Chapter 3: August's Daily Duties
Personal System Calendar: Year 00012, Day 4-14, Month I: The Imperium
Imperial Calendar: Year 6857, 4th to 14th day of the 1st Month
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Morning Rituals
The following mornings fell into a comfortable routine that had become something of a village tradition. August woke before dawn, as he always did, greeting the dark skies with the same discipline that had carried him through the years whether it was for survival or it was during war. His morning regimen was not negotiable, not something he skipped even during the harshest winters or the most exhausting days. It was as fundamental to his existence as breathing.
What had started as a solitary practice had gradually drawn in a growing number of people who had been, as Erik liked to put it, lulled into doing it too. The village now boasted a remarkably fit population, at least among those who were able-bodied. The old and frail were excused, as were the sick and pregnant. But there was no rule mandating participation. August had never forced anyone to join him. It simply happened that everyone who tried the regimen discovered its effectiveness and spread the practice to newcomers through example rather than edict.
Every day, unless something urgent demanded immediate attention, groups of villagers would emerge from their homes in the pre-dawn darkness and run circuits around the village. The imperial troops stationed inside the settlement did the same, and except for those on guard duty, such as the village guards or imperial patrols that were out into the broader territory, as they had their own training schedules during the hours they were not manning the walls or conducting patrols.
It was a custom that August had learned from the old Maya Village, the one that had been destroyed in the massacre. Now the present village had adopted it from him, carrying forward a tradition that linked the past to the present in ways both practical and symbolic.
August still found himself amazed at how much the village had grown. It resembled the walled towns he had visited in his travels, complete with proper fortifications and organized districts. Yet by population standards, they remained classified as a village. Uncle Red had become a truly exceptional leader, and August was glad he had chosen him as his replacement after stepping down from the role years ago when he was still too young to fully appreciate the weight of leadership.
After his morning routine, August ate breakfast before turning his attention to the day's work. His primary responsibility was the village's military affairs, a role that had expanded considerably as Maya Village itself had grown.
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The Eagle's Veil: Current Military Structure
Three years ago, the village had fielded one hundred guardsmen and one hundred twenty beastfolk warriors. The term "guardsmen" had been more accurate than "soldiers" at the time. They were not a belligerent force. Maya Village was fundamentally peace-loving, though it would defend itself without hesitation when provoked.
Now the village maintained a proper military force of five hundred soldiers under the banner of the Eagle's Veil, not counting the militia, the auxiliary support force, or the allied beast population. The organizational structure had been carefully designed to balance readiness with the practical needs of a frontier settlement.
The Supreme Command structure was straightforward: August Finn held the position of Grand Commander, with Red Peerce serving as Second in Command for Military Affairs in addition to his duties as Village Chief. Command authority was unified across all military divisions, preventing the kind of jurisdictional conflicts that could paralyze decision-making during emergencies.
The Settlement Security Division formed the core of the village's professional military capability. Five hundred members strong, commanded by Axel Martin, the division consisted of three hundred fifty humans and one hundred fifty beastfolk, evenly split between the Kotoko and Lokoroko clans. This was a standing force maintained in constant readiness, with advanced combat proficiency and excellent equipment. Every member wore standardized armor and carried standardized weapons made from materials of the highest quality taken from the beasts they have slain over the years, ensuring consistency in capability and making repair, maintenance and logistics considerably simpler.
The Militia Force represented the village's total mobilization capability. Eight hundred members, every combat-capable adult and adolescent aged thirteen and above, fell under the command of Jonathan Ross. This was not a professional force, but rather the entire able-bodied population trained to basic or intermediate combat proficiency. The participation rate was one hundred percent. Every resident underwent mandatory training. In the event of an existential threat, the village could field its entire adult population as fighters while the support force maintained logistics and medical care.
The Guard Escort Division, commanded by Cornick Sandeval, consisted of one hundred members split evenly between humans and beastfolk. Of these, seventy-seven were active duty while thirty-three remained in reserve, ready to replace injured personnel returning from escort missions. This division's primary function was protecting the trade caravans that would now travel regularly between Maya Village and distant markets. The guards were trained to the same advanced combat proficiency standards as the Settlement Security Division and equipped with identical quality gear and an insignia of an eagle hovering a massive tree at the center and underneath it is a representation of their village.
