Well, this was updated faster than expected. I don't think all these chapters will go out so quickly though.

Thank you to BluePhantom99 for reviewing.

Just to clarify, no one else except Mandarin and SPRX77 have appeared from the main cast. One will in the next chapter though. I was originally going to have them appear in this chapter, but I felt that this chapter had enough in it already. I don't want to make extra long chapters. It's easier for me to go though one plot point at a time. At least that will mean faster updates. Hopefully.

Anyway, on to chapter two.


Chapter Two – An Interesting Announcement

"And then, using nothing more than my bare hands, I took down those two bandits"

Sparks was retelling the story of his battle with the bandits for the fifth time that day. It had been his favourite topic since the rescue and most of the group had grown sick of hearing about it. The squires on the other hand were more than happy to listen to the story again. Tonight they sat under the stars in the grassy plains, the mountains standing distant behind them. Everyone sat around the blazing fire, kept alive by some of the Duke's servants. The bandits had been deposited at a village they had passed, along with many of the goods that had been stolen from them. The local authorities would deal with them.

"Such a punishment is too mild for such low-lives. They should be taken to the desert to bake" the duke had complained. In fact, all he had been doing was criticise and threaten anyone who didn't follow his every whim. He had yet to try and carry out any of his threats, but it was obvious that he was very abusive of the power he had. Or thought he had. The funny thing about power is that you only had it as long as people were willing to follow you. Sparks wondered how long it would take until even the Duke's own knights wouldn't be willing to follow his orders. Still, Sparks had better things to think about than the Duke. Come tomorrow, he wouldn't have to see that uptight mule ever again. He doubted Quinn would invite him around any time soon.

The troop's three squires sat around him listening excitedly. They had yet to experience a real battle and the mere mention of fighting thrilled them.

"And then what happened?" the only brown furred monkey in the group asked.

"Well, after I rescued the young damsel and freed the prisoners from their bounds we went to make our daring escape. However, I had barely turned around when the valley was overrun with bandits. There was fifty, no, a hundred of them. Every one of them suited head to toe with the deadliest weapons that-"

"O' please, Sparks. T'was not more than twelve altogether. Additionally, they only carried a single blade each. Poorly constructed too. Your peasant friend, the blacksmith, makes far better material." Maclaurin interjected, pausing from eating the orange fruit the group had found in one of the crates.

"Uh, excuse me. Who art the one telling the story? Me, so stop interrupting. Although I shall be sure to tell my friend about the compliment you just gave him" Sparks replied, smirking. Maclaurin rolled his eyes.

"That's so many" chirped one of the squires.

"Did you beat them?" asked another.

"Did you die?" asked the brown furred squire.

"Of course he beat them, you idiots. How else would he be here?" yelled the other squire.

"Hey, Beet, we was just asking" the brown furred monkey snapped.

"Well, t'was a stupid question, Glen. You even asked if he was dead" Beet said.

"Hey, it could'st hath happened!"

"Thou'st an idiot"

"I art not"

"Thou are'st too"

"Art not"

"Are'st too"

"Alright! That tis enough" Sparks said, pulling the two apart before their fight could escalate. "Now do you want to hear the end or not?"

"Yes" they said in union and sat quietly.

"Good" Sparks said, making himself comfortable again. "Now, where was I? O' right. There I was, preparing to fight the scoundrels to my dying breath when Maclaurin came in and took their leader by surprise. Then together we bashed their entire crew to the ground…I defeated the most o' course"

Maclaurin scoffed at this.

"There be no possible situation where you could out-battle myself, Sparks. I am this troop's strongest warrior."

"Well prepare to have your pride squandered Maclaurin, because I took out two bandits before you even showed up and five while you were there. That makes seven altogether" Sparks boasted.

"And I did take on five bandits at once, as well as their leader"

"Wait, that makes more than twelve…Did one of us bash the same bandit twice?"

