Image above is the map of Venit Ille (the village).

  “Auferstehen...?”

  “Truly grave.” Alrife emphasized, looking at Hierd grimly.

  They stopped, “I’m sorry, but what is this grave Auferstehen?”

  “You have no idea lord?” Alrife’s face turned into bitter confusion, he grasped to his past; “there’s no man who lives in Auferstan who does not know of Auferstehen, the whole continent is shadowed by… It. Are you, perhaps, lord, from another continent?”

  “Europe.” He said without thinking.

  “Europe. Europe.” He repeated to himself, “I don’t know what that is.”

  “Then that’s good. Do keep telling me of Auferstehen.” Hierd slowly began to walk.

  “It means, Auferstehen. It’s when these monsters rise from the ground, several feet high do they stand, eyeing us up like wolf to prey, destroying villages, everything, lord. It frequents yearly, though there’re times when it doesn’t. A whole festival gets thrown after that.” He chortled, thinking of his past.

  “It reminds me of the olden myths told by my ancestors,” Hierd said imagining Greece. “There were giants the size of mountains, and hell hounds with three heads, frightening beasts of yore. But never did I think they were real.” He stopped to ponder a little.

  “Say, do these monsters typically look… Humanoid? Are rotten-looking and craves human flesh?”

  “N-no?” Alrife mustered a response in confusion. “They do crave human flesh, but not in a way I think you’re describing it as, lord. They wish to pounce of flesh, I saw it in their eyes. They enjoy the dead being obliterated, barely recognizable faces after.” He frowned, in anger?

  “So what are these… Beasts, really? What do they look like?”

  Alrife lit up a response, seeing a dog from some nearby corner, pointing to it. “That, lord, is a dog.”

  “Never had thought otherwise.”

  "W-well. I don't know much bout' how they form or anything. Just that... They 'are' what they are. And that dog is an example, an animal. But unlike an 'animal' these Auferstehen beasts are big. Burly. A bulldog the size of a tree, I'd say; lord."

  "A bulldog the size of a tree." Hierd muttered in his breath. "One of three things I never thought would be fear of mine. Among woman and drivers being the two others."

  "Drivers?" Questioned Alrife, "they are are they not?"

  "In a way... Yes."

  They made their way down the path to which was just behind the chief's house. It was not a far trek, merely a couple of steps and you'd make it there yourself. The chief's backyard (as observed by Hierd) was full of those training dolls and training swords, the trees having the slashes caused by the sharp edges of swords.

  But too observed by Hierd, there were so little, nigh so few arrows and bows displayed about. Either the village hides the rest or that there are just that few of them in the village.

  "We are here, lord. I... I need to be back to the chief, please enjoy your stay in our village."

  Hierd nodded to Alrife whom was already making his way back.

  Commented Hierd, looking at the shack.

  In customary attitude, Hierd knocked then opened the door. It looked clean, it's cleanliness inside did not what-so-ever matched the cleanliness, neatness, of the outside.

  Hierd laid himself onto the comfortable bed just in front the door. Just noticing his boots leaving marks of mud onto the clean wooden ground, he got it off and threw it behind the door.

  *Hyup!

  His mind depleted into the bedding. The cushioning just right, though it were only a stack of hay, a bit of cushioning and a white sheet separating his body from the prickly hay. His eyelids, heavier and heavier still; they closed.

  ---

  A swell of people were gathering and shouting all sorts of exclamations. Lined-up, one by one, inching closer and closer to get a closer look at what Hierd had brought for the village for Auferstehen. They looked at his unusally fancy suit, the things he had equipped, the metallic objects strapped to his waist.

  It was a spectacle. But all had went quiet when they saw man in black raise his hand to the skies, the balled-fist enough to send coursing through their veins a command. Something they to follow.

  "Everyone! We are gathered here today to receive Lord Hierd's training!" Shouted chief Naturvege at the surrounding village footmen.

