Trust.

The sky stretched wide and pale above the gathered soldiers. Thousands of troops stood shoulder to shoulder, in black uniforms, their polished swords gleaming at their sides. There wasn't a trace of fear in their eyes, only grim determination and readiness for the battle that loomed ahead

Vallen stood tall on the raised platform, his gaze sweeping over the sea of soldiers before him. To his right stood Amara, dressed in her uniform, her hand resting on the hilt of her sword. Her posture was steady, her gaze fierce, matching the intensity of Vallen's. On his left stood Mettei, the commander Vallen trusted more than anyone, a quiet force of experience and loyalty.

The air was thick with anticipation, the quiet before the storm. Vallen took a deep breath, and his voice cut through the silence.

"Look at yourselves." He began, his voice carrying across the field like a battle cry. "Each of you holds the blade that will shape the fate of the Imperium. There is no retreat, no surrender."

He paused, his piercing gaze locking onto the soldiers, every word hammering into them like the ringing of swords in combat.

"We will carve our names into the bones of history. Let the earth tremble beneath our feet and drink deep from the blood of our enemies!"

The soldiers stood straighter, gripping their weapons tighter, their faces alight with the fire of his words.

"We are the Imperium, and no force will stand against us!"

The soldiers erupted in a roar of approval, their voices shaking the ground beneath them, the air felt heavy, charged with the weight of Vallen's words. As the soldiers roared in response to his speech, Amara could feel the energy, thousands of voices rising together in defiance, in determination.

She looked at Vallen, standing firm and unshakable. His words had stirred the fire in the soldiers, but Amara felt the quiet, relentless reality of what lay ahead.

She was pulled from her thoughts by a shift in the air beside her. Mettei, Vallen's trusted commander, stepped closer, his presence commanding even in silence. His eyes met hers with a calm intensity as he offered a small nod.

"Commander Amara." Mettei greeted, his voice steady but warm. "I don't believe we've had the pleasure. Mettei Orven."

Amara quickly straightened, trying to mask her nervousness. "Amara Elaris."

Mettei's gaze drifted over the rows of soldiers, all standing resolute and ready, before his eyes returned to her. "The soldiers look prepared."

Amara nodded, though her heart pounded in her chest. "They do. I just—" She hesitated, her fingers tightening around the hilt of her sword. "I've never stood before an army like this. It's... overwhelming."

"Your first battle, then?"

"Yes. I've trained, but training is different from this. Seeing them all, knowing what's at stake, it's hard to ignore the... uncertainty."

Mettei smiled. "It's natural to feel that way. Every soldier here had a first battle once. The key isn't to bury that uncertainty but to turn it into focus. Keep your mind sharp. Fear and doubt will try to find a way in, but you push past them."

Amara's brow furrowed, her thoughts still clouded. "What if I'm not ready? What if I make a mistake, or—"

"Stop." Mettei interrupted gently, his voice calm but firm. "Everyone feels the same before their first fight. But you've trained. You've prepared. Trust yourself and those beside you. That's how you get through it."

Amara swallowed hard, trying to steady her breath. "Is it always like this? The uncertainty?"

Mettei's gaze softened. "It gets easier, but it never fully goes away. The first time is always the hardest. But you'll see, once the battle begins, your instincts will take over. You've earned your place here, Amara. Vallen believes in you. Trust in that."

His words settled the storm inside her just a little, enough to let her breathe easier. 

Mettei glanced at Vallen, who still stood like a statue, his gaze fixed on the legions of soldiers before him. Even in the midst of thousands, Vallen's presence was magnetic, commanding yet calm, his eyes full of focus and a silent promise of victory. There was something almost unshakeable about him, and Mettei knew better than anyone just how much weight those shoulders carried.

Mettei turned back to Amara, who was still visibly tense, her hand resting on her sword as though bracing herself for the storm ahead. He saw the worry in her eyes, the unease that comes before the first taste of real battle. He took a step closer, his tone softening but staying firm.