"More certainly thou miscounted. Thee hath always been lacking in the mathematical department"

"Who is good at mathematics anyway? Only boring monks actually study that stuff"

"Perhaps, the two of you could simply call it a draw" Sparks and Maclaurin looked up to see their Commander join their small circle. "However, if we are bragging about past victories I recall once taking out seventy-six soldiers in a single battle."

"Seventy-six" repeated the squires in awe.

"Ah, yes, I remember you speaking about that battle. The Sand Dune Battle. We attempted to grab the land from the Southerners so we could hath access to water passageways. Did we not lose that fight in the end?" Maclaurin commented.

"Sadly, yes. Not every battle we fight shall be a victory, Maclaurin. However, I like to think that tis the effort we put in rather than the end result that matters. So long as we live to fight again, all it means is that we gain experience. At least, that's what I told my squire. He was never fond of losing." The Commander grinned.

"Quinn was still your squire then, was he not?" Maclaurin added curiously.

"Ah, yes. I remember he was such a small squirt then. He barely came up to my elbow, if I recall correctly" the Commander said, spacing out as he tried to remember more.

"Wait, when did you tell this story? I never heard it." Sparks asked, confused.

"Probably because you were not listening, although there isn't anything unusual about that" Maclaurin said.

"O' haha. Still, seventy-six? That is a great deal of soldiers right there. Not that I don't think I could beat that record. I could go for taking out seventy-seven. Are you sure there was that many?" Sparks asked.

He glanced at his Commander in surprise. It wasn't that he didn't believe that his Commander had done so; he was famous for having been a great swords fighter in his day. He once even worked for the late king himself. His age shocked Sparks. The Commander's red fur had faded over the years and the grey patches on his body were becoming more noticeable as the days went by. And that battle was so long ago… Sparks shook his head. That was a thought he didn't want to think about. Still, it was no secret that the squires he was training now were to be his last. The Commander noticed Sparks' sudden change in mood.

"Now I know my golden days are over, and I may not be as quick and strong as I used to be, but this old knight still has some kick in him. After all, I trained you two and I hath still been keeping up with you all"

Sparks gave a small smile at this. The Commander smiled back, however it soon faltered.

"I know this troop is small but all of you hath so much potential. I know thou all shalt do extraordinary things. Mayhaps you shall gain squires of your own one day, or even something more. Still, these old bones shan't last forever. Someone shall hath to take my place eventually. Therefore, I would like to select one of thou as my official second-in command to take charge should I be absent for any reason"

"Is that even necessary?" Sparks asked. "I mean, there is only six of us. Do we even need a second-in-command?"

"Well, it never hurts to be prepared, one never knows when we may be called to battle. T'would also be nice to take a holiday once in a while, would'st thou not agree?"

"You should put me in charge" piped Beet.

"No, me" said Glen.

"I want to be in charge" called the third squire.

The knights chuckled at the squires' enthusiasm.

"Now, now" said the Commander, amused. "This is a position for an experienced knight"

"Aww." They sighed in union.

"So who hath thou selected, Commander?" asked Maclaurin.

As if he needed to ask, thought Sparks. It was obvious that Maclaurin would be chosen, who else would the Commander pick?

"After careful consideration, I have decided to give the position to Sparks"

Everyone stared dumbfounded, not sure they had heard correctly.

"What" said Maclaurin and Sparks, confused.

"Thou art placing me as second-in-command?"

"Thou art assigning him as second-in-command"

"That tis…AMAZING! Are you serious? Am I really second? Do I really get to lead everyone around when you're not there? Do I get some sort of uniform for this? Can I-"

"Sparks" the Commander called as his newly announced lieutenant began rattling off words faster than anyone could understand.

"Sorry I was…I was not expecting that" Sparks apologised, trembling slightly in excitement.

"No one was" muttered Maclaurin.

"Thou art allowed to be excited. I know I was when my Commander selected myself to be his right-hand monkey." the Commander said, his smile returning. "And as your first duty as lieutenant, perhaps thee should like to lead the troop home tomorrow. I can escort the Duke back on my own. Thee hath all worked hard this week, thou hath earned an early leave."

