Chapter 20: Chapter 20: Training his elites
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Piran castle...
Two levels underground, in a wide room with a thick rectangular pillar at the middle is illuminated by candles mounted on the walls. There are twenty-one individuals sitting on the floor with their legs crossed in the shape of a pretzel, the group is made up of twelve boys, six young men, and three young women or girls.
The wide space is formerly two dungeon cells renovated by tearing down the connecting wall and reinforcing the middle part of the wall into a pillar and is now used as a training room.
A pretty blonde young man is among the people training in the room, he was instructed along with five other amateur knights to meditate with the potential trainees for at least an hour every night. What they're asked to do is release their aura for an hour, very much the same as their usual training regimen but this time around a bunch of boys and girls, who are practicing meditation and breathing techniques.
When Spencer asked his lord of the reason, Eric explained that he believes that exposing a non-awakened person to aura as soon as possible while practicing breathing and meditation techniques is more effective and efficient. Breathing and meditation technique is commonly learned in order to help in finding the aura seed and maintaining the aura once it is found, the young viscount firmly believe's that it would be easier for someone to find the seed if they are constantly subjected to aura for a long time, they'll be able to familiarize themselves with the feeling, then somehow they'll get used to it and it'll be a natural thing for them.
Spencer opened his eyes while still continuously pouring his aura out of his body, in an aura user's enhanced eyes the room would look like it is filled with thick fog. It appears that the young blonde can't fully focus, he can't keep his eyes closed for the past forty minutes, there is a constant urge or feeling to stare at someone.
Sera is sitting in the middle of the room, her straight back is adjacent to the thick pillar, while Ferth and Nian are at the two of three other sides of the pillar, six feet in front of her is a blonde amateur knight. His cousin, the young viscount has instructed them, sisters, to take part in the training every night. During the first few days, the feeling of being exposed to aura was a bit suffocating, but after a week the feeling became bearable. She thought to herself, "I need this, this power to protect myself and my family, I need this".
Meanwhile, in an identical room in the castle, Eric is in front of twenty knight trainees and is trying to explain his theory and understanding about aura, he only told them the bare minimum, for now, all they need to know to be quickly proficient in manipulating their aura.
Eric thought to himself, "This group can be my elites, imagine twenty overpowered knight masters, that will slaughter anyone for me", just the idea of it makes the young lord silently giggle. Eric knows how to motivate young men like them since almost every little boy once dreamed to be a knight serving a lord, the idea of becoming an expert fighter is really enticing. Moreover, knights are a profitable career everywhere in Beltir, lords will pay great sums to employ a really strong knight. Furthermore, these individuals are still young which will make it easier to influence and nurture them to become extremely loyal fighters.
Drake became the captain of scouts, and his main objective is first, is to keep an eye on the bandits, reporting their movement. Eric also instructed Drake to stalk and eliminate any or a group of several bandits that will stray far from their hideout, like an assassin, cutting down their numbers bit by bit.
Drake killed almost a dozen regular bandits, that is why the leader personally went out to hunt him with all the knights in the group, but they fail to catch Drake, he was agile and as slippery as a snake. This made the bandit group indecisive and less effective, the low-level bandits are now scared to venture far alone, even with several companions.
Playing cat and mouse with the bandit crew helped Drake in training his concealment technique, just like what the young lord instructed, this became a perfect training exercise for him, he had improved tremendously.
Norman became the captain of the patrols and stayed mostly at the forest outpost, Eric mentioned that as a knight he needs to become a leader and not just follow Baches everywhere. Norman was still inexperienced so Eric picked a smart, sensible, and competent patrol to act as his second. Eric planned the routes, and the detailed actions of the patrols to make it easier for them.
Trim is one of the five original amateur knights in the territory, with Spencer, the six of them are now Eric's personal guards, to accompany and follow the young viscount everywhere. Eric needs them close because he needs to train them to become proper professional knights as soon as possible, to increase his military strength.
Meanwhile, Sir. Baches is in charge of the garrison and is responsible for the peace and security of the town and villages, similar to a police chief, while Gallahan is the Captain of the castle guards, and head military instructor, meaning he is in charge of recruitment and training of his regular army.
Sera can be considered to be Eric's chief information officer, her role is gathering intel. Her immediate task at the moment is to locate their grand uncle, Uren Valen, who plotted with Baron Jar to take over the viscounty by manipulating Reran Valen. The old Valen fled the viscounty with his immediate family after Reran died and is believed to be hiding at the Baron's territory. Sera is now trying to have eyes and ears in Baron's town to also study Baron Jar's activity, schedule, and tendencies, that will be used when the lord finally plans to deal with him.
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Next day, an hour before midday...
On a sandy beach halfway between Piran and the fishing village Noen...
Ferth is standing barefooted on the beach, her feet are buried deep in the sand while she stares at the ocean thinking 'what is beyond this huge pool of water?'
A few meters in front of her is a girl younger than her, with light brown hair playing and splashing seawater.
"Ferth! pull Nian out there were heading back now", Eric called them. He is on horseback looking at the girls, behind him are his six guards on horseback.
While waiting for the girls to both mount their horse, Eric looked beyond the horizon and thought, 'It feels good to be carefree, but I have to take action now, to improve my finances. I'll plunder and steal if I have to!'. Eric smirk to himself then turned his steed and lead his men and the girls back to the keep.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone