[Ties]Campaign 2

"Malachi, it's time to wake up, " said Arlianne, "Get off Shyama already. We've arrived."

Arlianne had gone to the carriage where the Manticore, who was given the name "Shyama," was riding. With Shyama, though, was Malachi who was peacefully sleeping in its fur, embracing the large cat's body.

"Rrr..." growled Shyama as she nudged Malachi awake.

It appeared that Shyama could also understand Arlianne's intentions, yet the girl herself could not return the understanding.

"Nn?" Mumbled Malachi as he awoke. "Arrived? At the academy?"

"Yes, " affirmed Arlianne, "and the train personnel are anxious about unloading the cargo with Shyama still here with you."

Behind Arlianne was actually a group of Perlasian train personnel. While they still stood from a distance, staring at the large Manticore, the Eskur train personnel didn't mind as they got to work.

"All right, all right, " said Malachi, "Come on, Shyama. Let's go to our new home."

"Rrr..." growled Shyama in response.

The large Manticore raised its body, its two-meter tall body, and nimbly left the carriage through an open doorway. Shyama stretched her body once she got outside, and was followed by Malachi and Arlianne who already had their belongings with them.

The first sight to greet Malachi and the rest was the large mountain looming over them a small distance away.

"Woah, this is the academy, huh?" He said arcing his head back to take in its entirety. "Now then, where do we go from here? Ah, I see it."

Malachi looked for the place where students came to apply. After a short while, he found the front gates where large crowds of people came to and fro. The people around the gates wore one uniform, the standard uniform of the Perlas Martial Academy.

"Hmm, seems like we need to wear the uniform even when we're applying, " he commented, "Come on, you two, let's go apply."

...

"Excuse me, who, or rather, why do you have a Manticore behind you?" asked the gatekeeper, "The mere presence of the beast is disturbing the other applicants."

Malachi and the rest had arrived in front of the gates where students would apply to enter the academy. Of course, with such a large beast following behind two youths, one would normally be alarmed. The gatekeeper, despite showing a disinterested front, one could notice the tense eyes as the gatekeeper stared at Shyama.

"Shyama is a companion of ours, " explained Malachi, "As proof, I'll show you my lineage. I will have to show it eventually."

Malachi removed his heavily tinted goggles, and revealed his crimson red irises. He received the gasps of surprise from the surrounding crowd that circled around them from avoiding Shyama. The gatekeeper stared at Malachi for a while before going in close for a whisper.

"Are you Prince Malachi?" Whispered the gatekeeper.

"Are you of father's faction?" Whispered Malachi back.

The gatekeeper smiled and drew back without answering.

"All right, get in, " said the gatekeeper, "applications are in that building over to your left. Also, please leave your, uh, companion where the guards can, well, see it. For formality's sake, all right?"

"Gotcha, thanks, " said Malachi, "Let's go apply, Arlianne."

The crowd of cadets and cadets-to-be watched as Malachi's group gained entry into the academy. Just the mere sight was enough to circulate news and rumors around the academy. A Manticore, tamed by a half-Eskur and accompanied by a Perlasian, had entered the academy to apply as cadets. With just this, all attention had been drawn to Malachi's group.

Malachi asked Shyama if she could wait for them outside. Shyama understood Malachi's intentions and obediently sat in the middle of the road where the patrolling guards ran into a panic at the surprising scene. Only when they asked the gatekeeper about the Manticore did they calm down and deployed the usually reluctant, but suddenly ecstatic Eskur guards. Interestingly, rather than just watch the Manticore, the Eskur guards even communicated with Shyama and also gave her some food—large slabs of meat.

Inside the designated applications building, Malachi and Arlianne were handed their own set of uniforms after passing in their needed documents. After changing their clothes, they were then sent to examination rooms to take the written exam.

"Hmm, this looks pretty much like any entrance exam I've seen before, " commented Malachi when he received his papers, "Language proficiency, arithmetics, analytical aptitude, and general information. Well, it seems normal that they'd test one's accumulated knowledge."

"Do you think you'd be able to take the top spot, Malachi?" asked Arlianne, "Or do you plan to take it easy and just settle for passing the test?"

"Well, Arlianne, I already attracted a lot of attention with Shyama, " he explained, "What's the use of averting that attention by now, might as well give it my all. You should, too."