The squires cheered at this and Sparks too was ecstatic.

"Alright. Thou heard'st the monkey. Thee be following me tomorrow. Better get some sleep, we'll be leaving early"

"But we aren't tired" moaned the squires. Sparks grinned slyly.

"Alright, but anyone who stays up is on night watch"

This earned a squeal of horror.

"Actually, yeah, we are tired"

"Yeah, yawn, bedtime"

"Yep. G'night"

With that, the three rushed off to their tents. Sparked smirked, folding his arms.

"Works every time"

The commander chuckled at this, before standing up.

"Well, it has been pleasant speaking with you all but I too need my sleep if I am to be escorting our new friends back home" With that, the Commander left for his tent, leaving only Sparks and Maclaurin sitting next to each other.

"So, shall we take shifts? I can go first if you want" Sparks said.

"Why not simply order me to do it? After all, thou hast that power now." Maclaurin said, seething. Sparks began feeling awkward. He had just taken the job Maclaurin had spent years training and studying for.

"O' right, you wanted that position. No hard feelings, right? It was the Commander's choice. Who am I to object to it? You could'st always be third-in-command if thou wants." Sparks said, trying to compensate. He didn't want his friend to be angry at him. Maclaurin didn't look at him, instead clutching the handle of his sword.

"Maclaurin? Art thou alright?" Sparks asked, placing a hand on Maclaurin's shoulder. Maclaurin exhaled deeply, released his grip on his sword and mustered a small smile at his comrade.

"Of, course I am. Congratulations Sparks"

"Thanks" Sparks replied sighing with relief. He was glad to see his friend was not angry at him. "So, about the night watch?"

"I will take it. The night is half over already. Thou wilt need thy rest if thee plan on leading up back home"

"Art thou kidding? I could navigate us through the mountainside with my eyes closed" Sparks bragged. Maclaurin rolled his eyes. "Of course thou could"

Sparks chuckled then yawned. "Well, goodnight." With that, he too headed off to his tent. Soon everyone was slumbering except for the orange monkey. Maclaurin sat by the dwindling fire, one hand clutching his sword, the other holding his brown cloak closer against him. It was starting to get cold. Maclaurin stared off into the night with nothing to keep him company except his own thoughts.

He wanted to be happy for Sparks, he really did. There would be other opportunities for him to succeed. This was only a minor setback. There was no reason to be angry with Sparks. This was the Commander's decision, not his. But it was the wrong choice, the wrong person. Sparks was not a leader. Sparks didn't know how to execute battle plans, he barely managed to follow orders. He was too passionate, too impulsive. He could get everyone hurt. More importantly though, Maclaurin knew that he was the better choice. He was the one with the skills for leadership; he could come up with brilliant strategies. It was thanks to him that they had won so many of their fights. Maclaurin decided that he would just have to speak to the Commander about his decision. But that could wait until morning.

Staring into the dark, Maclaurin could see no one. As the night went on there were moments where he though he saw movement, though it was too fast to be a monkey. It unnerved him, the feeling that something was out there. Watching. Waiting. It was probably all in his head, just a figment of his overtired imagination. The feeling didn't shake though.

Something was out there and it wasn't friendly.

The sun rose. Both groups were soon up and preparing to head in their separate directions. Maclaurin found the Commander just as he finished saddling his horse.

"Pardon me Commander" Maclaurin called, gaining his leader's attention.

"O' good morrow Maclaurin. Art thou saddled up and ready to go?" the Commander asked happily.

"Of course. However, before we departed I wished to speak to you about something in private" Maclaurin said, putting emphasis on 'private'.

"O' you need not worry about any of them Maclaurin. I doubt anyone here has an interest in eavesdropping."

"I would prefer it"

"O' alright then. Come, let us go for a walk"

The Commander led the orange monkey away from the group. As the two walked Maclaurin began speaking again.

"Where are we headed, Commander?"

"Nowhere in particular. Tis just a stroll. We need not have a destination. Now, what was it thou wished to speak to me about?"