The Beast Folk Specialized Fighting Force, commanded by Chief Tamba, fielded two hundred fifty elite beastfolk warriors trained in the traditional combat methods of the Kotoko clan and the Lokoroko clan. These warriors functioned as heavy assault troops, specialists in shock tactics and operations that required unconventional approaches. Their master-level combat proficiency came from training traditions that predated the village itself (in their own lands before stumbling here), and they were fully coordinated with the human forces despite maintaining their distinct tactical identity.
The Allied Beast Population represented a unique asset that few settlements could claim. The Grimfang Pack, led by the Boss-ranked Grimfang known as Rexy, now numbered over two hundred fifty wolves, a carefully maintained population deemed necessary for the current size of their territory. Erik Rubbard served as the human coordinator for the pack, maintaining the vital communication link between the wolves and the human command structure. The Grimfangs handled reconnaissance, patrol duties, and rapid response across the village's eight thousand one hundred square kilometer territory and adjacent zones. They were semi-domesticated, fully cooperative, and utterly loyal to the settlement they had adopted as their own territory.
The flight of Mighty Peregrine Eagles, led by Aetherwing, numbered thirty-five individuals. They provided aerial reconnaissance, rapid communication across vast distances, and when necessary, devastating aerial assault capabilities that no ground-based force could match.
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Special Operations Teams
The special operations structure consisted of two tiers, both small and highly specialized.
Talon One, the Tier One special operations team, consisted of eleven members divided between combat roles and support functions. August Finn led the team as an all-rounder combatant. Erik Rubbard served as sub-leader and scout specialist. Betty Snow functioned as support attacker and their fire elemental magical artillery specialist. Bren Anglewood served as a hybrid vanguard and attacker while coordinating aerial scout reconnaissance with his bonded beast Kirpy'. Angeline Ross filled multiple roles as support attacker, healer, and medical specialist. Adam Peerce was the team's primary tanker and defense specialist. Isabel Peerce brought tactical flexibility as an all-rounder filling in the gaps of both the team's attack and defense. Milo Stone served as the team's berserker, a mercenary combat style he had learned from Uncle Andy, he favored the aggressive and overwhelming force he provides on the battlefield.
The support team consisted of Hiraya and Adarna, who handled logistical support and healing, and Nina Simone, who managed the team's finances and supply acquisitions.
Talon Two, also known as Team Mandibles, served as the Tier Two special operations unit with ten members. Ragnar Martin led the team as its primary tanker. Banog Kotoko served as the sub-leader and also an all-rounder. Freya Martin specialized in assassination missions and scouting. Torin Ned operated as their Grimfang bonded mounted cavalry and mobile scout. Kali the beast man was the team's berserker. Cinna Moe handled the team's long-range archery. Shaggydog Tracker brought with him the Family Tracker's hunting and tracking expertise. And Benethar Solvorn, Master Ben's magnum opus, a magma construct with a soul of its own, served as the teams all-rounder with particular emphasis on magical damage output using magma element attacks.
The support team consisted of Jennifer and Ruk'ruk, both filling support roles, logistics duties, and healing functions.
The Military Auxiliary Combat Support Force, headed by Theresa Peerce, consisted of five hundred members ranging in age from nine years old to elderly residents who could no longer serve in combat roles. This force included healers, logistics specialists, scouts, craftsmen, and various support specialists whose functions enabled sustained any defensive or offensive military operations. Children aged nine to twelve were assigned menial but crucial tasks during combat situations, always positioned in the utmost rear positions, far from direct fighting. The support force received basic combat training as well so they could defend themselves if necessary, but their primary value lay in their specialized skills rather than their fighting capability.
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Sandeval's Redemption
August reviewed the force structure with satisfaction. The village was genuinely combat-capable, able to defend itself against threats that would have annihilated the settlement in its earlier years.
His thoughts turned to Cornick Sandeval, commander of the Guard Escort Division. Sandeval's appointment had not been without controversy, given his history. The man had previously served as a slave caravan escort guard captain for the Corvus syndicate, the criminal organization that had been ninety-five percent eradicated by the empire during the purging that followed the attack on Fort Aulexus three years ago.
Sandeval had never directly committed crimes against the village itself, but he had committed crimes against some of the people who now lived here. His work involved guarding and transporting human beings, trafficking them as slaves to potential buyers. He had not participated in the cruelest deeds, according to multiple accounts, but the fact remained that he had been complicit in an evil enterprise.
