“The Hag can disguise herself.” I said. “When I saw you...”

“No.” Anna said, her voice barely above a whisper and her eyes were wide.

“You look just like her, except your teeth aren't sharp, your eyes are a different color, and your hair isn't as...” I made motions with my hands.

“Wavy.” Anna said and I nodded. “Good lord, no wonder you reacted like you did.” She sighed. “Are you going to react like that every time you see me?”

“If I'm not paying attention.” I responded.

“I'm sorry.” Anna said and reached into her desk. “Give me a minute.”

I sat there and watched as she bent her head down and did something with a comb, several pins, and some kind of clasp. When she sat up, her hair was done up into a nice bun on the back of her head. It changed her look just enough that I was sure I wouldn't freak out every time I saw her.

“Is that better?” Anna asked and I nodded. “I'll keep my hair like this from now on, so you don't have to worry about being scared like that again.”

“Thank you.” I said.

“Now, we need to discuss your reaction and interactions with your fellow soldiers.” Anna said and then gave me a rundown of everything that would happen, what might happen, and what could possibly happen. It was a lot to keep track of.

“Why are they allowed to do that?” I asked when she got to the part about playing practical jokes on each other. “That doesn't help anyone at all and it should be stopped.”

Anna gave the drill sergeant a look and he nodded.

“I'll make sure to tell them he's off limits.” Will said.

“You need to make it an order, otherwise we'll have more lost hands.” Anna cautioned him and he nodded again. “Private, will you hand over your knife for...”

“Never.” I said and she looked surprised. “I was warned to never let it out of my sight when it was made and given to me. I will live and I will die with this blade.”

Anna was quiet for a few moments. “You are not permitted to use the blade during training, even when weapons are called for. It is much too dangerous for standard use.” She explained. “Not only can it accept magic, which is something only high tier mages are normally allowed to possess, it can also cut through anything. If the reports about you are to be believed, that is.”

“Why are only high tier mages allowed to have weapons like it?” I asked and ignored the reports.

“They are usually the only ones that can afford them, honestly.” Anna said. “It also takes a lot of magic to activate them.”

“I've been using it for seven years.” I said and both she and the drill sergeant took in sharp breaths.

“How often?” Anna asked in a whisper.

“Almost every day.” I said.

Anna glanced at the drill sergeant and he nodded again.

“I'll let the mages know.” Will said.

“All right. Your orders state that you need to be segregated from others until they gain your trust. I'm not sure how they can do that if you aren't around, however.” Anna said. “So, I think there needs to be a compromise. You will be assigned a bunk at the very front of the barracks. You can be the first out and the last in every day. That way, you spend the smallest amount of time with your training squad and you still get exposure to them during off-duty hours.”

“I'll be sure to emphasize the importance of personal space to the others.” The drill sergeant said.

Anna nodded and then smiled at me. “Your first day of training starts tomorrow, so you should get to your bunk and sleep.”

“Yes, ma'am.” I stood and saluted with the petrified hand.

Anna's eyes followed it as I let it go. “Drill sergeant, show him to his quarters.”

“Yes, Ma'am.” Will saluted and then his hand was on my back and I was shoved, quite hard, out her office door. “Move it, recruit!” He barked.

“She didn't salute back.” I said and turned to face him.

“Next time, give her a proper salute.” Will said and reached for me again.

I swatted his hand away and he glared at me.

“Did you just strike a superior officer?” Will asked with a deadly voice.

“Did you just shove me out of the office and leave without the XO dismissing us first?” I asked back and he looked surprised. “You just disrespected a commanding officer and disobeyed standing orders.”

“That's enough.” Anna said and I saw a smile on her face. “Dismissed.”

I turned around and walked out of the main building and the drill sergeant was right behind me and took several long steps to walk beside me.

“I think I'm just going to forget to inform everyone to leave you alone.” Will said and pointed.

“Their deaths will be your responsibility.” I responded and walked towards the building he pointed to. “The XO ordered them warned and if you defy that order, it's on you.”

He didn't speak again until we entered the barracks. There were fifteen people there already and they hopped up from their bunks and saluted.

“Platoon ready, Drill Sergeant!” One of the men yelled.

“At ease.” Will said and pointed to the bunk by the door. “That's yours. Keep it looking just like that.” He said and kicked up the trunk at the foot of the bed. “Personal storage. Here's the key.” He took it from inside the trunk and gave it to me, then he turned to the others. “Now listen UP!” He said loudly, then he gave them the exact warnings that he told the XO he was going to.

They looked from him, to me, and back to him. Some understood and others had looks of disbelief. Two of them had smiles and waiting until the drill sergeant left before speaking.

“You must think you're some kind of badass, do you?” One of them asked and pulled out a knife. “I'll have you know that I've won ten fights in the arena back home.”

“Is that supposed to mean something?” I asked and tossed my bag of smoked meat into the trunk and locked it. I put a hand on it and used the locking spell, too. I would wait until the others went to sleep before using a couple drops of potion to seal it.

“Yeah, it means I'm the badass here.” The guy said and started to walk towards me. “You're going to go to sleep one of these nights and then you'll realize who everyone should really be afraid of.” He smiled and bared his teeth as he tried to lunge and cut my arm.

