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[bardische]

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[bardische]

"One more than I feared I'd have," Basch says, somehow more lightly than he feels. "I've been keeping an eye -- there are a few youth who look promising, but I worry they won't take training well until the joy of adventure has warn off."

Seen the reality of what they've signed up for. Many of the actual armies were being kept home, in case wars broke out or populations needed to be controlled.

[ziedrich_bearer]

Same with Gladio. He's beyond relieved by that after all. But it will take time.

"We'll manage this," Gladio says with a sigh. "We have no other choice."

[bardische]

"The kind of man I strive to serve beside. Basch," he says, leaning over to hold out a hand. He'll leave the rest of his name and title out; they add nothing if this man does not already recognize him. He likes that, too. Equals in this.

[ziedrich_bearer]

"Gladio," he says, taking that hand and shaking it firmly. He took is leaving so much out. He also doesn't want to be recognized immediately.

"Together we're going to save the day."

[bardische]

"By your command, then," Basch agrees, returning the firm shake. He's happy to follow this man's lead and only step in if he must. And it's nice to have some optimism on their side.

"Have you much experience with fighting in thick Mist?"

[ziedrich_bearer]

His command? Gladio laughs. He's just used to that. He's a captain after all.

"Yeah. Most of my life actually."

[bardische]

Basch has been captain a long time, but he’s honestly happier to follow someone else, given their skills and goals align.

“Family business?”

[ziedrich_bearer]

"For generations," Gladio said, smiling to himself. Over a hundred of them. He isn't going to point out that part. Some things were weighty enough numbers that the very knowing of them meant there was something deeper going on. "Been trained since I was a kid."

[bardische]

Ah. Pride in his work, too. And a legacy. Good qualities, together.

"Trained since youth as well, but no pedigree here." He and Noah had learned what they could as children, then enlisted as soon as they could. War was already brewing.

[ziedrich_bearer]

"Pedigrees aren't always useful," Gladio said with a shrug. He had always been expected to follow this path and while he didn't regret it, he knew it could be a burden on others. "People should be able to follow their hearts, but it's not always the sort of thing that happens."

[bardische]

"They should have the opportunity at least," Basch agrees. As his years advance, he's less sure of the wisdom of letting a mere boy determine his life's fate with a rush decision, but he also isn't sure others deciding for him is any better. Still, this man has a good head on his shoulders, and Basch respects that.

[ziedrich_bearer]

Yes, that is true. Gladio, though, he accepted the path he had been put on. If nothing else, it would let him save his king.

"I guess it did mean I was trained enough to do what needs done."

[bardische]

“Mmm. We could use more men with several decades’ experience. Could use more with a few years’ experience.”

But they’d work with what they had.

“Anyone you trained with here?”

[ziedrich_bearer]

Yes, they could. So many men. But they had to try and keep things stabilized at home too.

"No. I'm... not local."

His accent may or may not have given that away. Well, clearly not he supposed.

[bardische]

He'd noticed the accent, but his hardly fit the country -- and king -- he now served. Far be it for him to guess a man's life by marks of his childhood, and he isn't going to ask.

"I suspect you won't be the last soldier from far reaches to journey to the island. But if we're lucky, their missions will have a clear destination."

[ziedrich_bearer]

"Perhaps I won't be. But for now, I'm what my homeland could spare."

They had their own problems with empires going on.

Do we wanna jump this forward?

[bardische]

"I fear that's the case for many of us."

It certainly was for him. They were closer to home, he suspected, but the empire was still weak from the war, and chaos at home required careful monitoring. They couldn't spare many. Really, they couldn't spare him, but there was no one else who could do the duty and be trusted with the information.

Yeah that's probably a good idea.

[ziedrich_bearer]

"Then we better win our way through," Gladio says with a smirk. And he offers his hand out to the other man. "I give you my oath I'm not going down without the win here. For the people we care about."

[bardische]

Basch gives a smaller smile, but he means it, clasping the man's hand. "For the people we care about," he agrees.

They aren't at camp much longer, and sure enough, they're able to bunk together with a few other men. The boat passage isn't long, a week and a half, but it's slow going, the Mist preventing any enhanced travel. Basch spends what time he can on the deck, ends up running training exercises for interested recruits, but he's glad when they hit solid ground again.

Still, it's eerie. There are the tumbling ruins of societies long forgotten, but no sign of modern people. As groups disperse out to various target locations, soon it's quiet, just he and Gladio. Basch's eyes are on the sky.

"We should be able to clear some ground before that storm lets out."

[ziedrich_bearer]

"Sounds about fair," Gladio says, a sword almost as large as himself in hand. "Would be wise. Help set up a basecamp for everyone."

Because he expects some will need to fall back.

[bardische]

Basch nods. There will be some that need to fall back, and some who need to be tended, and some who need to be coached. There's too much, really, for how few senior soldiers they have.

"We do what we can. Once that's running, we should be able to go farther afield ourselves."

He doesn't want to wait, but he doesn't want to make foolish mistakes either.

[ziedrich_bearer]

"Would rather be out there," Gladio agrees. He hates being slowed up, but he knows good tactics.

"How about we split the area in half, take out what we can, and meet back in, say, a few hours?