see Legon and Sasha walking in.
“For what?” Barnin asked.
Legon walked up to him, inspecting his new armor. “Even with all of this, you can’t fix ugly, but I promise we are working on a way to fix your ailment.”
“Blow me,” Barnin said.
“But seriously, how is it working for you guys?” Legon asked.
“It’s great. Everything fits nicely and we’re a lot more protected. don’t worry, we’ll earn it,” Barnin said.
“We know you will,” Sasha said with a grim smile.
“Sash, you’re not sticking around, are you?” Barnin asked.
“Yes, of course I am. I have to—I’m a Venefica,” she responded.
Barnin turned curiously to Legon. “You’re going to let her go into combat? Are…”
“She’s not going into combat, but she will be there connected with me and helping me out. it’s common enough, and she will be safe,” Legon said.
Barnin didn’t want to push the subject. if Legon said that Sasha was safe then she was.
Legon was in armor as well, but his was extremely lightweight, like all Elven armor. With their speed and the use of fenna, heavy armor was impractical and ineffective, so they went for the light, fast-moving type. this armor was just for stray arrows, and as such it did almost nothing for the fenna. Barnin noticed a large shield-looking plate on Legon’s left shoulder. he nodded to it, not wanting to move and disturb the kid finishing up with his armor.
“It’s heavy armor. when we charge we lean into opponents with it to try and, well, we ram people with it,” Legon said.
“Ok, got ya. There’s Keither and Sara,” Barnin said.
Keither and Sara were walking to them in a hurry. they looked like they had something big to tell them.
“What’s going on?” Sasha asked.
Sara went first. “I’m a medic. I can do minor healing so I will be working with the medical staff at the battle, all behind the front lines of course.”
Then Keither broke in. “And I’ve been put on the strategy committee. well, I’m assisting the committee on this battle, but I made it on.”
Barnin broke in. “They put you on that? Wow, Keither, I’m impressed.”
The strategy committee was what commanded a battle. they used the Mahann and mental networking to figure out what the enemy was going to do and how to respond. It was a big deal and that meant that if Keither tried, for once in his life he could be in command of entire armies.
Keither was looking at Legon’s armor, confused. Barnin helped out.
“Elves don’t have a cavalry. they’re too fast on their own and most can outrun a horse that’s laden with armor. That plate on his shoulder is for ramming his opponents and Iumenta. an Elf and Iumenta running at full speed into each other create a lot of force.”
“Why did you ask what it was then?” Legon asked, confused.
“I didn’t. I nodded and you took it that way. I just wanted you to have that one time in your life when you felt like you knew something I didn’t, that’s all.” He gave him a toothy smile.
Legon shook his head at him and Barnin saw him place his hand on the handle of a large sword. there was a purple glow. He knew those swords. They were called fenrra, and he must be charging the blade. Legon was going to the front line. This was sobering; his best friend, the last of his childhood, was going to the front line.
“Are you a forward then?” Barnin asked.
“Yes, I’m a class five,” Legon responded.
“My unit will be with you then.”
“What? But you-”
“I get to choose what unit I back up, and it will be yours. you guys will take the Iumenta and we will take the human cavalry that’s with them.”
* * * * *
Sasha saw what Barnin was doing. he wasn’t going to have another friend die. She felt a twinge of sympathy for him. was he thinking that he was somehow to blame?
A tall man walked up behind Barnin. He looked to be in his early twenties and was about six foot seven. He was thin with sandy hair, pale blue eyes, and a friendly face.
He spoke. “My lord, you have given us this armor. We owe you. Also, if you are going to have a cavalry unit with you, it may as well be the best.”
Confident and respectful. Those were good traits. he knew where the line in the sand was.
Barnin smiled. “Meet Ankle. He’s my second.”
Sasha paused. “Ankle?”
“He’s never had a major injury in combat, and believe me,