In the land of Kervestine, there are four notorious nations that hold the continent.

Arlium, the largest Militia known to the continent, supposedly ruled by a Kindhearted Prince and Princess, who cannot yet take the throne, As a sickly father is still a King.

Venith, the second-largest Militia, as well as the largest of the food supplies. Why they have aggression against Arlium, one can only wonder...

Ardeus, a close ally of Arlium. Nobody ever really knew why Ardeus suddenly wanted to be Arlium's ally, but...There they are, providing extra food and supplies in exchange for protection.

Duneous. Those people just...don't care about anything, it seems. Their land is hazardous, and has more mountains than anywhere else I'd ever seen. Some people even wonder how they survive in those conditions. Although with how much of a hassle it is to even traverse through it, it's no wonder nobody ever tried to raid them yet.

The times however, are changing, and some people just can't handle what they're given. Some, however, must find their own courage and moral grounds.


"You can't do it."

"You? A fighter? In a militia as great as Arlium's? That's stupid."

"Oh come on, a boy like you is good for nothing but construction or farming, not military. You may be a little tough, but you're too soft."

"I wouldn't be surprised if you died during the initiation with how pathetic you are. I bet you've never even held a weapon."

"I bet the Prince and Princess wouldn't even look in your general direction."

All these thoughts were ringing through the head of a young boy with gray hair, and dark blue eyes, walking up to a well-known castle. The castle located at the capital of Arlium. He brought a lance with him, as the requirements of 'bringing a weapon' were clear.

"Shiloh!"

A voice called to the boy, who quickly turned around, only to see a girl with brighter, white hair, and light blue eyes approaching him, also with a lance.

"Aquila? You're here, too?"

The boy, Shiloh, asked, and Aquila just nodded.

"Of course. You're here to try and become part of the army, right? Then of course I'm going too!"

She said, and Shiloh just blinked.

"I...would hope you have a better reason for trying to become a soldier than just because I'm trying to-"

He started, before she cut him off.

"Of course I have MORE reasons than that, but I know how many people gave you a hard time when you said you wanted to do this, so I figured I'd come and try to do the same! After all, somebody's gotta keep supporting you, like when we were kids, and we'd play 'soldier' all the time!"

Aquila said, and Shiloh just smiled a bit.

"I still remember how often you'd hold your stick the wrong way...but if you want to become a soldier, too, then I'd be glad to know we're both fighting for the same side."

He said to her, as she just started blushing.

"I wasn't holding it wrong! It was...just how I fight with sticks! You wouldn't understand."

She said, and Shiloh just laughed a bit.

"I guess I wouldn't. Although I hope your stick-fighting techniques come in handy against actual targets."

He said, and started walking into the castle entrance, Aquila just following, and the two were pointed in the direction by maids and butlers where the trainees were to head, although it was quite a crowd of people with all kinds of bronze weaponry. Swords, Axes, Lances, even Bows. They were all just waiting around, and Shiloh and Aquila then took note of a girl who was wearing a hat, and covering her face a bit, although she had long, flowing purplish blue hair, and Shiloh started to approach her.

"Hey there."

He started, before she shrieked a bit and backed up, before noticing it was just a person.

"U-Um...I'm sorry? I didn't mean to startle you."

Shiloh said, and the girl just shook her head.

"N-No, I'm sorry...I was just lost in thought about things..."

She said, and Shiloh then noticed what she was holding in her hands. To most, it was a book, but to those with knowledge of it, and the symbol on the cover, Shiloh decided to ask.

"Are you a mage?"

He asked, and Aquila just noticed the resemblance between a tome and...well, the tome, and the mage's eyes lit up at that.

"Y-You know about magic?! That's great..! Most of these people kept asking me if I 'really intended to fight with a book'..."

She said, and Shiloh just blinked in slight surprise.

Wow...She seems suddenly a lot more enthusiastic about talking about magic...then again, I suppose it IS a subject that's dying out slowly.

He thought to himself, and he just slowly nodded.

"Y-Yeah...my late grandfather told me about mages. I always thought they were cool."

Shiloh said, and Aquila just decided to chime in.

"Me too! Although I think his grandfather also mentioned something about meeting a few mages when he was young...whenever that was."

Aquila said with a chuckle, and Shiloh just looked at her with the blankest of expressions, and the mage just chuckled a bit as well.

"I-I'm sorry to laugh...although, um...who are you two? You sure seem a lot livelier than the other trainees I've seen so far..."

She asked, and Shiloh just returned his attention to her.

"My name's Shiloh, and the loudmouth here is Aquila."

Shiloh said, and Aquila just puffed her cheeks out a bit.

"Hey! I'm not a loudmouth! I just happen to be enjoying life a little more!"

She said, and the mage just let out a little chuckle again.

"It's nice to meet you two...I'm Akari. I came to become a soldier, but...also to try and make magic more well-known again. I won't sit by and let the subject die!"

She said, and Shiloh just smiled at her.

"Well, I'm sure you can do it. After all-"

Shiloh started, and was cut off by a gruff man's voice.

"ATTENTION ALL TRAINEES!"

A knight clad in golden armor, with VERY short brown hair said, standing above them, in view of them all.

"I can only assume you're all here to become part of the continent's largest militia, the great Arlium Army. Well, needless to say, It won't be as easy as walking in and saying 'Let me join'! We got standards here. We only let capable fighters into this army. I, General Arzen, will personally oversee the testing of all of our newest trainees! Pass the test, and you'll be allowed to serve this great nation in whatever squadrons we place you in! Now, all of you! You'd better get ready to get put into groups of 4! You'll all be tested separately, and coming to watch your tests...The fair and kind Princess Milaina!"

The knight said, and the person who walked up next to the knight was an elegant woman, with long, light brown hair, and had bright red eyes, but their expression seemed...less than entertained.

...Huh. Usually when the Princess showed up back home to talk to her subjects...she looked so much happier. Maybe she's just having an off day?

Shiloh wondered, as the Princess just started to speak.

"We will send your groups of 4 into the chambers on your left, your right, and in front of you one at a time, and your test will vary depending on which chamber your group is sent into. I will of course be notified of the results, as will my brother, who is currently busy. You will all wait for your turn to be tested in the rooms behind you. Your group of 4 will all be in the same room. Now, let the tests begin, and hopefully none of you croak under Arlium's capable testing grounds."

The princess said, before just walking away.

"So, I guess we'll have to work together with some people to get through this."

Aquila said, and Shiloh just nodded, and noticed a group of people handing out slips of paper.

"Looks like we should go find out who our teammates are."

Shiloh said, and Aquila just nodded in agreement, as the two headed over.

No matter the test, I can do this. Although...why was Princess Milaina acting so strangely?

Shiloh wondered to himself...