The night air was still. Too still.
Throy stood at the edge of the encampment, overlooking the plateau below. A crescent moon cast cold light on rows of makeshift tents, weapons laid beside bedrolls, and men too exhausted to snore. Smoke from dying campfires hung like a shroud.
Behind him, voices murmured in the command tent—Elarin, Tharn, Kel, and two of the quartermasters. Tension buzzed between them all, but no one had spoken about the theft yet.
They were waiting.
Waiting for him.
[Pending System Prompt: Moral Choice – Theft Among Trainees]
"Trainee Fenn has been stealing food from others. He is strong, promising in combat, but morale is fragile. Act decisively."
Choices:
Public reprimand and demotion – restores order, loses some respect. (+Judgment)
Quiet warning and extra training – risks repetition, builds loyalty. (+Merciful Flame)
Publicly beat or exile – boosts fear and obedience. (+Dominion)
But the system didn't account for one thing:
These weren't just troops. These were survivors. Strays. Wolves trying to learn the pack.
He stepped back into the tent.
Tharn had his feet up on a barrel, biting into a piece of jerky like it owed him money. Elarin stood by the maps, arms crossed, trying to stay calm. Fenn was kneeling, flanked by Kel and two others. His lip was bloody, his knuckles raw from the scuffle that exposed him.
"You stole from your brothers," Throy said. Not a question. A verdict.
Fenn didn't deny it. He didn't even look up.
"I did. They were eating while I was still out scouting. I figured I earned a bit more."
Tharn scoffed. "That's not how it works, idiot. You don't take what's not yours."
Throy raised a hand. Silence fell.
"No one here eats what they don't earn," Throy said, voice low but steady. "But no one here starves if they fight for us, either."
He stepped forward, locking eyes with Fenn. "You'll train twice as hard, guard twice as often, and you'll do it on half rations for the next three days. If you mess up again… I won't make another speech. Understood?"
Fenn swallowed hard. "Yes… Commander."
[Moral Path Chosen: Judgment of Iron +1]
System Note: Moderate response stabilizes morale while retaining discipline.
Trainee Loyalty: +5 (Kel), +2 (Tharn), +8 (Elarin)
Squad Morale: 34% → 39%
Throy turned to the others. "What Fenn did was wrong. But what he becomes from this moment is up to him—and the rest of you."
He let his voice rise just enough to carry through the tent walls. "We aren't a mob. We're a unit. A nation in the making."
Dawn – Training Field, One Week Later
The sound of drills echoed off stone walls. Spears clashed. Shields locked. Roars of exertion filled the dusty air.
Tharn marched in front of the new trainees like a one-man hurricane. "You're not warriors yet! You're sacks of bones wrapped in doubt!"
He spun, grabbing a boy by the shoulder. "What's your name?"
"L-Leon, sir!"
"You strike like a merchant's son trying to lift a wine bottle. Again!"
Throy watched from the ridgeline. The sight was raw, imperfect—but it was becoming something.
Then a chime.
[System Update: Training Milestone Achieved]
Iron Vow Squad Formed: 12 Members
Squad Traits: Loyalty – Moderate | Discipline – Low | Morale – Improving
Perk Gained: Basic Tactics Grid
You can now assign members into sub-roles: Vanguard, Rearguard, Skirmishers, Command Pair.
He smiled.
They were rough, but they were his. Every bruise, every scar, every name burned into his memory.
He began assigning them mentally:
Tharn: Vanguard Commander – Chaos in human form, made for front-line fury.
Kel: Skirmisher – Agile, silent, deadly in duels.
Elarin: Rearguard and Moral Anchor – Balances Tharn's recklessness.
Fenn: Support Guard – Strong, rebuilding trust, ideal for shield line anchoring.
[Squad Formation Saved: Iron Vow – Formation A]
And just like that, they weren't trainees anymore.
They were the Iron Vow.
Evening – Whispered Fears
That night, Throy and Elarin walked past the training tents. Stars blinked overhead. The night was quiet—almost too quiet.
"Tomorrow we scout the Blackrock Gorge," she said, adjusting the strap of her cloak. "Bandits are holed up there. Maybe more."
Throy nodded.
"What's bothering you?" she asked.
He hesitated. Then, "It's not them. It's me."
She frowned.
"I can feel the weight building," he continued. "With every choice, every time the system ticks forward. I'm… becoming something. Not sure what yet."
"You're becoming a leader," she said softly. "And whether that means a warlord or a king… only time will tell."
He looked to the sky.
[Iron Path Progress: 12.3%]
Title Nearing Unlock: Iron Warden
(Requires first territory conquered, minimum squad loyalty, and moral alignment consistency)
Note: Title unlock will provide domain control interface, auto-taxation, and regional buffs based on alignment.
Something was coming.
Something big.
And Throy wasn't sure whether it was the crown calling to him—or the sword.