Many fall under the idea that soldiers need to be experts in duels and proficient in every weapon. That is a childish idea of what makes a soldier. To train soldiers, all that is required is to instil discipline and hierarchy. A soldier’s training completes the moment he knows how to swing a sword properly, how to dig a trench in full armour and when he will run off a cliff at your command. Low-ranking officers likewise need little more, they should be picked entirely from men who have already fought. Replicating real fighting conditions in a training camp is a farcical idea unless you plan to cut your men down before they even enter a battlefield. To try and ingrain battle instinct into men who have never seen battle is an exercise in futility.

Divines on the other hand are the opposite. We are so varied in strength that hierarchy is naturally ingrained into us. There is not a single Divine who can stand before Fer, Fortia or Maisara and pretend they are equal in strength. Anyone who hears the hum of Chaos and watches Olephia speak and still pretends we are equal is a liability. I would rather give them to the enemy than have them myself.

Maybe during the Age of Heroes, we could have done with just throwing Divines into battle. Times have changed since then, Divinity is not an expendable resource. Thus, Divine training should be first focused on survival, then skill and finally leadership. I specifically will not state to train defensive or offensive tactics, nor give a list of things that need to be ingrained, because they are so specific as to be irrelevant, or so general that they do not need stating.

Anyone reading this manual should be well versed enough to understand what is meant by its words. Time on explanations will be minimal.

– Introduction to ‘Legionnaire Training’, written by Goddess Kassandora, of War.

Fer looked up as Agrita screamed from above. She turned around and shot a smile at Kavaa and Iliyal. Iliyal had that ever present trace of little Kassie’s blessing, that stern glare as she stared her. One hand thumbing the sheathed sword on his belt. He obviously wasn’t impressed. Kavaa just stood there, eyes wide, as she absent-mindedly rubbed her hand where Fer had just picked her up off the ground. Agrita was still screaming from above, but she wasn’t about to come back down anytime soon.

Fer looked down at the fresh prey with a smile. Olonia lay on the ground, staring into the darkening sky above them with a stunned expression. White hair sprawled out on the grass. Saksma was just as stunned, she was testing her fingers, her own greatsword sticking out of her stomach. Fer had made sure not to hit anything vital. Paida lay smashed into the ground, only her head and legs sticking out as she sat there. Aliana had been flung against a tree, she rolled over the bark and settled on the roots. Fer’s ears bounced as they listened to if she was still breathing.

She was, quietly, and groaning. Fer smiled, took a few steps to the side and stuck her arm out. She scooped screaming Agrita from the air as the Goddess fell and stopped her from breaking her neck on the ground. “Ow.” Olonia finally managed to mumble out.

“That…” Next to Olonia, Saksma looked at her hand, clenched her hand, realised she wasn’t holding onto her greatsword. Her face panicked, she looked around, then saw her own blade sticking out of her chest. Saksma blinked as she grabbed the blade. Moaned groaned in pain, then gave up. “How…” She only uttered as her head collapsed back down on the grass, golden hair splayed out around her head.

“You…” Agrita mumbled as she stumbled a few steps. Her spear came down, Fer caught that with her tail and handed it back to the Goddess. “So…” She blinked as Fer’s tail nudged her in order to remind to take the weapon. “Thank you?” Agrita said, still in shock.

“Is Aliana dead?” Iliyal said from the side.

“She’s alive still.” Fer replied, she didn’t have to turn around to know Aliana was struggling to her feet. The rustle of cloth and grass and sharp breathes gave it away.

“Mmh.” Iliyal said. “So there we go.” He walked to Agrita and tested the greatsword, it only an inch, from side to side. “Kavaa.” Iliyal said and the Goddess of Health woke up from her stunned shock. The elf was obviously not happy with the damage as he looked over Olonia. He reached down to poke her stomach through the scale mail, although it was more a series of wires than scales now.

“OW!” Olonia shouted as Iliyal ran a finger over her stomach.

“Your ribs are broken.” Iliyal straightened, gave a glance to Agrita, said nothing, and went to inspect Paida, half buried in the ground. Kavaa got to Saksma, pale fingers closed around the blade, and she pulled it out. Saksma let out another groan, although the adrenaline had not worn off yet. It wouldn’t though, Fer had smashed through all five of them in the blink of an eye.

