We arrived at the village Vallachio had talked about, it was built around an oasis. The inhabitants reminded me of Arab people, with tanned skin and dark beards.

We ate and drank like starved dogs. The food was too spicy, but after the crucible, we had to go through I just didn't have the strength to complain.

That night I fell into a dreamless sleep. I closed my eyes and the next moment the sun was filling the room.

Most of us had gotten various degrees of sunburn. I wasn't too bad off, but my skin was all flaky. We got some suitable clothing and balms to deal with the sun's fury.

It was time to get on the move.

We traveled through the desert for days, stopping at villages and oasis to recover.

Vallachio made us practice mana infused combat and had us keep practicing anti-magic fields and force fields, killing the occasional monster along the way.

The mana infused combat he taught us was more in-depth than what I had learned from Violet. Vallachio explained us the most efficient ways to reduce damage, strengthen our attacks or speed up our movements. Well, there's a reason he's both an archmage and a Magical Defense teacher back at the academy.

Despite the fact he looks like a brawler, there's no denying he's an authority on magical defense spells. He shielded us multiple times from deadly hazards with spotless magic fields.

Obviously, all those deadly hazards were all brought forth by Vallachio himself.

I learned about multi-layered force fields, impact dampening, and camouflage illusion. Sadly, they're all spells that require a long time to master. We were only barely able to make use of them as a group. To master them effectively, I'm afraid I'll have to practice for at least half a year. Hmmm... maybe I'm too optimistic.

By then we had reached a prairie with sparse trees. Vallachio had us split into two groups playing defenders and intruders.

「Vallachio: Remember to use camouflage illusions when approaching the enemy from the distance, it won't hold up to scrutiny, but the simple mesh of colors can allow you to easily slip unnoticed.」

We kept practicing, swapping our roles after each success or failure until night came.

I sighed, tucked in my bedroll. I was enjoying the breeze with my eyes closed waiting to fall asleep.

「Allen.」

Someone roused me from my happy place. It took some effort not to lash out with a verbal assault.

「Allen: Hmm?」

I said turning my tired gaze toward the guy.

Ah, it was that guy... I could never remember his name.

「Allen: Uh... yes huh... hmm... Floris, right?」

I vaguely remembered it ending with an "is".

「Floris: It's Ferdis! I've already told you three times now!」

He scowled with irritation. Serves you right for disturbing my rest. Heh.

「Allen: Mmyeah... Ferdis, just as I said. What's up?」

I mumbled lazily as I shrugged my shoulders.

This guy was one of the recruits from the previous training session, the ex-adventurer that knew a little about magic.

「Ferdis: You fought alongside instructor Vallachio against the demon, right?」

I rolled my eyes. He had the face of someone who wanted gossip. Why people always feel like ambushing me when I don't feel like talking?

Not that there was any chance of me feeling talkative during this excruciating trip.

「Allen: If grabbing a demon's ankle while spasming miserably on the ground can be considered fighting. Yeah... sure.」

I turned on the side, hoping he would get the hint and let me sleep.

「Ferdis: I always heard the tales of Vallachio, the battle archmage. How was it to see him fight? How was it?!」

He asked with misplaced excitement. He didn't take the hint. Not even remotely.

I just want to sleep, man.

「Allen: He was... dancing around, laughing, smashing verklings heads with his bare hands and stomping on the ground sending shockwaves all over. The usual Vallachio.」

I said, facing him again in resignation.

「Ferdis: It must have been a spectacle.」

He said, his eyes moving away while imagining the scene. This guy must have a few screws loose.

「Allen: If you say so... between him and Violet, it was a... bloodbath.」

I replied without enthusiasm.

「Ferdis: I wish I had been there... to witness the full might of the archmages...」

Enough!

「Allen: It wasn't neither fun nor awesome. People died. Some of my friends died. It was a shitty day. Good night.」

I said with finality and hint of irritation. Then I turned on the other side and closed my eyes.

「Ferdis: Oh... sorry. I too have lost friends in battle. I just... wasn't strong enough. That's why I look up to the archmages... with their strength, I... could...」

Finally, he shut up.

C'mon Allen, the man just wanted to strike a conversation. I felt a little shitty about shutting him off like that.

I heard his footsteps walking away from me.

Whatever, I'm tired. I just want to sleep. Next time.

I dozed off.

A jolt woke me up.

