CHAPTER 2 :
THE MARCH OF DAEIN
Daein is now officially at war against Grado, but King Ike did not draft soldiers for that exact purpose. Instead, he resorted to using voluntaries to fight an enemy that despises laguz. (Note that Grado deems all laguz sub-humans) And also for the rights of said laguz. Pelleas comes back at Calill's inn but it is her that have a request for Pelleas.
"Yoo-hoo! Young man, I have business with the general of this army. Would you convey a message?" Calill asked.
"I AM the general. It is I who have a need for you, you claim to be a first-class mage. That's just right!" Pelleas answered, with burning anger.
"Correct. But I am also quite skilled with a lance and a staff." claims Calill.
"I'll never doubt you ever again! The very reason as to why I need you is that I cannot return to Onrac without your genius at my side! I know one other person within the U.N. army who claims to be a mage of superior wisdom and of rare ability. Be warned: if you hear any mage girl no older than 11 make that exact claim, then stay away from her." Pelleas explained. Why? Why would Calill have to stay away from another person that makes such a claim? "I heard that two magical geniuses from lands far apart were very dangerous to put together. I am nowhere near your level of magical ability and/or intellectual strength, this is why I can get along with you quite easily."
A genuinely curious Calill asked, "I see your ammunition, a Carreau tome? Is that black magic? Are you a… shaman?"
Pelleas answered that people like him were better and more advanced than shamans and Tellius folk could call such magic practitioners Dark Sages. To which, Calill answered, "Quit it! You're a druid, pure and simple." At the same time, commoners with dreams of becoming knights and criminals sentenced to serve in the army come to the Daein camp, pitched in the outskirts of the capital. A Sword Knight complains that he's all the cavalry the Daein expeditionary force has now. And that it has a packload of infantry, archers and magic practitioners, but no flying support or cavalry! Haar has arrived into the camp. He told Pelleas that the Kingdom Council has agreed to let my group go.
Then Haar yawned and fell asleep. Until Pelleas chooses who want to fight as cavalry, both light and heavy, the resources of the U.N. Sixth Army (the Daein contingent) are very limited, mobility-wise. Time came and there was no trace of extra cavalry, until the deadline arrived and Pelleas had to choose who were the best horse riders among the troops he had at his disposal. He could then assign them as light or heavy cavalry, as needed. But once that choice has been made, that choice cannot be reversed. Light cavalry could be magic-using units and unarmored archery on horseback, they could serve as scouts; heavy cavalry formed the rest (this does not exclude mages with some proficiency with physical combat or archers with cavalry armor). Pelleas asked everyone in the camp who wants to fight on horseback.
With the number of horses at his disposal, he could easily have a few hundred mounted knights. He has received a message, via a hawk laguz, that he is to be deployed at the Tower of Valni, near Onrac. Then the packing began, the tents folded and the supply convoy was safely protected. Three days of marching through the countryside followed and the army had to trudge its way through an unsafe region.
The Sword Knight reports, "There are bandits blocking our way!"
Pelleas asked his men to hold and sent out Anna's cavalry to battle the bandits. Anna, a red-haired dragon laguz, transformed at this very moment, thus rousing the enemy bandits to attack her first. When the first of the beorc bandits came out to attack the newly-trained Daein Army cavalry, all that Anna could do was to soften up the bits out of their enemy. Once the enemy infantry was up close, the archers fired a volley of arrows at the outlaws, killing a few of them in the process. Their infantry leader hid itself behind a stone-crafted well but Anna changed back to her humanoid form, making some of her men angry. The Sword Knight, in an anger outburst, shouted, "What the? Chief? Did your power run out?"
Anna replied, "Remember, without a Demi Band, I have to recharge, so I'm left vulnerable until I can transform again."
The Sword Knight engaged the true bandit leader, also a Sword Knight, in a "sword joust", which is unlike a standard joust, fought with Knight Killers. This time around, both men are on the open road, 200 meters away, charging at each other with their sword drawn. Once they are within a sword's reach, they try to cut each other's head off, the bandit leader failed miserably and the Sword Knight's success made him bring in the head of the bandit leader. By that time, though, the enemy cavalry, unarmored, was quickly destroyed by the Daein cavalry, using both magic and weapons to kill the horse riders.