But that was a long time ago now. August had approached Sandeval one night along with other military heads. The evaluation process had been thorough. Sandeval's knowledge of escort missions was invaluable once separated from the context of his past associations. He was probably the most experienced person in the village for this particular type of operation.
Sandeval had hesitated at first, insisting he was unworthy of the responsibility. The old man had been doing odd jobs around the village since his arrival, accepting any work regardless of how menial. He had undergone mental evaluation from both Donna and Theresa. Every day in the house, they observed him. What they came to understand was that the harshest critic of Cornick Sandeval was Sandeval himself. He believed that no amount of atonement would ever be sufficient for what he had done.
That was why he had confined himself to support roles, but August recognized that Sandeval's talents were being wasted. That was why the formal evaluation process had been necessary before tasking him with management of the new specialized division two years ago.
They had not forced him to accept. They simply opened the possibility and left it available. After August spoke with him privately, he understood what Sandeval truly wanted. The man was looking for something, a longing that went deeper than mere employment or purpose.
Sandeval wanted forgiveness. Specifically, he wanted forgiveness from the victims of Corvus who now lived in Maya Village: Hiraya, Adarna, Donna, and even Andy, though Andy had already forgiven him a long time ago.
August arranged conversations between Sandeval and the three women. He needed to know their thoughts, needed to understand whether they were comfortable with Sandeval taking a position of authority in the village. What he learned gave him hope. All three women had forgiven Sandeval. They had watched him for years, seen his genuine remorse, witnessed his attempts to erode his own presence and blend into the background because he believed he did not deserve to be seen.
That forgiveness became the catalyst for Sandeval's recovery of his lost dignity and confidence. Now he stood proud in his new role, leading the Guard Escort Division with competence and dedication that exceeded expectations.
August hoped that his other bachelor household members would find similar paths forward. Uncle Andy, Marcus, Sibus, and Sandeval were all still unmarried. Sandeval was the oldest at fifty something, while Marcus was the youngest at thirty or so years old. Given that Arkanians were a long-lived race capable of reaching hundreds of years for those with strong mana, and that even average individuals could reach two to three hundred years with basic care, all four men were still young by any reasonable measure. Perhaps they would find partners eventually. Perhaps not. It was not August's place to push them.
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Current Operations and Concerns
August finished his review of the military force structure. They were ready. The capability to defend themselves existed at multiple levels, from the professional Settlement Security Division to the universal militia to the specialized teams and allied beasts.
The Guard Escort Division's composition was particularly well-designed. One hundred members, with thirty-three in reserve to replace injured personnel. Even the caravan crews had combat training, as most were drawn from the militia while only a few came from the support units. If the guards needed help defending a caravan, the crew could provide meaningful assistance. Only the medic and financial officer were exclusively from the support group, and even they had basic combat skills.
The caravan master and crew would position themselves at the rear of the formation if fighting occurred, but they would not be helpless.
The imperial military presence had been invaluable for training purposes. Mock battles and joint exercises had sharpened the village's forces considerably. The village maintained its own unique battle style, though it had evolved into a hybrid approach incorporating imperial methods and traditional techniques. The militia force was probably the most versatile element, functioning in civilian roles during peacetime and transitioning seamlessly to military duties when war came.
Recent reports were concerning, though not unexpected. Other people had started coming toward the village beyond the regular merchants who stopped to trade. Unwanted people. Bandits and robbers who saw the growing settlement as a potential target. Almost certainly spies from nearby settlements or criminal organizations seeking intelligence on the village's capabilities and weaknesses.
But most of them reconsidered their plans after seeing the village defenses and the presence of an imperial garrison. The fortifications were genuine, the soldiers were real, and the consequences of attacking Maya Village would be severe. August suspected that reports were already circulating through the criminal underworld that this particular frontier settlement was not a soft target.
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Teacher
August's duties in the coming days would remain consistent, but he had something to look forward to. The Emperor had offered him a chance to further his studies in combat arts to send a teacher to the village, a profound warrior described as the absolute best all-rounder combat specialist in the empire. Someone like August himself, but with decades more experience and refinement.
It had been before winter that most of August's friends had left the village, they had decided it was time to take the empire's offer to them before, it was for a chance at a formal education at one of the empire's prestigious academies. The offer had been extended to all of them, but not everyone could leave simultaneously. Adam and his two wives could not go because both women were pregnant. August and Angeline remained behind because their teachers were able to come to the village instead. But most of the members of Talon One could go so they took the chance.