"Huh, no wonder those voices sounded familiar, " said a young man's voice behind them, "It's actually you two."

Malachi and Arlianne turned their attention to the Eskur male seated behind them. Seeing him, Malachi was the first to react.

"What in blazes are you doing here, Levi?" He asked the Eskur, "Are you stalking us?"

Levi Skana, an Eskur that lived in the same village as Malachi and his family as Malachi grew up. One of the few village children that met with Malachi and the rest. Known for being a loner even amongst his fellow Eskur peers. A loner with a sharp tongue. He doesn't know about Malachi's royal lineage, though, which is why,

"Get real, you damn fool." Bit back Levi, "I'm here to work my way up."

"By being an officer? All right, hope we can work together in the future." said Malachi reaching out for a handshake.

Levi, however, slapped Malachi's hand away.

"I will work my way up without your help." said Levi, "Now, the both of you, shut up. I can't concentrate on the test."

Malachi rubbed his hand.

"Sheesh, no need to get so hostile, " he commented, "Who knows, you might even fall under my command."

Levi glared at Malachi.

"I must admit, though, " added Levi, "You are a wunderkind. Different from the rest of our age. However, even with your successes, don't expect me to follow you as you may expect it to be."

Malachi turned his entire body to face Levi. Listening to Levi's comments, Malachi suddenly licked his lips before Levi. This made Levi retreat a bit when he saw Malachi's meaningful gaze.

"I accept that challenge, old friend." He said, "I'll strive to make myself worthy to command you, heh heh."

"Malachi, that sounds so wrong." commented Arlianne, "Levi, the best of luck for all of us."

Levi only gave Arlianne a glance.

"There is no such thing as luck, " he argued, "only sheer willpower and effort."

A door of the examination room suddenly opened, and a faculty entered with an angry glare.

"Those at the back, silence!" ordered the faculty, "The test will begin in a few minutes! Sit down and straighten up!"

Both Malachi and Levi retreated from one another, while Arlianne could only shrug. Meanwhile, in their surroundings, due to Malachi and Levi, whispers were abound.

"An Eskur and a half, more of them want to enter our military?" Whispered an examinee.

"Hey, is that the guy with the Manticore?" Whispered another, "I nearly wet my pants at the sheer size of it. Why did they allow someone with a Manticore in here?"

"I said silence!" Roared the faculty once more, "The test begins now!"

The examination room became deathly silent, with only the flipping of pages and scritches of pens to break it.

Two hours later.

"Pens down, papers forward!" Roared the faculty shaking the examinees up. "The test has ended! Dress up and get the hell out to the field for your practicals!"

After collecting the exam papers, the faculty left the examination room.

"Well, that test was... 'Eh...' for me, " commented Malachi, "Nothing new if not for the different subjects and information, but generally the same thing. Wonder how the practicals will be?"

"Malachi, the rest have left already, " said Arlianne, "Let's go, we shouldn't be late. We should also get Shyama on the way to the field."

Malachi and Arlianne, being the last few in the room, left and picked up Shyama who was surrounded by curious onlookers and happy Eskur personnel. Shyama, sensing Malachi's presence, stood up and stretched her body as she waited for Malachi. Seeing a large Manticore suddenly move, the curious onlookers panicked until they saw that Shyama was merely waiting for someone. That said, Malachi attracted even more attention to his group.

...

In the training grounds.

Malachi and Arlianne had a surprise in store for them. In the middle of the field, dressed in battle uniform, a lone man with a missing arm stood before the ranks of cadets-to-be.

"No way, " commented Malachi, "He's a drill instructor?! Wasn't he a civilian?!"

"Well, well, " said the drill instructor, "Long time, no see, Malachi, my boy. Have you been well?"

"Chief Axton?" said Arlianne, "Your arm..."

Axton, the Arena Chief, was now the drill instructor for their practical examination. Axton looked at his torn arm, and shrugged at Arlianne's shock.

"Ah, well. My arm may have been torn off, " said Axton, "but I'm still fit to teach you from the ground, up. Now, line up, both of you."

Malachi left Shyama on the edge of the field and lined up with Arlianne. They waited for a while for the others to line up with them before Axton began the practicals.

"I'm Cortez, that's 'sir' to all of you." Announced Axton, "I'm the facilitator for your practical exam. Your practical is simulated combat against your seniors and faculty. Form teams of three and get ready."