"I am…unsure about thy decision about your second-in-command. Are you sure thou made'st the right choice?"

"I was sure that was what you wished to speak about. I have no regrets in my decision, Maclaurin."

"But why though" Maclaurin asked, frustrated. "I have far superior talent for battle strategies and diplomacies. My sword fighting is unmatched."

"I understand that Maclaurin. However, it takes more than skill and strength to lead. One needs to be able to do what is best for their troop and others. Tell me Maclaurin, if you had to make the decision between winning the battle or rescuing a comrade in need, which would you choose?"

"The battle sir. As unfortunate as it is to lose a member of the troop, far more lives would be lost if the enemy were not defeated."

"While I suppose that is correct, the truth Maclaurin is that there will always be battles that we cannot win, but comrades cannot be replaced no matter what we do. That is why I picked Sparks. He puts people first. After all, what use is winning the battle if there is no one left afterwards?"

"I understand, Commander, however the truth of the matter is that Sparks is not a strategist. His plans could very well endanger everyone."

"I will give him training, Maclaurin. He shall be prepared for the responsibility I am giving him. He will still need your strength and wisdom though. I need you to watch out for him"

"I could do so much more if I were in charge though."

"I know you wanted this position Maclaurin. I will put good word in for you with the Duke. However, I believe Sparks will get more out of this than thou would"

"I suppose you are right"

The Commander smiled at him.

"You will have your chance. I have spoken about the both of you to my fellow Commanding officers. There are quite a few that would like to take you aboard"

Maclaurin lightened up at this. "I understand sir and…I respect your decision"

"That is wonderful to hear. Now we best hurry now before my new Lieutenant leaves without thou"

Sparks and the rest of the troop had just finished saddling up and were preparing to leave when Maclaurin and the Commander arrived.

"Good morrow, Commander, Maclaurin." Sparks called as the two walked over. "Thou looks tired Maclaurin"

"Night watch has that effect" Maclaurin replied. "To be honest, I felt as though something was out there watching me last night."

"T'was probably just a rabbit or something"

"Probably"

Sparks turned to the Commander. "Are you sure thou art alright coming back on thy own, Commander? I could always come with you and let Maclaurin take the others back?"

"I will be fine Sparks. Thou need'st not worry" the Commander replied. "Though I appreciate the concern"

"Well, if thee are sure" Sparks said.

"O' and before I forget, this is for thee Sparks"

The commander pulled something out and placed it in Sparks' hands. Looking at it Sparks saw that it was a silver emblem, similar to the gold one that hung on the Commander's black cloak. Sparks attached the emblem to his brown cloak so that it hung in the centre of his chest.

"Just to make it official" the Commander said, grinning.

"Thank you" Sparks said earnestly.

"You are most welcome. Well I best be letting thee off. I would'st not want thee to hath to camp in the mountainside tonight. I shall see thee all in about a week."

"Alright, I shan't let thee down Commander"

"I know thee shan't, Sparks"

The troop waved the Commander off. Once he had left Sparks turned, grinning at his troop members.

"Well, what do you think? Do I look good in this or what?" he asked.

"I think thy head is full of air" Maclaurin replied.

"O' admit it. I look handsome in this"

"Are we just going to stand here all day or are we going to leave?"

"O', right. Alright troop. Let's move out!"

With that, Sparks hopped onto his borrowed horse. The others climbed on theirs.

"I hope thee do not plan on showing off the entire way" said Maclaurin.

"Well, not the entire way" Sparks said, smirking.

Maclaurin shook his head, amused. This was going to be a long trip home. Though with Sparks around, at least it wouldn't be boring.


And there we are.

Sparks is second-in-command. Has the world gone mad? Well this is the Medieval era, so who can say?

Good grief, there is so much foreshadowing in here. I wonder if anyone can guess what will happen?

Maclaurin says that Sparks is full of air. He's not saying Sparks is stupid, rather he has so much wit (air) that he is getting arrogant.

The elements are very important for themes in the story. So is metal.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it. Don't forget to leave a review. Constructive criticism is appreciated.