The plateau of Adyll was born out of the sea, pushed up through tectonic pressures over a million years ago. To the east, beyond the cliffs where the capital city is located, lies a formidable desert which stretches for hundreds of miles, uninhabite...
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The shuffle of many feet, like the sound of locust wings, brought Zayaan out of his reverie.
Residents of the camp formed a silent circle around the recruits, like jackals surrounding injured animals. Officers began to walk among the boys. If one cowered, they knocked him to the ground and kicked him, all the while hurling insults at them.
"Look at how soft they are... Like women!"
"Weak, little turds."
"We should kill them now. Kill them and fuck their corpses!"
Zayaan pushed into place next to his captain who was grinning from ear to ear. He did his best to imitate his captain's expression, the grin causing his scar to tighten painfully. His captain raised his fist into the air and the crowd withdrew, standing at attention in ranks at the sides of the field.
He began the familiar call-and-response of the camp:
"One!"
"God!"
"One!"
"Man!"
"One!"
"Lord!"
"One!"
"King!"
"One!"
"Swarm!"
"One!"
"LOCUST!"
At the far end of the training ground, the commander exited his tent and walked among the boys from Adyll as if inspecting them. He finally selected one from the group, a thin boy of about thirteen summers, neither the wealthiest nor the poorest of the group.
"Get up, boy," he said gently.
The boy struggled to his feet, careful to keep his eyes downcast. The commander brought him to the front of the tent and gestured to his retainers.
"Bring water for our guests. We shall slake their thirst and cleanse them of the dust of their travels." The commander put his hands on the boy's shoulders in a paternal manner and addressed the other boys. "Who you were before no longer matters. Rich, poor, caste... none of that matters now. All that matters is service to the Locust. Service in the Swarm. We have functions, but we all serve the same purpose. Serve well, and you will be served well. Obey, and you will enjoy great wealth and honor... and your families will enjoy life. Disobey, and you will be punished. Turn away from the cause of the Locust, and your family will be devoured as you watch. Listen well, boys. Treachery and idolatry are the greatest sins against God, and His wrath will be delivered to every generation of a family tainted by it. Loyalty, strength, honor, obedience – these are His virtues. He will heap blessings upon the virtuous among us. Women, wine, food, riches – all these belong to the blessed of the God-Who-Walks-Among-Men."
