Beneath the Dragoneye Moons

Chapter 127: Graduation


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Speech! Speech! Speech!

And I was promptly put to sleep by his speech. And the next Commander’s. And the next. And – were all eight of them seriously going to be giving slightly different variations of the same speech? Cripes.

My ears perked up, and I started paying attention again when we got to the important part.

“… and now, it’s time to carve the names onto the Indomitable Wall.”

The same stonemason from last time stood up from the VIP section, and walked over to the wall. He walked slowly, like stone moving, but the atmosphere was solemn, serious. Nobody would dream of interrupting his walk, of asking him to hurry along.

The drums started to play again, a slow, solemn, melancholy beat. Each name said here, said now, was a life cut short in defense of Remus, a peak warrior killed. This would be, in many ways, their only remembrance, their only legacy. A name, stated. A phrase, uttered. A carving, in a stone wall.

Some of us would move on. It was clear to me now, that others didn’t. Artemis clearly remembered, and remembered well. I also remembered; I wouldn’t forget. The first time I’d been here it felt like I was preserving the memory. No, that wasn’t the important one. It was returning here, returning to where the memories were preserved, to remember them once again – that was the important part.

No wonder every Ranger would fight to the death before allowing That Room to fall. I’d stand in front of the wall and take a lightning bolt for it.

“Team 3.” The Commander announced, Team 1 and 2 having been blessedly spared.

Team 1 was the capital team, the best of the best. It was no surprise that none of them died, and since there was an omni-present Ranger presence, it was no surprise that nothing became a large enough threat.

Team 2 just got flat-out lucky.

The leader of Team 3 got onto the stage, and read off the first name.

“Theopropides.”

I chanted, with everyone else.

“Brave Ranger. Your time to rest has come. May White Dove take you to a better place. Your deeds will not be forgotten. We will remember you.”

The Indomitable Wall was tapped, a new name carved onto it for eternity.

We repeated the process. A name. A recital. A tap.

Wolfy’s intel had been good. 98 names. 98 recitals. 98 taps. 98 new names on The Indomitable Wall.

Team 10 got fully wiped.

Team 13 also got fully wiped, again.

I was starting to wonder if there was some curse on team 13.

Silence naturally fell, as the last name from Team 24 was called out. Remembrance, once again. Respect for the fallen.

Not even Kallisto’s kid made a peep.

One of the Commanders got up, and walked to the podium, the moment broken.

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“I’d like to congratulate the new Academy graduates. As you hear your name, please approach the stage.”

“Trainee Aebutius, approach.”

Aura – I finally knew his name! – jumped up, and marched onto the stage. A handshake, a Ranger Badge pinned to his neat armor, and he triumphantly held his hands up.

“Congratulations to our newest Ranger!” The Commander said, and we applauded.

The other Trainees were the most enthusiastic.

Name after name was read out, until-

“Trainee Echelaos, approach.”

The man next to me got up, and marched up to the stage. My heart was going a million miles an hour. My palms, sweaty and clammy. I forced myself to breathe, to not hyperventilate.

This was it. This was the moment. It was about to be my turn to-

“Trainee Eteonous, approach.”

My heart plunged into my shoes, as Lava patted my shoulders. We’d never gotten to like each other – got along like two wet cats in a bag – but even here, at this moment, at the lowest I’d ever felt, the bond between us Trainees, we who’d gone through the Hell Months together, was unshakeable.

Hang on, I realized, blinking through tears. I’d always been called Ranger Elaine, even all through Academy. Was I just not called up because I didn’t need to be graduated to a Ranger?

My heart hit my shoes, and bounced back up, but I was anything but stable. I’d find out soon. So soon.

My heart managed to re-invent the yo-yo. Deeply unpleasant.

Exactly 103 Trainees were graduated, the 9 of us who hadn’t been called up with sad, ugly looks on our faces. Spitter was present, as well as Hulk. My bet with Hulk? He was a brute, through and through, and wasn’t smart enough to properly be a Ranger. He was a fantastic fighter, but that was it. Couldn’t track, talk with people well, hell, anything outside of a basic order he struggled with. He’d make amazing money as a bodyguard.

Still, I had no time to focus on others, I was worrying about myself.

“Now, it is time to announce the new teams for the following round.” The Commander said, and I immediately started paying rapt attention again, to see if my name would be called out.

No, I told myself. To see what team I’d be in. I was going to make it. I had made it. It’d just be a bit weird walking down from the stands to my new team, but hey, I’d manage it.

“Team 1. Velius, Kallisto, Fufius…” The Commander started reading off names, and happy day, Kallisto was promoted to Team 1! Maybe he was being given some consideration for being married, a way to make married life work as a Ranger? Either way, good for him! He was now an elite of the elites!

Names were read off, and as time went on, I started to get nervous. Maximus’s name was read off – Team 15 – but my name wasn’t said anywhere.

Nor was Julius’s.

Hang on, let me check something really fast –


General Skills

[Identify: 136]

[Recollection of a Distant Life: 159]

[Pretty: 132]

[Vigilant: 198]

[Oath of Elaine to Lyra: 201]

[: ]

[Reflexes: 95]

[Learning: 212]


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