"You see Vallen standing there? Unmoving, calm, like none of this fazes him?" Mettei began, a hint of admiration in his voice. "He wasn't always like that. He's not some untouchable legend carved from stone. He's human, like you, like me. But it's what he's been through that's shaped him."

Amara looked up, curious but still anxious. "What do you mean?"

Mettei's eyes darkened with the weight of memory, his voice dropping lower. "Vallen saved my life. More than once. We were younger then, fighting in the border wars. I was reckless, full of pride, and thought I was invincible. I led a squad into an ambush, and we were outnumbered. I thought it was over for us."

He paused, watching as Amara listened, her focus shifting from her own fear to his story.

"But Vallen, he didn't hesitate. He charged in when no one else would. He pulled me out of that mess, blade in hand, cutting through enemies like they were nothing. He took hits that would've dropped a lesser man, but he never stopped moving. He kept us alive. That day, he didn't just save me, he saved every soldier in that squad. And that's who he is. When things look darkest, he's the one you can count on to pull you through."

Amara's grip on her sword loosened as she listened, her eyes softening. "He sounds... unstoppable."

Mettei smiled, though there was a hint of something deeper in it. "He's not unstoppable, Amara. But he fights like he is because he knows his men are counting on him. That's the kind of leader he is. He doesn't lead with arrogance or fear, he leads with trust. He knows we've got his back, and we know he has ours. That's what makes him different."

Amara glanced at Vallen again, this time seeing more than just a commanding figure. She saw a man who had been through the fire and came out stronger, someone who fought not just for victory, but for the people beside him.

"He believes in you." Mettei continued. "Vallen wouldn't have you at his side if he didn't. He sees something in you, something worth trusting. And believe me he doesn't trust easily."

Amara's breath steadied as Mettei's words sank in. The weight of the coming battle still pressed down on her, but now it felt lighter, less suffocating. She wasn't alone in this. Vallen had chosen her for a reason, and that meant something.

"Thank you." Amara said softly, her voice more assured now. "I won't let him down."

Mettei nodded. "You won't. Just remember, you're not here to prove anything to anyone. You've already earned your place. Now, you just have to fight for it."

He glanced once more at Vallen, who still hadn't moved. "And with Vallen leading us, there's no doubt, we'll come out of this on the right side."

As Mettei's words echoed in her mind, Amara felt a shift deep inside her. She watched Vallen standing ahead, his back straight, eyes fixed on the sea of soldiers as if nothing in the world could shake him. His strength, his command over the battlefield, but hearing Mettei speak about him as a man, as someone who had fought through his own doubts and fears, changed something in her.

Amara's hand still rested on her sword, but it no longer felt like a crutch. Instead, it felt like a promise, a reminder of the responsibility she carried. She wasn't here by chance or luck. Vallen had chosen her, trusted her to stand beside him in the heat of battle. And if someone like him, with all his experience and unshakable resolve, believed in her, maybe she needed to start believing in herself, too.

She replayed Mettei's story in her mind, Vallen charging into an ambush, saving lives when others would have given up. He wasn't just a leader who inspired fear in the enemy, he was the kind of leader who made his soldiers feel invincible, not because they were, but because they knew he'd never abandon them.

"Trust yourself, and trust those beside you."

Mettei's words lingered in her thoughts, weaving through her doubts. The uncertainty, the fear of letting others down, of not being enough. But maybe, just maybe, she didn't have to face that burden alone.

Amara straightened her shoulders. This was her first battle, but she wouldn't be facing it alone. Vallen would lead them, Mettei would fight alongside her, and every soldier out there trusted her to do her part.

She felt the weight of responsibility, but now it felt different, no longer suffocating but purposeful.

Just then Vallen's voice cut through the still air. His hand rose, pointing with purpose toward Amara. The moment felt suspended in time, every soldier's attention locked on their leader as his words filled the air.

"Your commander." Vallen began, his voice steady, powerful. "Who stands under the oath of the Emperor!"

Amara's heart pounded in her chest. The words carried a force she wasn't prepared for, as though each one struck her with the reality of her position. She was here, standing beside Vallen, but it felt surreal, almost too big for her to grasp.

