Outside the walls of Sedona City, at the military training base, over a thousand soldiers were currently in the middle of a grueling session. They had just returned from hauling massive timber out of the Forbidden Mountain Range.
"Keep running! Don't even think about slacking off!" Aiden bellowed. These were new recruits, brought in only three weeks ago. They were currently focused on building raw strength and physical endurance, but more importantly, iron-clad discipline.
Stomp, stomp, stomp...
Snap!
A soldier sprinted over and snapped a sharp salute. "Chief, the City Lord is at the equipment warehouse. He requested your presence immediately."
"Understood." Aiden nodded, handed the training duties to his deputy, and took off at a jog toward the warehouse.
He recalled that a new shipment of gear had arrived today. Is the Master here for an inspection? The Department of Military and Political Affairs was expanding rapidly. Cement barracks were already being built, and some were already in use. The equipment warehouse was one of the first structures completed—and arguably the most secure location in the city.
As Aiden entered the warehouse, he saw Lucas tinkering with a crossbow. It was the latest model—a compound crossbow derived from the mechanics of a compound bow. It was a terrifying piece of engineering designed for maximum lethality, capable of punching through heavy plate armor at a hundred meters.
"Master," Aiden greeted him respectfully.
"How is the recruit training coming along?" Lucas asked, his eyes never leaving the crossbow.
"Their discipline is starting to meet the requirements," Aiden reported, "But their physical stamina still has a long way to go."
"Is the mutton supply sufficient?" Lucas put down the crossbow and picked up a bolt. The tip was forged from high-carbon steel, while the shaft remained wood to save on costs.
"It's plenty," Aiden replied. Recently, the military had seen a surge in mutton supplies, which was far superior to pork for building muscle.
"Start training the recruits on the crossbows immediately. There's a storm brewing," Lucas said. He turned his gaze toward the back of the warehouse, where rows upon rows of armor stood gleaming. This warehouse alone held enough gear for two thousand men, representing an investment of tens of thousands of gold coins.
"Master, has something happened?" Aiden's face turned grim.
"Intelligence reports that the Fourth Prince, Liam, has settled in Liberty City," Lucas said, walking deeper into the warehouse. He felt a sense of security seeing the rows of long, heavy infantry blades.
"Liberty City? Does he plan to take over the Western Territories first?" Aiden guessed. He knew the Princes were currently clawing at each other for the throne in the Capital.
"War is coming." Lucas motioned to Mina. The cat-girl reached into her leather pouch and handed a letter to Aiden.
Aiden read the contents, his expression darkening with every line. He took a deep breath. "Master, what do we do?" The letter detailed how several lords in the West were already defecting to the Fourth Prince.
"We have two choices: fight, or surrender everything," Lucas said calmly. He flicked a finger against a blade, producing a sharp, ringing clink.
"We fight. No one takes what belongs to the Master," Aiden snarled, his eyes flashing with murderous intent. After finally tasting a good life, they weren't about to hand it over to some Prince. To Aiden, the King in the Capital was a distant shadow; the only word that mattered was Lucas's.
"Accelerate the training. It won't be long now," Lucas ordered. "Pull five hundred men to form a Military Crossbow Squad. Recruit another five hundred auxiliary soldiers to handle the ammunition and reloading."
The compound crossbow had a significant draw weight, making it difficult to cock and load quickly. Using the Earth tactics, Lucas planned to saturate the battlefield with bolts before the enemy could even close the distance.
While simple, the mechanical advantage of the compound cams allows for a 'let-off,' making it easier for a soldier to hold a high-tension shot compared to a traditional recurve.
"Don't worry about wasting bolts. I want them practicing until they can fire and reload at lightning speed," Lucas said sternly. "Once the war with the Fourth Prince is over, we will be the true masters of the West."
"Do the heavy cavalrymen like the new mounts?" Lucas asked.
"They're perfect. The quality is much higher than the last batch we bought," Aiden said enthusiastically. These were the first warhorses received through the new trade agreement with the beastkin tribes.
"Good." Lucas nodded. He looked at the stacks of canned mutton. He had accumulated enough supplies to sustain a full-scale campaign. He wouldn't let a stray dog like the Fourth Prince ruin the territory he had worked so hard to build.
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