  Naturvege, after finishing his announcement stared at Hierd. Gathering that it was 'the' cue, Hierd then announced. "Footmen, you all are to receive Germany's weaponry. Because of this, you are not allowed to deface, to dirty, or even to break them. Death be to anyone who does!"

  The footmen didn’t look so joyful after that.

  He continued.

  “What I have with me is named the . I trust this weapon for it’s greatness and reliabilty.” He groped the wooden sides, the metalic barrel then clicked the trigger. The crowd was forced to ogle at the spectacle.

  Was it a spear!? Very short for a spear, they looked closer at the contraption, ah! Yes; a dagger is attached, it is by no means a spear, or is it? They hadn't an idea, they were merely just so shocked! Naturvege, Alrife, the footmen, and all the observers were confused. But then, noticing the silent commotion.

  "Alike a bow, but thrice as better, this gun can fire bullets as fast as a blink." He gestured Alrife to prepare an arrow target.

  He looked at the crowd, methodically examining each and every person there, their faces too different from each other that it was so easy to identify he from he, from she from she.

  He took a deep breath and aimed at it.

  He pulled the trigger.

  A deafening crackle of fire!

  Pain to the ears of the observers, marveling at the cannon-like sound. Slowly, all-at-once, they looked at the just shot at target. “A hole!” One said.

  “He shot it!” Another said. “But how in so little time!? It was instant! And it was powerful!”

  "Yes, yes footmen. With this thing, we can shoot an average of five shots at every reload while the ones who wield arrows can fire one at our every reload."

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

  The crowd was ecstatic, a weapon so accurate and fast, so powerful as well as it burned a small hole and punctured all the way through the target. "Today we shall practice to use the Kar98k. And once you've mastered it, shall I then teach you the proper way to be a soldier!"

  -A COUPLE OF MINUTES LATER-

  Hierd, with the help of Alrife readied a small target area. The 'hub' area being the size of a football field. He set up three slots with targets at the end, one with a range of thirty meters, one with fifty, and the farthest being seventy meters. After they finished setting them up, he readied the soldiers in columns. But, he said something.

  "Hmm..."

  "It seems you soldiers look like the the branches on barks of wood!" He said before; "Alrife!"

  "Yes?”

  "March them around the field we have created until they've exhausted!"

  The soldier's mouths dropped to the ground. Wanting to object one said; "But-" However he was stopped immediately when the chief that was right behind Hierd said; "Follow the lord! No man shall object, punishent to those who do!"

  In a meaningless fit they started with a short jog before then the chief said; "Faster!" They reached the 50th meter but by that time, their legs were far too exhausted. They panted like dogs and the many of them collapsed.

  "They're far too weak." Hierd said before; "I wanted to train them how to use the gun but it seems they need physical exercises first! They can't ever wield a gun like this!"

  Hierd's complaint made the chief a bit embarrassed. To then Naturvege said, "Please excuse us, our footmen were under trained."

  "Then..." He smirked, "Take them at my leisure whilst I prepare twenty-five more of my guns... I expect them to be exhausted, with sweat drenching their whole body. And once night falls, line them up in columns for I will give everyone a lesson."

  A comical gulp, "I shall, O lord." Said Naturvege.In cinematic climax, Hierd rid himself off the stage and went towards the 'shack.'

  "I've been wondering for such a long time now... Why is Naturvege so loyal to me. Because I'm a 'lord?' This man has lost it. But whatever the case... This is good for me and my own sanity."

  The townsmen were without doubt terrified of their new leader. After seeing the Kar98ks he so gracefully shot with, they thought all sorts of wild things; "Is he the lord of demons?" One said; "Will he kill us if we leave this town exposing his secrets!?" Yet thankfully another blurted; "He's a lord! No noble kills a commoner without cause!"

  It slienced.

  "That may be indeed." Said in chorus, men of the village.

  From past the chief's house and onto the dirt path; Hierd walked with a blank face and a tremoring hand.

  "fifty untrained footmen? Fifty untrained footmen that had (I think) survived and had beat the other year's Aufer-- Aufer something, I forgot."