Huh, what's going on? I was still half asleep.

Another jolt.

Oh right, I left on the experimental feature to warn me when the number of energy bodies increases in the proximity. The silver cube was pressing on my skin so it had remained active all this time.

Yes, I cheated a little during the "games". Isn't magic itself a cheat, anyway?

Wait.

I checked the radar, I had set it to long distance low polling interval.

What the heck. There were over a dozen new spots at the edge of the range. More incoming each refresh.

I rose sharply filled with anxiety.

「Allen: Shit!」

My heart was pounding hard.

Wait, if the others outside aren't raising alarm maybe it's nothing to be afraid of.

Just in case, I quickly put on my armor and walked outside the tent to check. I raised a force field in front of me.

Better safe than sorry.

Where's the one standing guard. Ah.

He was sleeping. He's fucking sleeping? This was just getting better by the second.

I gave him a kick.

「Allen: WAKE UP FOR FUCKS SAKE!」

I shouted at him angrily.

「Recruit: Gu-hah! Wha-」

He jumped awake startled, his eyes dancing wildly.

Was he alone standing guard? I couldn't see anyone else.

I looked toward the dots direction, but under the cover of night, I couldn't see much, except some vague movement.

「Allen: There's something there!」

I said, pointing at the darkness.

Suddenly, an arrow came flying at me. It speared my force field penetrating just enough to brush my cheek.

SHIIIIIT! I stared open-eyed at the suspended arrow.

I shouted with all I had.

「Allen: ENEMY ATTACK!」

I grabbed the other recruit who had finally got his shit together and we strengthened each others' magic fields.

Another arrow hit our field, this time bouncing back.

「Recruit: AAaahh, where are they?!」

He was panicking. I gritted my teeth and checked my radar.

「Allen: There, but they're starting to spread!」

The dots were on the move, splitting into groups, encircling us.

Other recruits were rising up ready to fight.

But, isn't someone missing?

「Allen: Where's Vallachio?!」

I swear if this is another of his shenanigans...

Of course, it is. What better lesson for slackers than to get a good dose of daily lethality?

「「We can't see them!」」

Our comrades said in confusion.

「Allen: There are three big groups, there, there and there!」

The enemy had split into three big groups. I pointed out the directions to the other recruits so they could shield themselves properly.

「Allen: We have to charge one their groups.」

We had been taught to avoid getting surrounded, we couldn't stand still and let it happen.

「Ferdis: But it's too dark, we can't even see them yet!」

Somehow Ferdis had gotten to my right.

More arrow flew by, deflected by our fields.

I took a branch from the ground and lit the top with fire. Another recruit light a magic light. Right, illusions can do that... but they need concentration. I definitely had not forgotten about them, it's just that I was busy enough keeping the field on.

「Allen: Let's go before they close on us from all sides. Half of you, cover our back from stray arrows! RUN!」

We ran fast toward the smallest enemy group. They weren't expecting us to close in that quickly.

We finally caught a glimpse of our foe. Small, green-skinned humanoids. Goddamn goblins.

「Allen: Goblins!」

The creatures charged at us, but we were ready.

I crushed one's skull with my mace, just to live up to my nickname.

The blood splattered against the force field.

This was nothing compared to what our instructor had us go through. The only thing we had to be careful of was the poison. Fucking goblins and their poisons.

We made short work of the first group and turned to the other two, which were now closing on us.

We were outnumbered, but the goblins were amassed. Some of the recruits launched burn spells, soliciting a chorus of inhuman screeches.

Some of us had gotten hurt and were standing behind the vanguard, thankfully we had a couple of guys who knew some Healing.

A rock got through our fields hitting the man on my left hard on the head. He fell back unconscious.

「Allen: Crap!」

The goblins immediately spun into action. A dozen of them launched themselves against the hole in our formation.

「Allen: FERGUS! COVER ME!」

I commanded, stepping forward.

「Ferdis: Ferdis! My name is FERDIS!」

He shouted back at me. I ignored his complaints, I was busy.

I met the charge head-on. I swung my mace with mana infused strength catching two of them in one swoop. The other dodged and jumped on me. I fucking threw my mace at its face. It hit. GREAT, NOW I HAVE NO WEAPON!

I received blows from all directions.

「Allen: GAaahh!」

I roared in pain.

It hurts, IT FUCKING HURTS!