I was still using the vigilance technique, so I turned slightly, grabbed his fist around the knife handle, then used my own knife to sever his hand from his wrist before he could blink.

“AHHHH!” The man yelled and dropped to his knees.

The drill sergeant ran back in and saw me holding the man's hand that was still clamped around the knife. “MEDIC!”

A woman ran in and saw the man bleeding out on the floor. She cast a sealing spell on the bloody stump and looked at me with shock on her face.

“I'm keeping this evidence.” I said and put my knife back into the sheath. I squeezed out the blood from the hand to add to the pile on the floor, then I took out some fortifying potion and waved my hand over it as it dried out and became just like the one hanging from the cord around my neck, except that it still clenched onto the knife. Everyone stared at me as I opened my trunk and tossed the exidence inside, then I closed and locked the trunk again.

“I didn't even see him move.” Someone whispered.

“Get him healed.” The drill sergeant reminded the healer.

“Y-yes, drill sergeant.” The healer said and used her spell to heal him.

I was watching with the vigilance technique this time and saw the mana moving things around to reconnect everything, then the flat end of his wrist seemed to fold in on itself and became a rounded mound. I thought that was pretty neat.

“You're on report.” Will said to me.

I shrugged. “It doesn't matter, since you can't kick me out.”

“I can keep you from advancing in rank.” Will threatened, clearly angry.

“You don't have the authority to do that.” I said and his anger became surprise. “I've read all about the army structure. You are authorized for training and issuing orders in relation to that training only.”

Will gave me a glare and reached down to stand the other recruit up. “Come with me.”

“My... my hand.” The man said, weakly.

“It's not yours anymore.” Will said and led the man out of the barracks.

The healer still looked shocked and didn't move from where she knelt. Someone else came in with a bucket and water. After a bit of prompting, she stood up and the blood was washed up. She had some on the knees of her uniform and she didn't try to clean it off. When the cleaner left, she spoke to me.

“Please, don't hurt anyone else.” She said. Her face was a little plump, even though her body seemed very thin. Her hair was tucked up under her medical hat.

“Article 12, subsection 3. Bodily harm can be justified when applied for use in self defense.” I said and her eyes widened. “Appendix 1, clarification. Self defense is applicable when an aggressor approaches with intent to attack, either bodily or with a weapon.”

“You maimed him.” The healer said.

“I was told that I shouldn't kill fellow soldiers when I'm attacked.” I said and she didn't say anything. “Where can I get another blanket?”

Everyone pointed to the large cabinet across from the door. I walked over to it and there were piles of them inside. I took two and brought them back to my cot.

“What are you doing?” The healer asked.

“The drill sergeant said to leave the cot the way it is.” I said and spread a blanket out on the floor, slipped off my bandoleer and laid it down in the blanket, then I laid down beside it and spread the second blanket over myself.

“He meant you needed to make it look the same after you use it.” The healer said.

I shrugged and pulled the blanket up to my neck. She stood there and stared at me for half an hour until the drill sergeant came back.

“Lights out.” He said and pointed over his shoulder at the healer. She nodded and left at a fast walk, then he walked over to a valve on the wall. He turned it off and each light turned off in a series until the whole place was left in the dark. He walked over to me and stared down at me for several minutes. I stared right back. He even moved from side to side like he was a snake, so I kept my eyes on him as if he was a snake about to strike.

He let out a huff and that scared a couple of people. It made him smile briefly and he walked out the door and didn't come back for four hours. I know because I counted. He came in with what I would later learn was part of a marching band with drums, cymbals, and a bugle horn.

“GOOD MORNING, MAGGOTS!” Will the drill sergeant yelled as he quickly walked over to the wall and turned on the valve. “UP! UP! UP! It's time to get up!” He said and the band played loudly.

I stood up and put my bandoleer on. I put my blankets into the trunk and locked it again. With everyone distracted, I added a couple drops of potion as well as the magic lock spell.

“You have five minutes to get dressed and make yourself presentable!” Will said and waved at the band to stop. The three men let out sighs and jogged out of the building. “I want straight uniforms! Shined shoes! Combed hair!” He said and then he laughed. “I'll give you a pass on the last one.” He kicked the bottom of a bunk where a man hadn't reacted at all. “Up, Jenkins! GET UP!”

“Ugh.” Jenkins groaned and sat up. “What time is it?”

“It's time to GET YOUR ASS OUT OF BED!” Will yelled and Jenkins jumped to his feet. “That's better! I like your hustle, Jenkins!”

“Yes, Drill Sergeant!” Jenkins said and quickly got dressed.

I walked to the front of my bunk, like Sandra had told me to, and stood at attention.

“I sure hope you weak ass wussies like a nice crisp morning jog!” Will said loudly and everyone groaned except for me. “We'll be doing laps around the base for the next three hours until breakfast, then we'll stop for chow. After that, it's the obstacle course.”

Everyone except me groaned again.

“Good lord, I love that sound.” Will said and when the five minutes were up, he ordered everyone to put their boots on, just so those that were still only half dressed could put them on. “Form up! Two lines!”

I was pretty sure that he didn't like that I had cheated and didn't take my clothes off.

“All right! Let's go! Go! GO! GOOO!” He yelled and led us out of the barracks and on what would become our normal early morning run.