  He opened the cabin's door, a pile of twenty-five Kar98k were on the floor, the same ones he was supposed to give the footmen. A sigh, before saying; "Give me twenty-five more Kar98ks with a fixed bayonet and a leather strap..."

  [REQUEST GRANTED: 25 KAR98K W/ FIXED BAYONET W/ LEATHER STRAP]

  A blink, and like magic, or rather, like the world was paused for him only, twenty-five fully decked-out Kar98ks were there, ready to be picked-up. "Now, what to do about those soldiers..."

  There was a lot of waiting, five? Four hours? What ever of it, he slept like a baby! Ignoring what bugs could've entered the cabin or of the importance he carried with.

  A knock, it rocked Hierd's cabin about five times, the fifth one being much more softer. The fourth kicked Hierd awake, which was sleeping on the bed. "O' lord!?" Shouted someone.

  "Yeah, yeah I'm coming!" He kicked himself off the bed with a simple jolt of the legs, put on his leather boots and opened the door. "Alrife?" He questioned, adjusting his eyes to his surroundings, his brain then woke up. "Ah, Alrife have they finished?"

  "Yes O' lord. They have. And are now waiting for you and your lesson."

  "Lesson?" He forgets, but he then remembers; "LESSON!? I SLEPT THE WHOLE TIME THEY WERE TRAINING! SHISSE!"

  "Lord, Hierd?" Alrife eagerly awaited an answer from the 'lord,' of which had multiple droplets of sweat dropping from his face.

  "Let us go."

  A brisk walk, it was quite scenic, in a way. There was so much green grass, a rarity in the city, the urban sprawl of buildings he thinks he lived in, in the past, or of the past that he has forgotten long ago. Hazy, such memories.

  The field was lit up bright with the footmen all gathered around where the lights were brightest and where the chief was visible. Alrife went toward Naturvege, whilst Hierd had impatiently put himself at the front of the platoon of footmen.

  "Good Evening, footmen!"

  The crowd of footmen seemed uninterested in whatever Hierd was to say, they were exhausted, very much so. In response to that, Hierd flicked his finger. A signal, the flick had called upon Alrife's wagon.

  "As per request, O' lord. The wagon you requested from the back of the cabin."

  It was covered in a large old-white cloth, it was just mere seconds later that the footmen had smelt; "Food!"

  "Yes! Footmen, Food!" Hierd said in a ploy to persuade. "Eat and drink to your heart's content."

  Hierd and Alrife together had lifted the white veil and then came a booming smell of scalloped potatoes. Along with it, cold water, bottled already in canteens. Alrife, Naturvege, the footmen, they were all suprised, with the smell making them hungrier by the second.

  Before he could let the footmen touch even a small portion of it, he said; "I will be serving you all, so please be orderly and line-up." Not even a second later, the whole platoon of footmen were driven by hunger and lined so orderly that Hierd did not even need to say what'd happen if it wasn't orderly. He noticed that Alrife and Naturvege were there too at the end of the line.

  "I prepared five pots worth of food!" Yelled Hierd, "I will leave a dish for your families too!"

  A great shout filled the air, it was indescernable, but Hierd knew that their morale was up and their moods were lifted. And hopefully, they trusted him much more than before.

  "This food looks great!" One said, after tasting it he then said; "And its tastes amazing!"

  Everyone agreed to that one's statements, the food was hot and delicious, nothing like the village's meals, it had a sort of 'kick' to it unlike theirs.

  Hierd had, one-by-one gave every footmen a canteen with cold water and a large serving of scalloped potatoes, each-and-every one of the footmen were beyond delighted, tasting it, and recieving cold water after a hard day of training.

  It took an hour for all of them to be fully reinvigorated back into sense after the five hours of panting and jogging they had to endure.

  The footmen were done with the second pot, and all were full, all were energetic enough to talk and walk around like their five hour excersize was a thing of the past. But, noticing the lively environment, Hierd decided to call on the chief, which was himself chatting-up whilst eating the delicious food Hierd had procured. "Chief Naturvege!"

