Chapter 14: Training

Training did not occur that night after all. The convoy did not run into a sandstorm during the day, so the drivers had to swap out with some of the rested members to continue traveling through the night. It wasn't until early morning that the group found one and were able to re-adjust their direction towards Kjerag.

Another day of watching nothing but endless sands on the horizon passed. All the while Anders cast glances out of the corner of his eye towards an impatient Valeria. He knew that the longer they went without training, the harder it was going to be for them. However, all he could do was lament his fate and curse the desert for not conjuring any storms sooner.

When night finally descended once again, Valeria gave the order to pause their journey and set up a temporary camp. She silently watched her people move about setting up tents and cooking meals. She waited until they were all well-fed and cheerful laughter filled the camp. Seeing their satisfied faces illuminated by firelight in the dark night, Valeria gave a small smile. Anders who saw it felt a chill go down his spine and silently said a prayer in his heart. With a lift of her hand and a flick of her wrist, training had begun.

A group of mercenaries surrounded a fire while preparing to cook their meal when one of them felt something grip his ankle. Before he could even react, he was pulled by a tremendous force and his companions watched as he was suddenly dragged off into the darkness only managing a short yell. Once the night consumed him, his scream was cut off. The other Sarkaz jumped to their feet in panic yelling out to the rest of the camp.

"Attack! We're under attack!"

Everyone was able to react quickly to the call. Pulling out their weapons, they faced the darkness in their isolated patches of campfire light. Moments that felt like an eternity passed as the mercenaries stood at the ready, their bodies tense, waiting for something to happen as they tried to find some semblance of their foe. Confused shouting filled the air as they attempted to grapple with their situation. Anders, regardless of knowing who the culprit was, decided to just give out general orders knowing it would only be worse if he spoiled her fun.

"Stand together, backs to the fire! Since we heard nothing from the night watch it's only us now! Wait for the enemy to show themselves before making your move!"

The mercenaries somewhat organized themselves forming circles around their respective light sources and facing outwards. The few who had a flashlight on them rather than stored away flicked the switch and swept the beams of light into the night. However, the light only revealed desert sand. Nerves and frustration began to build as time continued to pass. Just as that frustration was about to burst, their enemy struck.

One of the Sarkaz saw something rushing out of the dark, but before it crashed into him he jumped out of the way. The projectile flew past where he had just been standing and slammed into the fire behind him. A crackling sound echoed out and the light that once illuminated them was snuffed out. Regaining his senses he approached where the fire was and found that what flew through the air was a pile of sand. His eyes widened at the realization. He was not the target. He opened his mouth to warn his compatriots, but it was too late. All at once sand bombs flew through the air and extinguished their remaining light. The world was thrown into umbral black once more.

The rest didn't take long. Pained grunts and yells rang out as the mercenaries were beaten into submission. Just as the victims had given in to their fate, the night stilled. The missing Sarkaz from earlier were dragged back into the camp by black shadowy tendrils, and a lone lantern flared to life at the hip of the Valeria who now stood at its center. The light illuminated her amused face as she scanned the dumbfounded faces of those clutching their injuries. Nadeemah looked at her slack-jawed before anger flashed across her face.

"What are you doing Valeria?! I thought I was going to die!"

Valeria nodded to herself in satisfaction.

"Good. Take this as your first lesson as a mercenary. Never let your guard down for a moment. If this had been real you would be dead. There was a nightwatch set up and while it is good to trust those who stand beside you, you can not solely rely on them. Originium arts are a versatile power. It is impossible to prepare for every kind out there, but the least you can do is to stay aware of your surroundings. It does not matter if you are on the road, at camp, or safely nestled in your mother's arms. Never assume you are untouchable. Am I clear?"

The Sarkaz hung their heads and nodded, disappointed that they had given such a poor showing to their leader. Seeing this Nadeemah could only reluctantly agree as well. Giving a sigh she asked.

"Did you have to go so hard at least? These bruises aren't going away anytime soon."

Valeria gave a small smile at the question.

"The medics need practice in more than just combat. Now Anders, staying near light sources was a good idea for this exercise as restricting myself to the dark was my handicap, but you failed to order one crucial point. The fires were left undefended. Rather than become a priority, they were simply an afterthought in the minds of your subordinates. When you have an idea, communicate it in its entirety. Your people can not read your mind."

Anders gave a sigh but took in her words.

"Yes, Commander."

Seeing his agreement, Valeria turned to address the whole group once more.

"Your training has officially begun. Every night that we stop we will conduct combat exercises where the lot of you will face off against my originium arts. I will hammer the skills you lack so deep into your bodies that they will become as natural as breathing. During the day as we travel, I will use my arts to conduct random surprise attacks on any fool not paying attention. By the time we arrive at our destination, I will have you checking the hole you just dug before you even think about taking a shit. Perhaps by the end of the road, you will be able to resemble the mercenaries you are supposed to be."

The more she spoke the colder the chill that went down their spine became. At this moment they fully understood why many of the races on Terra refer to the Sarkaz as 'Devils.' Valeria's eyes held a certain playful cruelty as she spoke.

"Enjoy a good night's rest. You will need it for the coming days."