Vallen continued, unwavering. "Second in command, Amara Elaris!"

The silence that followed was deafening. Every soldier, every hardened warrior in the vast sea before her, turned to look at her, their eyes filled with an intensity she had never experienced. Amara felt a shiver run down her spine. She was just a girl who had never seen real battle, standing before men who had spent years on blood-soaked fields. How could she possibly lead them? What right did she have to carry the weight of command?

Her eyes darted to Vallen, searching for any sign of doubt in him, but there was none. His expression was calm, resolute, the trust in his gaze shook her to her core. He believed in her. Vallen, the warrior who had saved countless lives, who had earned the loyalty of every man here, believed in her.

As her thoughts swirled, something incredible happened.

Thousands of men bent their heads toward her, a synchronized display of honor that made her breath catch in her throat. Amara's heart raced, the weight of the moment hitting her like a tidal wave.

"We are ready to fight under your command!" The roar of their voices came together as one, a thunderous declaration that shook the earth beneath her feet. The sheer power of their words reverberated through her, making her feel like she was caught in a storm of emotions, fear, pride, excitement, and something else, something she couldn't name but could feel deep within.

Her chest tightened as her eyes widened in shock. She stood frozen, trying to comprehend the gravity of what had just happened. They weren't just following orders, they were pledging their loyalty to her, a girl who had never once stood in the chaos of war. They were ready to fight under her command.

Amara looked out over the crowd of soldiers, really looked at them, their battle-worn faces, the lines of hardship etched into their skin, the way they stood so tall and proud, despite everything they had endured. They weren't just warriors, they were men who had placed their trust in her, not because of her experience or lack thereof, but because Vallen had chosen her. 

Her breathing steadied as Mettei's words echoed in her mind: "Vallen believes in you. And if he trusts you, then you've already proven yourself."

The adrenaline surged through her veins, mixing with a new emotion, determination. She wasn't here to prove herself anymore. She was here because she had earned her place, and now, it was time to show these men that she wasn't going to let them down.

Mettei, standing beside her, glanced over, a knowing smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. He had seen this transformation before, the way the weight of command could either crush someone or ignite a fire within them. He could see that fire now, burning in Amara's eyes. The roar of the soldiers wasn't just for her; it was a signal that she was stepping into her role, that she was ready to carry the weight.

"We're with you." Mettei said softly, his voice almost drowned out by the continuing roar of the soldiers. 

She wasn't standing alone. Vallen had chosen her, and the soldiers had accepted her. There was no going back now.

With a steady breath, Amara lifted her head high and gazed out over the thousands of warriors who were ready to follow her into the fires of battle. This was her moment, and she would face it head-on, no matter the cost.

The future was uncertain, but for now, she stood tall, ready to lead.

As the roar of the soldiers' voices finally fainted, the air seemed to hum with energy. Vallen lowered his arm, giving a final glance at Amara, his approval unspoken but clear. She could still feel the pounding in her chest, but the weight of fear had lifted. In its place was the fire of responsibility and the fierce determination to lead.

Vallen gave out the order that sent the legions into swift, precise motion. Thousands of soldiers moved in unison, they marched toward the waiting carriages. The massive carriages, reinforced for war, lined the field, ready for the journey ahead.

Amara watched as the soldiers loaded themselves into the carriages, their faces a mixture of hardened resolve and readiness. She could feel the tension building in the air as if the very earth could sense the approaching storm.

Vallen stood tall, his eyes scanning the scene with the gaze of someone who had seen it all before. Mettei, standing beside Amara, gave her a reassuring glance before heading toward his own designated spot in the convoy. The silence between them was brief but comforting, a reminder that, despite everything, she wasn't facing this alone.

Amara's breath caught in her throat as she took one last look at the endless line of soldiers. The sheer scale of the convoy was breathtaking, hundreds of carriages, all arranged in perfect formation, each one filled with warriors. 

The convoy rolled on for three days before reaching the valley, where a thousand battle horses awaited the battle.