Saksma yawned, her eyes closed, she was already asleep from Kavaa’s touch before the yawn even finished. And her wound got to rebuilding itself. Fer turned to watch Iliyal inspect Paida in her new hole. “You do not look good.”

“I don’t feel anything.” Paida said as she looked down at herself.

“That happens every now and then.” Iliyal said as he stood up. “Kavaa, after you’re done with those two, there’s paralysis here.” Paida blinked, her mouth dropped open, she blinked up at Iliyal.

“I’m paralysed?”

“For now.” Iliyal replied. “Generally the rule for Nationals is a paralysis like this is a day or two before you can move your legs, anywhere from a week to a month to restore fully.” He shrugged as Kavaa ran over. Saksma was waking up from her sleep, the hole in her stomach already sealed. Olonia was murmuring something.

“We should get her out first.” Kavaa said. Iliyal looked at her, was about to say something, then merely shrugged. He looked over to Fer. The Goddess of Beasthood took three long steps as she hummed and smiled.

“Aren’t you not supposed to move them when they’re paralyzed?” She asked.

“Aren’t you not supposed to paralyze them in the first place?” Kavaa answered back flatly as she stared at Paida in the hole. Fer merely shrugged as she shrugged behind Paida, stuck her arms under her shoulders and pulled her up. Paida’s neck fell loose and all her limbs hung from her body as if she was a doll.

“I can’t feel anything.” Paida said quietly.

“No, you can’t.” Kavaa put her on the woman’s forehead as Fer sniffed. She couldn’t smell anything. Mages had a smell to them, as did Olephia’s curse. Neneria had no tell, but Irinika and Anassa both had a tell to them too. They would block smells out. “She’s asleep, put her down.”

“How long will you take?” Fer asked.

“A minute.” Kavaa replied, obviously annoyed. “Go get Aliana, she probably can’t walk either.” Fer rolled her eyes, smiled, and jumped off the ground. She flew through the air as Kavaa put her hands on Paida’s cheeks and then she landed next to Aliana.

“Up we go girlie.” Fer said as Aliana moaned from the ground. Well, she was moving at least. So it wasn’t too bad. Aliana moaned in pain as Fer tossed her over her own shoulder, then jumped backwards.

“AHH!” Aliana’s shout transitioned into a moan as Agrita came forwards, her eyes avoided Fer entirely. Fer saw Iliyal not happy about the situation whatsoever. He took a sigh, looked at Fer and raised his hands. His fingers made old Great War symbols. The sort that soldiers would use to communicate with each other. Stay silent.

Fer laughed and gave him a thumbs up. Honestly, she had only been meaning to satiate her own curiosity at how powerful the modern National Divines were. She supposed it wasn’t a fair trial after all, there had only been three competitors to her throne in melee combat. One, Iliyal had killed himself. The other two Kassie would be handled eventually now that the Pantheon had only half its members left. “Can…” Agrita said quietly. “I apologize, but I think my arm is broken.”

“Check Iliyal.” Kavaa said, her hands still on Paida’s cheeks. Fer knelt down to watch the woman work. There was no tell, no flow of energy she could sense, nothing. But from within, Fer could hear the tearing of muscles, the rapid heartbeat, the crunching of bone. That sounded like the spine. Paida mumbled something as Kavaa sighed.

“You are terrible Fer.” She said.

“I held back!” Fer shouted back. She honestly had! Her claws had been retracted the whole time! She didn’t even tear an arm off!

“It’s snapped here and here.” Iliyal said as he ran his hands down the Goddess’ arm. “And your shoulder is dislocated.” Fer nodded as the man talked. That was classic battlefield wounds, Agrita should get used to it. Kavaa sighed as she kept on working on Paida. Eventually, the Goddess of Health pulled her hands away.

“Is she fixed?” Fer asked. She knew using the wrong word would be annoying. Kavaa was a friend, but these woods brought back memories. And those memories reminded her of old grievances. They were settled now, she did promise them she would pay respects, but it was still her pack members that had fought here.

“She’s healed, yes.” Kavaa said. She looked up at Agrita and Aliana. “Alright, both of you, at once.” She shook her head when her hand touched Agrita, and she sighed when she touched Aliana. “You’ve broken all your ribs.”