  Naturvege had immidiately got-up and walked rather jovial towards him. "Yes, Lord?"

  "They look full already, energetic too..." He looked onto the crowd before continuing; "Line them up in columns of five."

  Extrapolating from Hierd's serious tone, he followed it as swiftly as he heard it. "Yes."

  "From the many of them, I've noticed that there aren't many 'hardened' men here. But there are few who looked skilled enough to hold and fire accurately a gun for the first time. They'll be the first ones for tommorow... That being said; that Naturvege guy works fast..." He said whilst looking at the swiftly-created formation of footmen aranged in a matter as orderly as did when they were first hungry.

  When it finished, Hierd had stood in the front of them; "Tommorow shall mark the first day where you will get the Kar98k-"

  The platoon sounded excited.

  "But!" He exclaimed, "The gun, the one you will get tommorow. Lose it and you shall face punishment of the greatest magnitude! Lose your gun, damage your gun, and your face will turn unrecognizable infront of your family!"

  The platoon grimaced, their jovialness from before, gone.

  "The days of revival, you will be afraid, you will think of your family, you will think of the ones you love most in the front lines of battle. It will not weaken you, nigh it will strengthen you! Cherish your loved ones, the ones who live beside you, not only your family, friends, but every single man who sleep in this village. This all, will be your lesson. To love all whom you see. To thank all who help you, and to help all who need it. These 'values' without it, I will not see you as a fellow man who holds the blade into battle to protect their loved ones. But rather a coward."

  "I think I got them..."

  They understood. Seeing the atmosphere lighten, Hierd continued.

  "To the men who I will point this day, shall be the ones to command and lead a team of ten."

  They all murmured. "Leaders!?"

  "Commanders!?"

  "Can I become one?"

  "If one objects or if I see evidence that dismay your position, immidiately are you to be demoted and shunned. Punished, so to speak. I will not accept dirty men in this platoon."

  Hierd first points towards the most muscular of all the men. "You. Name?"

  He wasn't suprised in the slightest and immidiately answered; "I am Heduc, lord."

  Hierd smiled, "You will command the column which you stand in."

  Then Hierd pointed to the first in-line of the 2nd column. "You. Name?"

  A woman, she seemed to be one of five women who were 'enlisted.' "I--I... I am... Jeane... lord..." She trembled in her speech."

  "You will command the column of which you stand in."

  Hierd pointed to the third column's middle man. "You. What is your name?"

  A man, one that was less bulkier than the first, he was joival in his achiving a position. His friends beside him were cheering for him for being chosen a leader. "I am... Gelmund, lord."

  "You will command your column."

  Hierd pointed to the fourth column's last man. "You. Name."

  A slimmer, more child-like teen. He was obviously suprised that he got the position, but Hierd took into account the weakness of the fourth column and saw that he; "Verdel, lord..." Was most fit out of all of them.

  He then skipped over to the last column, the fifth.

  "I shall command the fifth one, as the fifth looks to have the most fit inside. But know that as days shall pass, I will make sure that all are fed and all are physically fit enough to train and to be known a footman."

  The footmen cheered for their column's leader. And too at Hierd for his helping of their village.

  "To all of the ones I had chosen. You shall awake earlier than the rest. And shall have to come to the chief's house for debriefing. I expect your presence early and not late. You will lose your position if you are too late." Seeing the men, carrying the hot containers of food and their emptied canteens, and too their eyes that wanted sleep after a long day. He said; "Thank you everyone! You can now go."

  They hailed their appreciation and left, leaving the chief and Alrife behind.

  "Lord, we thank you for your generosity. But I would like to question where and how did you get such food?" Asked Alrife

  Hierd looked at him, "I would rather not say."

  "Really... Its like magic... I don't even know how it happens..."

  "Please rest, for I will too. Tommorow's going to be another long day for all of you."