A Reluctant Soldier

Chapter 3 - The General

A deep voice riffled through the air. "Get away from him!"

The kicking stopped.

I turned to my side, and I saw the berserker running towards my tormentors. The three that were unknown to me fled.

My first guardian exclaimed, "He deserves this!"

"What did he do to you?"

The man staggered for a reply. The berserker stepped closer to the man, who was shakingly taking a step back of the towering officer.

"If I see you hurt any other soldier ever again, you will regret it. Now scramble!"

Without a word, the two disappeared. I won't have to worry about those anymore. The shadow of a relieved smile ran over my face.

"Can you stand?" He crouched down beside me.

Through the pain, I smiled at him. "I knew you would save a damsel in distress."

He snorted but didn't hit me. I had my share of punches and kicks for today.

I rose up to my hands and knees. Even that took way more effort than it should have. My right hand felt warm. Wet puke hung on my fingers in strings.

Breathing hurt. I was still weary, my arms and legs were spotted with pain. I shifted my weight to my legs.

He saw my struggles and extended a hand. I took his hand with my left, and he pulled me up.

My legs held. Barely.

"The general wants to see you. I will get you a medic once we are at his tent."

"My rucksack, please." I pointed at the bag on the floor. He carried it for me.

I realized that the army wasn't just a big compressed obstacle anymore. Several people were erecting two-man tents. In the centre there was a bigger, round teepee. A big version of the army crest adored its side. An octagon divided into eight slices. Each slice contained a different simple symbol made from three lines. Three lines formed waves in the upper segment, in another one there was the picture of a fire like a little kid would draw it. Other symbols were a rudimentary snowflake and lightning. I couldn't identify what the others represented. Three beige lines that closed in to each others in a spiral, two bows that created a hole that housed a wavy line, three white lines going outward from one point, getting broader the farther they went out, and finally a circle with an X in the middle. Behind the octagon, a sword and an axe were crossed.

I focused on the crest, so I almost missed the looks of pity that were thrown at me from every side.

Do I really look so bad?

Whenever I was about to fall over, the berserker caught me. The entrance of the teepee was guarded by two men, also dressed in the army colours. They nodded to him and then gave me a strange look. The berserker pushed aside the curtains.

One mystery was solved the moment I peered inside. The reason why they went back to get me. There, on a seat in front of a bonfire sat the man that refused to step away from my carriage yesterday.

Just my luck. I've bamboozled a general of the army. This will not end well.

He had a puzzled look on his face. "How did you manage to get beat up this badly on your first day?"

I smiled innocently.

The heat pulled sweat from my skin. There was one other person present. He had almost finished his transition from a boy to a man, and his eyes were the colour of the general's. He sat within arm's reach of the general and grinned at me.