“I was thrown.” Aliana said quietly.

“You were.” Fer agreed.

“Lie down, both of you.” Kavaa said, they did as Fer went over to look on Paida. The Goddess blinked her eyes open with a yawn. She saw Fer, her cheeks went pale, she immediately rolled and scrambled to her feet, then looked down at her body. Paida tested her hands, she flexed her fingers, she looked at herself, and she started to tear up. Fer was about to open her mouth when she felt Iliyal grab her arm.

“I told you they weren’t ready for you.” He said.

“You said two out of ten.”

“Well forgive me for a scale that terrible. Who’s a five?” Fer blinked as she thought on that. Who would be a five? The magicians did not count obviously, because they’re powers were too varied to be put up against each other like that.

“Kassie?” Fer said it like a question. Frankly, she didn’t even know.

“So then Maisara and Fortia are equal with you, six through nine are just empty.” He said, terribly unimpressed. “Let me handle this.”

“If you say so.” Fer said. Frankly, she wasn’t going to apologize to these girls, if anything, she just saved their lives by showing how overwhelming Divines really could be. What had Iliyal and Kavaa been doing anyway? It was akin to sending wanderers into the desert with no water.

“They’re all healed.”

“You can all sit down, we’re taking a rest.” Aliana and Agrita both woke up as Kavaa slapped their cheeks.

“Lesson’s beginning now.” She said, they slid across the ground to their defeated friends. Olonia had her knees pulled up. Saksma and Paida were both using one another for support, everyone avoided even looking in Fer’s direction.

“This is Fer.” Iliyal said. Fer waved to them, only Aliana and Olonia had the decency to look at her, the elf continued without missing a beat. “When it comes to physicality…” He sighed, then turned to look at the Goddess. “You can explain frankly.”

“Very well.” Fer said as she took a step forwards. “We are Divines. There is a natural hierarchy to us. A God of Wires will never match me. He will never match you either. One on one, Fortia will beat every single one of you.” Now the lies would have to start. It was like sending five small dogs against a bear, there simply wasn’t a conceivable way for the dogs to win. The bear was simply too strong. “But, five against one, you should be able to put up a fight.” Fer smiled at them as they began to listen. At least Iliyal had drilled that into them.

“This is the hierarchy.” Fer made a line in the grass with her foot. “I am here.” Then another. “Fortia and Maisara.” Then another. “Kassandora.” And a fourth. “The rest.” And a fifth. “You.” None of them looked happy about that. There were more steps in the hierarchy of course too, but she wasn’t going to list off needless numbers and give them an ego about how they stronger than petty inventions. Too much caution was bad for a mortal, but Divines had all the time in the world to get things done. “We are not here to ask you to defeat me. That was a mere demonstration at what you’ll be working against. If you get a cut on me. You’ll get a cut on Fortia. If you get an arrow in my back, you’ll be able to get an arrow into anyone’s back. You make me bleed, you make everyone bleed. It’s as simple as that.”

Fer finished and turned to Iliyal. That was good enough, right? He gave her a nod of his head. “Right ladies. As you’ve just heard, we’re not doing half measures here. There is no chance for you to succeed, you will fail and fail and fail until you drop. And then you’ll fail some more.” Fer saw Kavaa look quizzically at the man. “But that’s not important, because like I said, we’re not asking you to win here.”

Iliyal raised his arm above his head. “We reframe success and failure. Success is impossible, it is achieved once we’ve won, and the road to success is nothing but a series of crushing failures. But we reframe that failure. When we jump, we aim for the stars and only manage the moon instead. That’s what we are talking about. This will not be easy but you will get to a point where you fail, you look around, you can’t do it. And then other people look at you and do you know what they will say?”

Olonia managed to croak a meagre question, her voice low and defeated. “What do they say?”

“They will see you fail, and they will say: wow, I can’t succeed like that.”

Helenna crawled out of Arascus’ bed and calmed her shaky legs as she fetched her clothes. What a night.

Kavaa joined the training sessions. The elf’s words were as if Kassandora had been right here and they had struck. She swung as Fer, the Goddess of Beasthood answered with a grasp at her blade. Kavaa tilted it downwards at the last moment, Fer’s arm trailed after it but it was too late. Her blade hit Fer’s skin. It even managed to make a small cut. They both stopped at stared at the metal penetrating her skin. Fer broke the silence. “That was good.”

