved on, “Are you ready to fall in line?” It must have been Sylis, which made sense we had lined up by group. He paused and thankfully Sylis knew it was a test. “Name solider. Answer now.”

“Sylis Feist, sir!” She called back with ferocity that was going to get revenge I could just hear her yearning to clock him to the ground.

“Your feet aren’t straight Feist. You’re slouching and your nose is bleeding. You will not come to inspection in such a foul shape again do you hear me?”

There was no answer but he continued down the line picking at everyone’s flaws and calling them by their last name. By the time it got to me I was pretty certain I had at least enough examples to go by for what to do.

“Name soldier!” He was in my face his breath smelled like vinegar. There were wrinkles under his eyes that were a pitch so black I could see myself reflected in them. “Answer now!”

“Ashai Sumter sir!” I answered back.

“Sumter!” He called, “Any relation to Officer Sumter incharge of the Northern Barrier defense?”

Fuck, I cursed my luck. This would make him have some kind of ill conceived elevated expectation when in fact I was as lost as Maylin had been being the unlucky first person in line. “Yes sir!” I answered back, “He is my father sir.”

He just nodded and finally moved away from me allowing me to breathe. He hadn’t picked apart anything about me. Gallo had received glowing marks, I was just ignored. Maybe it was a good thing?

I didn’t catch how anyone else did, I was too dumbfounded at what just happened only able to be brought back to this field when he started marching around in front of us again.

“You will all report here at sunrise. Every. Single. Sunrise. Time will not be measured by hours and minutes anymore.” He stopped and snapped his fingers. “Officer Wynter.”

“Yes sir.” It was the second man who walked in with this drill sergeant who spoke. His voice was far more welcoming though I figured it was a false sense of welcoming, “Soldiers, I am Instructor Wynter, this is Sargent Lagate. We will be your superiors for your stay here and you will adhere to our schedule. Any insubordination will result in punishment for the entire company.”

Cronus took that as an invitation coming down the line and passing a booklet out to each of us. It was thick glossy paper but no one dared to open it right now. We knew better at this point.

“Turn to page one.” Wynter called and flipped his own copy. “This is your daily schedule. Sunrise is training. When you have satisfied the training to Sergeant Lagate’s degree then you will be dismissed for breakfast. We will not time you on breakfast but before the sun crests the horizon you will attend sparring practice until the sun is mid in the sky. Then you will have lunch. When the sun starts to fall you will begin weapon training. When the sun dips to the last part of the day you will take turns between weapon practice and counselling. Finally when the sun starts to set you will be allowed dinner. When the pink hues of the barrier can be seen you will report back here for practice and then once you satisfy that training you will be dismissed for bed.

They didn’t put times on anything. I knew what this meant. No one was saying it but if we took too long meeting standard in practices we could very well have to skip meals. I had a feeling no matter what diet we were told to keep by the doctors we were going to need to follow the training to a much stricter degree.

“Cronus!” Wynter called and turned back to stand next to Lagate.

“Thank you.’ He nodded his head, “As you can see we have removed electronics from your cabins and do not adhere to standard times in hours and minutes. This is to get your prepared for these luxuries to be unavailable across the barrier. Every Saturday you will also be taken to a special sparring practice that will last all day. The additional information is available in your handbooks.”

They were determined to turn us into obedient soldiers and if we didn’t want a bruised face like Sylis we had to listen to them. Finally we were dismissed and didn’t talk the entire walk. Once we were back in our cabins we came to another realization.

“Without clocks and alarms,” Sage’s voice was panicked, “how are we going to get up on time in the morning?”