Angeline's teacher, Count Ronaldo Bradmoote, had arrived two years ago after finishing his contract teaching at the imperial academy, as he had promised. The count was a master of the healing arts, more specifically he was honed in the battle field as field medic and was known throughout the empire and his presence had elevated Angeline's skills considerably. He had also met Jonathan Ross during his first visit, recognizing him as the man he had treated during the final days of the war between the Empire of Elms-Arkanus and the Fresco League of Kingdoms. Jonathan had been riddled with arrows at the time, sustained while trying to save (Christopher Harti). The two men had exchanged words, and the count had been shocked to learn that Angeline was Jonathan's daughter. One of those unexpected small-world moments that life occasionally provided.
August's own teacher would arrive soon. He looked forward to it with genuine anticipation. There was always more to learn, always ways to improve, and the prospect of training with someone who had mastered the all-rounder combat style to the highest levels was exciting.
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Daily Patrols and Rapport
After completing his military review and issuing orders for patrol assignments, August conducted his daily tour of the village. This was something he did every single day without fail: walking through the settlement, greeting everyone he encountered, settling minor disputes when he could, moving through zones one and three in a deliberate pattern that ensured he saw every major area regularly.
It was his way of building rapport with the people and gathering intelligence on matters that the elder council and village administration might otherwise miss. Sometimes these walks revealed problems that needed addressing. Other times they simply reinforced the social bonds that held the community together. Either way, the time was well spent.
Today he had company beyond the usual guards who accompanied him. Finnester, his second bonded beast, was a regular form of beast-bond, not the deep level soul connection he had with Aetherwing, the winged beast walked alongside him through the broader streets and took to the air when the paths grew too narrow for his wingspan.
Finnester was the offspring of Aetherwing and Sylpharael, part of the second clutch of their eggs. Aetherwing had asked August to name this particular chick, and August had chosen the name Finnester, incorporating his own family name into the name of his new companion. In the frequent absences of Aetherwing, who now had responsibilities as a Forest Guardian Beast of the northern territory, Finnester served as August's mount and companion.
The young eagle stood eighteen feet tall with a wingspan of thirty-six feet. He was still technically a juvenile in terms of development, smaller than his father and many of his siblings. But Finnester's smaller size made him more approachable, and his temperament was remarkable even for a Mighty Peregrine Eagle.
Recently, August and Finnester's synchronization had reached one hundred percent. They could now communicate telepathically, something that had not been possible in the early stages of their bond. The mental link made flying together infinitely easier and allowed for coordination that would have been impossible through verbal commands alone.
Finnester possessed something unique that he had inherited from his mother. Sylpharael had been experimented on since she was a chick, forcibly altered to give her a light element affinity despite her natural wind element. Aetherwing had explained this to August years ago, though neither of them fully understood how an element that was not her natural affinity had been passed to her offspring.
Even Master Ben, the great wizard and village's premier magical Instructor who had decided to settle in the village, could not answer the question either. The mechanics of magical inheritance were not fully understood even by scholars who had spent lifetimes studying the subject.
Finnester had developed affinities for both lightning and light elements. A wind element would have been interesting, making him the first natural three-primary-element entity if such a thing were possible. But it was not to be. Two elements were still exceptional, and the combination of lightning and light gave Finnester capabilities that most beasts never developed.
August and Finnester conducted regular air patrols, scouting the village and the surrounding lands every day. Even during the coldest winters they flew, with August sometimes stripping down to nothing but his most essential clothing. The cold was bracing, clarifying, and it kept him sharp in ways that comfort never could.
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Reflections
These had been August's days for the past three years: morning training with the villagers, breakfast with the household, military reviews and administrative duties, daily patrols through the settlement, and aerial reconnaissance with Finnester. It was a routine that worked, a structure that gave shape to days that might otherwise have blurred together.
The village was continuously growing. The threats were increasing in the shadows. But new opportunities were also emerging in distant places where their caravans reached. August's teacher was coming. His friends were studying abroad. And children being born into a world that was found deep in the most dangerous forest, were being cradled by their parents.
Life continued, as it always did, and August did his best to ensure that it continued safely, peacefully, and with purpose.
That was all anyone could do, really.
And for now, it was enough.