Heroes Never Die ✓

Chapter 1 The Drills

The day was beautiful, the sun shone brightly, and the morning dew sparkled like jewels. But most of the gathered people overlooked such small and sophisticated details. The fresh young grass was trampled mercilessly under heavy military shoes. A mass of bodies broke the stillness of the landscape, marching to and fro, following commands shouted fiercely and relentlessly.

"That's enough for now," said Skylar to her companion.

The man in the military uniform nodded and yelled. "Halt! Stand to attention!" He turned back to Skylar. "What do you think, Colonel?"

"They seem to be in good shape." She rubbed her chin in thought. "Let's see how they are doing in close combat."

Commander turned back to the soldiers and bellowed, "Commence the sparring! Pair in two, classic one on one combat. Proceed! And don't get yourselves too bloody!"

The soldiers quickly spread around the meadow to get more space, and then the loud clangs of clashing steel filled the chilly air. Skylar nodded to the commander and walked among the soldiers, spectating at duels, or giving tips and showing slight adjustments where she saw a need.

She was delighted to spot a couple of young women among the soldiers. She smiled when the memories of when she first officially joined the army as a Lieutenant flooded her. All the nobles were outraged, and the soldiers themselves were also confused. But she quickly showed them that she deserved her place here. It was over eight years ago, yet it seemed like a lifetime. Thanks to her relentless efforts, more women decided to pursue a career in the typically male occupation. It still provoked some raised brows and mocking whispers, but it was no longer impossible. And Skylar was glad to see more women using this opportunity.

Although, still plenty of men were treating them as people of lower category. Skylar spotted the giant brute-looking soldier who kicked his opponent, who was already lying defencelessly in the mud. The young woman whimpered and covered her head with her arms to avoid the worst kicks.

"Hey!" called Skylar, dashing toward the pair.

The man looked up at her and straightened, saluting briefly, "Colonel." His eyes shone brightly with hostility under frowned, bushy brows.

"She's already on the ground. There is no need to beat her up any further." Skylar offered the woman a hand, helping her to her feet.

The woman was young, probably barely past the age when she could sign up for the army. She wasn't small but looked fragile like a doll compared to the massive man next to her. She brushed the blood from her split lip and looked at Skylar. There was a defiant fire burning in her green eyes.

"I'm sorry, Colonel. I'll do better."

The man scoffed. "She's a weakling. That's what she is. There is no place in the army for weaklings. Better she gets it now, or she'll be killed an instant we would have to fight for real."

Skylar took a deep breath and slowly counted to ten to avoid punching the man straight in the face. "And why do you think we do the drills, private?" she asked. "You are all recruits. Yes, some of you might have better physical predispositions than others, but that doesn't mean we will be refusing people who want to sign up for the army, whether they are men or women."

The man shrugged. "I get it, Colonel. Just there is no point in me training with her. None of us gets any better like this."

"Fine, how about you spar with me?" Skylar unsheathed her sword. The gryphon's eyes on the handle caught the sunbeams and glimmered.

The man took a step back, his face surprised and uncertain. "I meant no disrespect, Colonel. I –"

"It's all right, soldier—just a friendly duel. You said you wanted to get better. And I want to show you that when it comes to fighting, gender doesn't matter."