By some strange action, it's like if a column of light surrounded him, going from the ground so much as to cover him, both horse and rider, completely. It's like if killing the bandit leader gave him enough inner strength for said inner strength materialize itself out, if only once.
Pelleas asked to Calill, "What happens? Do our battle plan go awry?"
Calill replied, "No, sir. It's not a magical backfire, simply one who went up in combat class."
For a Sword Knight, if Calill told her commander the truth, it meant that he has to choose a second weapon to wield to complete the process, called Paladinization for mounted knights. That process allows a mounted knight to move somewhat faster on the battlefield and increases the overall resilience, strength and ability. However, one cannot do it twice and the 2nd weapon choice is irreversible.
Some class change processes are named after their promoted forms; thus a Myrmidon that changes battle classes go through a process named Swordmastery, for a dismounted Knight, it is called Generalization, but for Troubadours, they have two processes, Valkyrization or Knighting, resulting in either a Valkyrie or a Mage Knight.
Other classes, such as Monks or Priests, have named their class-change processes differently. For the aforementioned Monks and Priests, as well as Clerics, they have a common end result, the Bishop, named Sacerdoce. Anna asked the newly promoted Paladin what would his second weapon be, because he is given three choices: lances, axes or bows. The newly promoted Paladin answered that he chooses the bow.
Traditionally, people who went under Paladinization and Generalization (it sometimes apply to Knighted Troubadours or Mages) are also granted nobility status at the lowest level possible, that of a Knight or a Lady. They have no lordship, but the poorest ones are often granted a plot of land to support his/her family, along with their serfs. Those who hold a greater fortune usually have no need for the land.
For some reason, even though he has a black armor, his helmet has turned blue. During the night, all helmets within the U.N. Sixth Army were painted in blue. They marched helmetless for a few days to let the paint on the helmets dry up. Pelleas seemed to forget an important thing about the occasions where the need would arise should more troops be needed in the fight against Grado.
He reminisces what happened a week back, when he was still in Nevassa…
Pelleas said, "If we can march quickly and know that someone will protect our backs, that would be a huge relief."
King Ike replied that if the U.N. has need of soldiers, they would send word. And the Daein Royal Army will move out at top speed.
Once arrived at their destination, Pelleas' troops have come to meet the fleet that will carry them to Frelia. This is no Port Kiris, but at least its facilities can allow a 10-ship-strong fleet to resupply and dock safely. The people ring the bells to salute the Daein army that passes near the city. As for the city watch, they spotted their own army approaching from miles away... The Port Commander ordered that the gates be opened! At that command, four Knights opened the gate, where five thousand men passed below them, Pelleas in the lead. The Port Commander approached Pelleas with caution but ceremoniously.
The Port Commander told Lord Pelleas, "The preparations have been made for your journey back to Frelia, and rout these demon-worshipping, laguz-mistreating Grado curs!"
And then, Pelleas threw a warcry, "Let's do this thing! FOR LAGUZ RIGHTS!"
The other Daein soldiers also shouted, "FOR LAGUZ RIGHTS! For Daein! For the United Nations!"
Supplies were loaded, and since they'll spend months at sea, they were to pack a large amount of supplies; their management were tantamount to the success of the Daein expedition. One could easily imagine how it would feel to spend forty days at sea, away from the land. Therefore, the supply of water was more than important, unless the Daein army could use the sea water to extract drinking water and salt for the meat.
Calill explained her survival plan up there at sea, "Listen up! If we are to last on this long journey, we need to do the following: pour some sea water in a bucket, boil the contents of the bucket and then take the water in the barrel."
She knows that the salt would end up in the bucket; if done properly, the bucket wouldn't rust any faster as if it didn't contain any sea water at all. The mages in the contingent who were capable of fire magic soon trained themselves to control their fire spells in order to survive at sea. Soldiers trained in spear throwing also trained in using their spears as harpoons to fish. And so the Daein expedition departed for Onrac.