Helenna had another meeting with Mwai’s ministers. She had managed to get the old ones involved in scandals or just to resign, and these were a much better fit to drive the president further down the road of isolation and madness. They were all young bootlickers and total yes-men, one of them even read Arascus’ anti-war papers. The perfect sorts to make sure that he started living in his own bubble.

She slid a series of statistics across the paper. Polling numbers. They were real, but they didn’t mention the fact they selectively polled Arascus’ leadership. Helenna even made a worried face as if things weren’t going to plan. “I would like to ask what the government is doing about this.”

Aliana let loose an arrow as Fer effortlessly stepped around Saksma’s new longsword. At least when they fought Kavaa, the woman took them seriously. She watched her arrow fly and knew it would not hit the moment it left the bow. Fer’s ears quivered, they did that little jump they always did when she was fighting. She ducked under Agrita’s spear with a yawn, stuck her hand out, and caught Aliana’s arrow between her fingers.

What a monster.

Kassandora took quick steps to see what the noise in her camp was about. Cursing and anger, if there was a brawl happening, then someone would take lashes, she wasn’t going to entertain a lack of discipline just because they had won the war. She ducked into the tent and the crowd inside immediately went silent.

The answer was obvious though. KTV was interviewing some young man in a prim t-shirt and with a face so smooth he could have passed for the son of half the men here. “It IS a waste!” He shouted in a shrill voice. “What are they doing for us?”

Agrita held her breath as Iliyal had explained as she saw Fer twirl around an arrow. Another quickly followed up, Fer did not even turn. Her tail flicked it away as she simply flicked Olonia’s second arrow away. Agrita took a step to the side. She saw Fer sigh, saw her move forwards. She was going for a throw at Paida. Agrita stopped the pre-emptive lunge and waited for a moment.

That would have been too early. Fer’s attack had only been a feint, she stepped to the side, her fist landed in Saksma’s chest instead and Agrita took the opening. She pushed her spear forwards with all her strength, straight at Fer’s back. The Goddess of Beasthood answered immediately, her tail wrapped around it, held it still as if it was in a vice and she her head, a smile bright smile painted over it with two golden eyes. “That was good Agrita, you almost got me!”

Arascus watched as Mwai gave a speech at an anti-military protest. It was a small crowd, but KTV could fix that with a good angle. Thirty men from ground view looked like an entire crowd after all. He turned in the air and slowly flew away. That was for show too, he wanted a picture of him turning his back on Mwai to surface onto the internet today.

And there was a more important thing to check. The police cordon blocking the counter protest, it easily dwarfed Mwai’s audience, but these people didn’t have to know or see that. The whole point of the game was to give Mwai enough confidence to try and make a move on Kassandora in the first place.

Olonia lowered her head, felt Fer’s claw brush against her ear. Two months ago, when this started, she would have cried from the sting. A month ago, when Fer had first arrived, she would have winced. Now she merely grit her teeth through the pain and closed the distance as Kavaa always did in her demonstrations and swung her blade.

Fer responded immediately, grasping at her arm with a speed a monster as large as she was shouldn’t be capable of. Olonia felt her feet lift off the grass, felt herself slam into Paida’s armour. The Goddess of Rancais buried her feet into the dirt, stepped to the side and allowed Olonia to land gracefully on the grass. Agrita came from one side, lunging with her spear, Saksma came from the rear, her swing wide and guiding Fer into Agrita’s blow. Paida stepped forwards, her own blade shining in preparation for a stab.

Fer jumped grabbed the spear, she dropped low as Agrita’s weapon was pulled out of her hands. Her teeth settled on Paida’s sword, her other arm and tail twisted as she caught Saksma’s blow. Her head twisted, Paida’s sword shattered as Saksma was thrown to the ground. And then… A sound Olonia heard for the first time since she had come here sounded. Iliyal shouted: “STOP!” He started to clap.

She turned as Iliyal kept clapping. Fer smiled, bowed her head, and lifted her arms above her head for them to see what happened. Olonia dropped her sword in shock. She felt her knees give out and she landed on the grass as the new plate armour let out a thud.

An arrow was sticking out of her back.

Author’s Note: Please read the comment!

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep