Kael POV

  After finishing my dinner, I made my way to the fire outside the Longhall. Garran, Varric, and Barry were sitting in front, lording their presence over the rest of the members. I walked over and joined them as Barry passed me a mug of ale.

  “Here,” he said, shaking his sore wrist. “That fucking pup. My hands are still aching. He didn’t go easy on us today.”

  “Yeah, that pipsqueak learned new tricks. Every time I tried to slack off, he used that intimidation thing. Made me feel like he was about to slap a mana oath on me. Fucking ruined my whole day,” Varric said.

  “Yeah, reminded me of my old man when he got angry,” Garran added.

  Before I could say anything, a voice grabbed everyone’s attention.

  “You slippery bastard. I always hated people like you. My brother got injured because of you,” one of the new members shouted as he stormed over, grabbing a chair. If I remembered correctly, his name was Rokan.

  “Ah, come get me, Stone Breaker. Let’s see how fast you are,” Barry said, standing up and mocking him.

  I set my ale down and stood up to stop Rokan. I was not afraid for Barry, but I knew he would start running around while taunting everyone, turning this into a full brawl. The mana oath stopped us from attacking soldiers, but criminals could fight each other all they wanted and only get punished later.

  “Hey, stop,” I said, grabbing the chair and pulling Rokan into a chokehold. His brother rushed forward as well. I was ready to knock both of them down, but then Daren grabbed his brother’s arm.

  “Rokan, I told you it was a good thing,” Daren said. “Now we know the sergeant is strong. His fist hit me like a shovel, and fighting here will only make him angrier.” He sounded almost proud when he described Edward’s hit.

  Rokan still looked furious, staring at Barry.

  “Hey,” I shouted, forcing his attention on me. “You two need to control your emotions. You were lucky Edward is the sergeant. Any other sergeant would have had your brother writhing on the ground under a mana oath. And I am sure he went easy on him. He has killed a Tier Three shadow cat bare-handed.”

  The moment the words left my mouth, all the new members stared at me in shock.

  When I was assigned to the fort, I had resigned myself to dying as a meat shield for some snot-nosed officer. But since Edward became our sergeant, he treated me with respect. It reminded me of my old days. I did not understand his methods, and I did not know what he was trying to achieve beyond filling us with false hope. But I wanted it to last, even if only briefly.

  Looking at their faces, I decided to help him a little.

  “You may not know it, and Edward might look young. Still, he knows exactly what he is doing,” I said. “He led a squad through a beast tide, killed a Tier Three, and received the Iron Merit medal. He is not even seventeen. If he wanted to, he could send all of you to the infirmary without breaking a sweat.”

  “Oh, that explains the punch. See, I told you the leader is a good guy,” Daren said, dragging his brother away.

  “You fucking guard. Why do you keep helping that pup?” Barry said as he walked toward me.

  “You are lucky he did not break your nose today,” I replied. Barry scoffed.

  “How long do you think it will take before he uses the mana oath?” Varric asked. “I expected it on the first day.”

  “I would give him a few more days, or at least until the first mission,” Garran said.

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  “I think he will only use it if you force him to,” I said, looking at Varric and Barry.

  Barry raised both hands. “Not me.”

  “You defend him a lot. What do you think he is trying to do? You really believe he will let us progress for long? His decisions feel like those of a fucking child who does not understand how the world works,” Varric said.

  “Yet you are still following his orders,” I replied. Varric clenched his teeth.

  “I am only doing it because I want to see him fail. And when he does, I want to stand there and laugh at him,” he said.

  This was not the first time we had discussed Edward’s methods. He had been a point of curiosity for all of us since the day he joined, and after he became a sergeant, those conversations only increased. We were always trying to understand why he did the things he did.

  Varric, Barry, and Garran kept talking about Edward and how he would fail. I sat silently, listening. I did not want to believe their words, but I knew how the world worked. I knew they were not completely wrong.

  After some time, I made my way back to the Longhall. Edward had already told us to assemble in the morning, and I was exhausted after digging trenches all day.

  The next morning, everyone gathered in the training yard. The new members looked far more attentive than they had the day before. Edward arrived right on time, with Peter following behind him.

  “Good. Everyone looks ready,” Edward said.

  As the squad gathered, it was clear he had gained confidence over the past few days. He knew what he wanted from people now, and he was learning how and what to say.

  “Alright, gather around. I will give a short briefing, then we start training.”

  His next words only proved me right.

  “I told the older members that we will have three point leaders in the squad. Garran, Barry, and Varric. That means we will divide into smaller groups. Garran’s group will handle the front wall defense. Barry’s group will focus on distraction. Varric’s group will act as the heavy hitters.”

  When he first told us this, we assumed his lieutenant would never allow it. But it looked like he had somehow convinced the higher-ups.

  “Oren and Brakk, you will work with Garran.”

  “Corvin and Silas, you will work with Barry.”

  “And…” He paused.

  I could almost see Edward holding back his excitement. He was not the only one. Even though Varric did not show it, I could tell he missed leading men. After a long time, he was getting that chance again.

  “Rokan and Daren will work with Varric.”

  “Now Garran, Varric, Barry, Kael, and Private Peter, join me so I can discuss further details. The rest of you, start running laps. We will join you in a few minutes.”

  Edward might not even realize it, but most people here listened to him because he always worked alongside us. Whether it was digging trenches with just the four of us or training now, he never stood apart. I had never seen a previous leader do that. Fenward barely trained with his own privates, let alone criminals.

  We gathered in front of Edward while the new members jogged toward the edge of the yard.

  “Varric, Barry, and Garran, you and your teams need to learn how to coordinate. I have prepared multiple formations we can use.”

  Then he turned to Garran. “I have arranged for three large shields. I will inscribe runes on them. They should help us even against powerful beasts.”

  Next, he looked at Varric. “Against beasts with tough hides, you and your team will take the front with Garran. While Garran focuses on defense, you will focus entirely on dealing damage. I do not have rune weapons yet, but after a few successful missions, we should be able to acquire some.”

  Then he turned to Barry.

  “Barry, your team’s speed will be used to create distractions. You will operate behind the front line or taking the flanks position. I have commissioned twenty throwing knives. I want your team to practice aiming. They will not hurt even a Tier One beast, but they can create openings. If you can hit a beast’s eyes, half the fight is already won.”

  I sighed internally. He was offering everything any combatant would kill for: rune equipment and the authority to lead. These would not only help them level faster but also secure better class evolutions.

  Then he turned to me.

  “Kael, your role remains the same. I will provide you with rune armor and a shield. I also want you and Peter to act as my second-in-command when I am not present.”

  It looked like a decision he had reached after yesterday.

  I clenched my jaw. It was the right decision, but every time I looked at Peter, I had the urge to smash his face with my bare hands. He reminded me of nobles. Just listening to him scream would make my day.

  And judging by the look in his eyes, I was not the only one who felt that way. I tore my gaze away from him and looked back at Edward.

  “What are you trying to do, Edward?” I asked. I could not hold it in any longer. “What are you trying to achieve with all this?”

  He paused for a second, then simply said, “I am trying to create a strong squad,” as if he had been expecting the question. Then he carried on.

  “I am trying to prove that no matter where people were born or what they did, their lives still matter.”

  His words resonated with nearly everyone present.

  “I am trying to show that just because someone with power decides your life is worthless, it does not make it true. Power does not give anyone the right to decide our fate.”

  I did not know if it was Edward’s conviction or some skill, but the mana in the air seemed to vibrate as he finished speaking, filled with his emotions, his belief, and his resolve.