"Well, isn't this a harsh exam." commented Malachi, "what a way to weed out the weak-willed. Pitting us against veterans in the field."

"Seems like we need to use the standard-issue weapons, Malachi, " added Arlianne, "It doesn't seem like we'd be allowed to use your weapons."

"It should be fine, " assured Malachi, "Now then, let's get member number three. At the very least, we get to choose our members."

Malachi held onto Arlianne's hand like it was normal, dragging her around as they looked for the final member. Arlianne was, however, sought after by the others but were deterred by the sight of Malachi's grip on her hand. Unfortunately, nobody wanted to group up with them. That, or the others already had groups of their own. There was one, though, that the other cadets-to-be avoided like a plague.

"Well, looks like the loner has no group of his own, " commented Malachi, "Want to join ours?"

"Why does have to be you?" barked Levi, "And why do you keep sticking with me?"

Malachi looked around mockingly. The others avoided his and Levi's gazes.

"Why? Because Arlianne and I need just one more member, " explained Malachi, "and, seeing you, you need two others to have a full group. What do you say? How will you achieve whatever your dream is, eh? I'm pretty sure that just merely climbing your way to the top isn't your true goal. Once you reach the top, what will you do?"

Levi silently stared at Malachi, then sighed.

"Fine, " agreed Levi, "I'll just use you as a stepping stone."

"Good, now we have three people, " said Malachi, "Now then, let's get equipped.

The three of them went to a nearby armory to borrow the guns being lent out for simulated combat. It was similar to the armory in the arena, but had lesser weapons and were smaller in size. It also had the lack of Steam Knight equipment and grenades.

"Just fusils, repeaters, crossbows, and handcannons." muttered Malachi, "Just right for a mob of cadets-to-be going through mock battle."

He picked up a bullet.

"Practice rounds, " he said, "Still, it could kill if you're not lucky. One shot at the wrong location could be lethal."

Malachi faced his two companions.

"Well then, take your pick."

Malachi and Arlianne picked up crossbows and handcannons, while Levi chose a handcannon and a repeater. Malachi watched Levi inspect his chosen weapons. Levi popped out the chamber of the repeater and deftly inserted the bullets. With his handcannon, however, he brought out a strange looking glove with small rings and pockets, and inserted the handcannon's ammunition into the glove.

"Nice speed loader you have there, comrade." commented Malachi, "Did you make that?"

"What's it matter to you?" replied Levi, "Oh, right, you make things. Yeah, is it surprising for another Eskur to make something, apart from you? And, 'kom-rad?'"

"Comrade, take your pick: cohort, companion, compatriot, compeer, associate, crony, fellow, hobnobber, mate, running mate, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera."

Levi glared at him.

"Are you freaking serious?" He asked Malachi, "I may be working with you, but don't you ever call me your comrade."

"Don't worry, comrade, you will learn to accept your destiny, " replied Malachi, "Whether you like it or not, we get in and you will acknowledge me as a comrade. That goes with our future comrades in the academy. You may be a loner, but you will have a hard time achieving your dream all on your own."

...

"Now then, first up," announced Axton, "Levi Skana! Arlianne Skaria! Malachi Skaria! You three, on the field, now!"

Hearing their names, their fellow cadets-to-be, especially the older applicants, perked up.

"Skaria? Isn't that..." said an applicant, "Isn't that the clan that rebelled against the kingdom?"

"A half-Eskur of Clan Skaria?" said another, "Are they planning for another uprising?!"

"What's a potential threat doing here?!" voiced out a middle-aged applicant, "Even the girl took on the name! A traitor!"

Malachi and his group naturally heard their peers' misgivings. Surprisingly, Levi became concerned since he, too, knew about Clan Skaria being an Eskur himself.

"Malachi? I never thought you were a Skaria, " he said, "Since you lived with Doctor Ibrahim, I thought..."

"Hush, comrade, " interrupted Malachi, "Ignore the wailings of the unknowing and unforgiving. Let them cry all they want, and we will silence them with our results, not words. Although, Skaria, huh? Needs some looking in to."

"You don't know much about your lineage?" asked Levi disbelievingly, "What did you do all your life?"

"I never found the need, " replied Malachi, "There is one concern, Arlianne, are you well?"

Arlianne shrugged.

"Not like they could do much in the future, " she answered, "Let's hurry, Malachi. Chief Axton has been staring at us for a while, now."

