The men were listening intently as Joheim spoke on the principles of his new warfare. He described the battles he had seen and the battles that he imagined then described how they differed. Instead of armies moving about in large formations there were smaller groups of men moving to hold key positions with improved weaponry. Instead of cannons placed upon a hill there were guns of great proportion placed many lengths away from the battle. A battle would not last merely an hour or a day but many days or months as the enemy made great effort to gain any ground. Joheim handed papers to Jurgen who rendered them upon the blackboard as best as he could manage. The sketches were crude but conveyed their messages well when accompanied by Joheim's musings. The veteran commented on the futility of defending the empire's borders from so many enemies and explained that this strategy would allow for the greater defense of the borders without great loss of men. On and on it went as the disheveled man described every aspect of his devices and weapons as well as every inch of his battle plans. When the talking had finally ended Joheim was hoarse and somewhat winded from the hours of talking he did. The men sat in silence for a moment before one man stood and addressed Joheim.
"No. We reject every aspect of this proposal on the grounds of absurdity. Good day sir."
The men then quickly left leaving Joheim and Jurgen alone with the old man. The old timer looked at Joheim with disappointment in his eyes.
"I expected better of a former student such as yourself. Where'd you get such ideas from, boy? The gun heat must've fried your brain then. Go on lad, fore you lose what little dignity that uniform provides you. Those ideas were outlandish, sonny! Cannons that shoot for miles and can't even see the enemy, what if we hit our own men! Putting powder inside the rounds? The shot would explode back at the musketeer you fool! I hope you never build these weapons of yours as they'll surely kill you. Don't come back to the college, we appreciate your good work keeping us safe, but keep those thoughts to yourself next time, eh?"
Without another word the old man hobbled out of the classroom leaving Joheim stunned next to his friend. Joheim turned to the guard shakily and looked for some kind of indication of what to do next.
"I didn't think it was that bad. Maybe it just needs some adjustment?" Jurgen said softly.
Suddenly from the rafter seats at the back of the room came a sly voice,
"He's right, your friend there, he's correct. It needs adjustment, but the ideas are sound."
Quietly, a hooded figure shrouded in grey robes slipped from the back of the room where he was sitting silently, making his way to the front where the men were standing. Joheim could've sworn there was nobody else in the room, but all the same the man was there in front of them with the door still closed tight.
"How? I was certain that…" Joheim sputtered,
"Don't worry, all in good time. They call me Silus Geisman and I heard your proposal. These Nulnites don't know about the future anymore, they're past their prime. They couldn't see a good idea if it was launched right at them. No offense of course." The man chuckled in a mocking sort of way when he spoke and wrung his hands constantly, as if they would fall off if he stopped moving them for even a second.
Jurgen stepped forward towards the shady man, puffing his chest out and squaring his shoulders as he stared down the man.
"I don't like your tone of voice. What exactly are you saying, weasel? I'm a town watchman I'll have you know and if any underhanded business is going on here I'll be forced to get involved." Mannfred was imposing now and his voice had deepened with slight anger.
"Relax… I am not proposing anything illegal, mister guardsman, I'm merely suggesting a partnership. Your idea needs presentation, yes, but more than that its missing something else. Which I can tell you if you agree to take me with you when you try and present this again."
Joheim put his hand to Jurgen to help calm the man.
"Let's hear him out, what do you mean present this again? Who else would listen?"
"An idea like this cannot be abandoned at the first setback. No, we must take this to anyone in a position of power who will listen. We need funding and we need support from others."
Joheim thought for a second, "So you do believe this new warfare could be accepted? Truly?"
"Indeed, I do. If you refine it and if you allow me to come with you." The man's eyes glinted in the now dark classroom as the sun set outside, his grin wide under his hood. Joheim and Jurgen looked at each other having a conversation with looks alone, before turning back to the man.
"Alright fine," Said the cannoneer, "But we need to know who you are and what exactly I'm missing."
"And I'll be coming too, I don't think I trust you two going around the empire alone, sorry Joheim, but not every guard will be quite as understanding as me and this fellow here wouldn't exactly be helping your case." Jurgen added.
Silus's grin wavered then returned in force as he extended his boney hand to the duo.
"It's a deal."
The three men shook hands as the sun set below the grey mountains, dark consuming the last sliver of light as the day came to close. Far away dwarves hammered away in their mountains, rats chittered in the dark of the deep, peasants toiled in the fields, and orcs scrapped under tribal totems. All unaware of the great change that was to come, all because of the ravening of one crazed soldier.