I grabbed the two closest goblin heads and smashed them together, adding a fuckton of freeze in the mix. Their heads exploded. Literally.

That gave the others a damned moment of hesitation. I shot forward, grabbed one's jaw and fucking ripped it away.

I was screaming like a goddamn berserker.

「Allen: FUCKEEERS!」

I blindly swung my fist down hard and broke some goblin bones. No good, I was burning mana too fast with no chance to breathe!

I tripped on a corpse and fell to the ground.

They were on me in a second.

「Ferdis: Allen!」

Ferdis speared one in the neck, I kicked another away and rolled back toward the recruits.

My hands also found a mace, and I swung it upwards blocking an attack from a goblin. I cast burn making it fall back. I got a better look at my weapon. It was a shitty goblin mace.

Why do I keep misplacing my maces? I looked back to my comrades.

「Allen: Thanks!」

I said, nodding at Ferdis. He nodded back with a grim expression.

I rejoined the formation and cast my deformed illusions right behind the enemies. A distraction is a distraction.

Some of them took the bait and panicked, causing turmoil among a number of goblin assailants.

Another recruit also launched a small fireball against the enemy group. Causing more confusion. Perfect!

「Allen: CHAAARGE!」

We pushed forward seizing the opportunity and slaying as many as we could with a short burst of mana infused speed and strength. Then we immediately restored our defenses, advancing slowly while delivering death to the unsteady foes.

The sudden onslaught broke the goblin's morale, sending them running away screeching.

We stood there for a moment, breathing hard and staring at the darkness.

「Recruit: We... did it?」

A man spoke with relief. I took a look around. Some of the guys had been injured.

The man who had been hit by a rock was still unmoving. The healer was muttering something with a shocked face.

「Healer: This is... beyond me... s-sorry.」

Our first casualty... killed by a thrown rock.

Somehow that felt unfair, we had gone through so much without dying, we had covered each other's back, and yet.

We stared at the corpse, disheartened.

Vallachio walked in silently from behind us.

Where had he been?

「Vallachio: I see... most regrettable.」

This time he was not smiling.

「Recruits: Sir... why... why didn't you intervene?」

Vallachio stared at the recruit with narrowed eyes.

「Vallachio: This is the most important lesson, my dear recruits.」

Vallachio began pacing around.

「Vallachio: It just takes one single mistake to lose your life, to become the weak chain, to be overrun.」

He stopped and looked at us with a serious expression.

「Vallachio: In the battlefield, you won't have archmages looking out for you. You will only be able to rely on each other. Mistakes like falling asleep on your shift...」

He scowled shaking his head.

「Vallachio: It's not just your life that you put in danger, but also those of all your comrades. Inexcusable.」

He pointed at the goblins.

「Vallachio: That, is the weakest enemy you'll face in this war... after this training, most of you will be dispatched to active outposts.」

Nope, I'm definitely not one of those guys.

「Vallachio: You must not lower your guard! Always fight as if your life is on the line because it is! Do you understand?」

He looked hard at us.

「Recruits: Yes, sir!」

He clapped his hands.

「Vallachio: That said... I must commend some of you for the quick response. You correctly assessed the threat, took formation and defeated the foe. Well done! Hahaha!」

His usual smile wormed back on his face.

We didn't feel like smiling.

I looked back at our dead comrade. I just realized... he was the one I had kicked awake. I blanched.

Did Vallachio arrange for this? Do I even want to know?!

Better to stay on his good side. The death march is almost over, Allen. I reminded myself.

I noticed Vallachio was looking my way. I kept my corporate face on, not betraying any emotion.

「Ferdis: That was... pretty cold.」

Ferdis spoke beside me, staring blankly at the fallen.

「Allen: Maybe... then again, what he said is true. My friends almost got wiped away because we dropped our attention. That also taught me to always keep a healing potion on myself.」

I caressed the potion on my belt.

「Ferdis: I see...」

Ferdis looked a little depressed. But that's just how things work. I haven't heard or read of any resurrection spell, so far. If such a spell exists it's a heavily guarded secret or taboo. The man was gone for good.

In the end not socializing too much had been the correct choice. I didn't want to get too close with these people. They were going in a war, some of them would likely never return. I didn't want to be worried about them.

I wasn't the only one keeping to himself, so others probably shared the same feelings.

We made a pyre for the dead recruit and observed the flames in silence.

That night we tripled our shifts.