As the sun began to break the dark horizon in the east, a tent city on the prairie was bustling with life. For the first time in seven years, the tents were being disassembled as the soldiers rushed to finish striking the camp before the sun could fully dawn over the frosty ground.
The shouts and cries of men could be heard through the chilly air as the last of the wagons were loaded and with the deep groaning of wheels, the full wagons began to roll down the crumbling road that ran west, all the way to Vascini.
The soldiery continued to cheer as they fell in step along with the caravan of wagons, marching in order. The army that had slumbered like a hibernating beast had awoken more fierce than before and was marching out with determination to Vascini on the warpath.
On and on the army marched, through the morning and into the afternoon. The warmth of the sun melted the frost and made traveling in the late fall weather better than it would have been otherwise.
Riding back and forth along the procession were at least two dozen men on mules they were low-ranking officers in the Luccian Army and had their positions restored to better maintain order in the ranks of the soldiers as they marched, not that they were especially necessary considering that the execution they had witnessed only the previous day left all the men much more subdued and orderly than they otherwise would have been.
Riding at the head of the army were six distinctive figures, the first was scrawny and rode an ass instead of a warhorse, one was slender and rode a white warhorse with a rich purple tunic under his shining silver armor, the next rode a giant black draft horse and wore only several bits of leather armor on his arms and legs, on his left a rider with gold embossed armor and an emerald tunic sat atop a bay steed, and in front of them all two riders could be seen on a dark graey and a light graey horse wearing matching blue capes that billowed in the wind behind them.
As the five generals rode, leading the great army, it was a marvel to think of how much they had all changed since Esedict General Y/N Denlleonis had first arrived in summer all those months ago.
Esclave had gone from a bitter and sour Subedict general obsessed only with his Esedict general to a man who was well-respected among his fellow soldiers. He touched the red birthmark on his cheek and recalled how a seer had told his parents on his birth that he was cursed to bring nothing but suffering and misfortune, but as he turned his blue eyes to the three Luccian Generals who he had unexpectedly befriended in his quest for Y/N he couldn't help but think that perhaps he wasn't cursed at all.
Meccio had gone from a meek and timid general, little more than a boy, to a ruthless and unpredictable warrior that even the other generals needed to be wary of. He sat straight and confident in his saddle, his frail posture a thing of the past. His ginger hair blazed a fiery red in the sun, and his pale freckled face was stretched into a smirk as he observed the mountains on the horizon ahead of them with his violet eyes. He knew it was thanks to Y/N, he was General Meccio Vilu, and no one would ever be able to take that away from him.
Baccoso rode talker than he had before too. He had gone from a slouching and brooding misfit to a proud and formidable member of the Nöerrc race. He had forgone any attempt and controlling his thick black hair, preferring to let it grow and behave as it pleased. His dark eyes were sharper than before, and his well-muscled body rippled with newfound strength. Because of Y/N he no longer felt ashamed of being born in bondage and instead took pride in who he was.
The once arrogant, dismissive, and petty Vanbinicci had become a much more humble, sober, and mature general since Y/N's arrival. His curly brown hair was tied back neatly, his facial hair cleanly trimmed, and his once haughty emerald eyes filled with compassion. He shuddered as he recalled all of the atrocities that Y/N had committed during her time with the Luccian army, but he was still determined to save her.
Eslinn had regained some of his humanity since being reunited with Y/N after several years apart. Although his warrior's oath forced him to hold his tongue about the way he felt for her, just to ride beside her leading a great army was enough for him. His steely eyes filled with affection and he pushed a strand of brown hair from his eyes to better watch her as they rode west.
Finally, Y/N had been the least changed of all the generals, indeed she had not changed at all but instead forced the entire Luccian army to comply with her will. It had been long and arduous, but the fruits of her labor were clear to see as the Luccian army marched out to battle and to victory.
As they marched, the soldiers began to sing ballads and other ditties to pass the time. Once the Luccian songs grew dull they began to chant an Estainian battle hymn that nearly the entire army had learned throughout Y/N's stay.
"♪With strength and wit and wit and strength, Toora Toorayn. With gall and grit and grit and gall Toora Toorayn. With all the power I have to give, and all the will I have to live, I pledge to Estain.♪"
"♪We will paint them with their own blood red, Toora Toorayn. Slaughter their men, and leave the rest for dead, Toora Toorayn. To butcher the lot, and watch them rot, All for the glory of Estain.♪"
"♪With strength and wit and wit and strength, Toora Toorayn. With gall and grit and grit and gall Toora Toorayn. With all the power that I have to give, and all the will I have to live, I pledge to Estain.♪"
"♪Life is war and war is life Toora Toorayn. Embrace the pain, the chaos, the never-ending strife, Toora Toorayn. Conflict arise, to seize our prize, all for the glory of Estain.♪"
"♪TOORA TOORAYN! FOR THE GLORY OF ESTAIN!♪" the men chanted the final chorus in bellowing cries as the army continued its march to the west.
Y/N smirked from where she rode at the front of the army as she heard the soldiers singing a song from her country. "Toora Toorayn! For the glory of Estain!♪" she murmured as she laid here war-hungry eyes on the road that would take them to Vascini.
A/N
A bit of a slower chapter I know, but I think that we all needed that after the previous chapter.
I still can't believe how close this book is to being done, it's been such a joy to work on and I've enjoyed every minute of it. ^~^
Until next time I'll see you on the other side
~J. C. Coltt.~