The three ignored the roars of damnation they received from their fellow cadets-to-be and went to meet a platoon of senior cadets and faculty.

The platoon of academy seniors and faculty were patiently waiting for them. The field where their practical took place was littered with hills, crates, containers, debris, trenches, and other obstacles. Its magnitude could seemingly accommodate over 100 people at once. Over the distance, though, were a few siege engines parked side by side, and one could assume that tankery was also done on the field.

"Right, the task for your practical is, " announced Axton, "Make your way through opposition and capture the opposing base within 120 minutes. You will be disqualified from entering if you: let your base be captured, all three of you are out, or the time limit is up. Any questions?"

Malachi raised his hand.

"Are we allowed to do anything and everything to reach the goal?" He asked.

"Er, I suppose, " answered Axton, "Wait, where's your armor? You can't possibly be thinking of going out there unarmored?"

Despite wearing a cadet's battle dress, Malachi had evidently removed the plate armor around his uniform. Unlike Levi's who was wearing light plate armor. As for Arlianne, she only wore the minimum for her torso.

"Don't need it, " replied Malachi succinctly, "Armor will only weigh me down. Besides, we ARE allowed to do anything, right?"

"Uh, I did say that, " said Axton, "Well then, as long as you don't do anything lethal, it's fine. All right, deploy!"

Malachi and his group arrived at their base location. Just a small square area protected by sandbags and trenches. Before them lay the vast training field and their opponents who went to their respective places, ignoring the lineages of their applying cadets-to-be.

"So, how do we go about this?" asked Malachi, "Levi, any suggestions?"

Levi ignored Malachi and prepared to deploy himself.

"I'm going on my own, " he said, "Don't distract me."

Levi carried his equipment, and went off at once. A few seconds later, gunfire could be heard in the direction he went to as well as some screams of pain from multiple sources.

Malachi sighed.

"I'll forgive that for now, " he said, "Once the real deal comes, though, that attitude will kill everyone you hold dear, Levi."

Malachi then turned to Arlianne.

"Arlianne, keep a fixed 5-meter distance from me at all times, " he said, "Once we get into contact, keep your eyes on the surroundings and on my movements. Follow through as you see fit."

"We won't be defending the base?" inquired Arlianne, "What if someone gets through and captures it?"

"No need, " said Malachi, "From here, we will be sweeping through the field as we approach the enemy's base. We will eliminate all enemies, and we won't allow anyone to get through."

"And Levi?" followed Arlianne up, "What about him?"

"If he's in a pinch, help him, " he advised, "If not, continue as planned."

...

"Sir, a lone Eskur is lighting up the right flank." reported a cadet, "Do we suppress him, sir?"

In the middle of the enemy camp sat a man with long hair tied up in a ponytail. He wore a pair of rectangular glasses, and had a faculty battle dress uniform. Leaning by his left thigh was a fusil, and strapped to his back was a repeater. Holstered on his hip was a bowgun, a smaller crossbow, as well. The man fixed his glasses before attending to the reporting cadet.

"What about the other side?" He asked, "Any issues?"

"Er, no problems, yet, sir." answered the cadet, "Ah, hold on... The left flank has made contact. It seems they're being suppressed by a half-Eskur and a Perlasian... Eh, what?"

"What's up?" asked the faculty who became curious at his subordinate's expression.

"Uh, the left flank, well, " said the cadet hesitantly, "The half-Eskur hasn't shot anybody and just ran up to each one with a punch to the gut, sir."

"Could you repeat that?" ordered the faculty, "A punch to the gut? How about interception fire? Wait, what about the last one?"

"It seems the last one, a Perlasian girl, is providing supporting fire for the half-Eskur, sir, " said the cadet, "Ah, the left flank got cut down by half."

"They took out ten?!" cried the faculty as he stood up and toppled over the fusil he had. "Get five from the right to support the left! Move it!"

Suddenly, the radios they had roared to life.

"Kssh, Hey! Where'd they come from?!" roared a cadet over the radio, "What happened to the left flank?! Kssh."

"Kssh, This is the trench! Requesting rein—guh?! Kssh." another cadet tried to request reinforcements but was cut short. Instead, someone else's voice came out instead.

"Kssh, Prepare for a curbstomping, hahaha! Kssh."

The faculty and the cadet stared at one another, the calm on their faces gradually slipping away. The faculty fixed himself and sat back down. A smile suddenly appeared on his face, and looked at the cadet before him.

"Heh, never thought we'd be pushed back instead, " he commented, "Focus all reinforcements to defend the base. Round up and wall up."

...

In the middle of the chaos, Malachi was happily running and jumping around the field. The cadets and faculty before him had difficulty landing a shot on him, with him running around like a crazed lunatic. Using his speed and agility, he prevented himself from getting shot while, at the same time, attracted all attention to himself. Vaulting over obstacles, running from one place to another, sliding underneath fences, and suddenly making the cadets and faculty panic once he becomes close enough to say,

"Peek-a-boo!" He said as he suddenly appeared before a cadet, "Now, go to sleep."

With speed, he covered much ground and evaded many shots. With power, he focused everything on his fists, and delivered a jab squarely on the cadets and faculty's solar plexi, knocking the breath out of them. There were also female cadets amongst them, but he didn't care. All were equal to his fists.

Behind him at a fixed distance was Arlianne. Despite all of Malachi's movements, she was able to catch up to him effortlessly. Although, there had been times that Malachi missed an enemy, the responsibility to clean them up fell unto her. Swiftly aiming her crossbow, she shot anyone that Malachi missed.

"Sweep and clear, Arlianne!" shouted Malachi, "We're going to see how Levi's doing!"

Leaving behind their fallen enemies, Malachi and Arlianne ran towards Levi's side. Upon arrival, they saw Levi actually pinned down in a trench against 12 cadets and faculty.

"Arlianne! Deal with those around the crates!" ordered Malachi, "I'll see if I can land a shot on those in the trench!"

This time, rather than going in with fists, Malachi drew out his handcannon and ran down the enemy trenches. His surprising speed shook up the cadets and faculty in the trench, and slowed down their reaction to deal with him.

"Too slow!" roared Malachi.

Malachi shot a cadet nearest to him, grabbed the cadet's fusil, and swung the fusil against another cadet to knock them out. With two cadets down in just mere seconds, the remaining cadets and faculty scrambled to either get out or deal with Malachi. Malachi dropped his spent handcannon and aimed the recently bludgeoned fusil at a retreating faculty, and shot the back, knocking the faculty down. Out of ammo, Malachi threw the fusil at another cadet to distract them while he ran out of the trenches into safety.

Pulling out his crossbow, he flanked the remaining cadets in the trenches with a shot each. When they were all down, he ran back to the trenches and picked up all loaded weapons with him before he left to check on Levi and Arlianne.

Arlianne's side was straightforward. With her two handcannons, one for each hand, she ambushed the cadets and faculty by the crates from behind. She first took out a cadet who was popping his head out taking potshots at Levi near her. Without pulling the trigger, she merely knocked the cadet out with a whip to the back of the cadet's head. The impact was audibly heard as another cadet came to check it out, only to have Arlianne shoot their torso with her handcannon.

Because of the gunfire, those around the crates turned their attention towards her. Arlianne picked up the fallen cadets' weapons, and turned them against the rest. A faculty tried to flank her right while she took out another cadet with a fallen cadet's fusil. The faculty thought to take the chance while she reloaded, but Arlianne dropped the fusil and shot the faculty with her other handcannon. Seeing the faculty fall, the remaining cadets tried to retreat back to their base. Arlianne, with her remaining weapons, tried to take out as much of the retreating cadets as she could before regrouping with Malachi.

The cadets and faculty that were suppressing Levi naturally heard the gunfire of Malachi's and Arlianne's guns. That momentary distraction gave Levi the chance to get out of the trench and sprint for cover behind stacks of containers. Losing sight of Levi, the cadets and faculty split up to deal with Levi through a pincer attack. Once they arrived behind the containers, they nearly shot one another because Levi was nowhere in sight. Instead, four cadets fell by getting shot from above. Levi had his repeater aim down at them from atop the containers.

The remaining cadets and faculty returned fire, but Levi already vaulted over the other side and jumped off the containers. Leaving behind the confused enemy squad, Levi circled around the containers again, and shot two additional cadets before bolting for cover. A cadet and a faculty turned to flee, retreating back to their base.

Once Levi took a peek at the situation, he found Malachi and Arlianne separately making their way towards him unhurriedly.