Anthony
Anthony took in everything around him in the room in which he sat. It was a chow hall, full of soldiers busily eating their meals before their next mission and before they once again hit the trail, not knowing when they’d stop again. To his front, the main entrance; to his left, the emergency exit; to his right and rear, walls made of cement. It was a temporary, simple set up, just like the lives that these soldiers lived, including Anthony. They never knew what their next assignment was to be, or how many of their numbers they’d lose, be it in battle or during a routine event. Furthermore, they were always on the alert for signs of danger from known enemies or unseen enemies and from the ground and the air. Every single day Anthony woke up not knowing if that day was to be his last.
To his two o’clock, a group of soldiers known as “The Elite” sat at a rectangular table, the only rectangular table in the chow hall. These were the ones Anthony wished to join; they were the best of the best when it came to the life Anthony and the other soldiers lived. They were well respected within the community, both by soldiers and civilians, and by their elders and the youth who surrounded them daily. Ever since he could remember, he wanted to join them. Anthony was unique – he knew that and his mentor, The Red One, knew it as well. The Red One had told him that one day Anthony would join the ranks of The Elite. One day…
Anthony had been promoted quickly once he’d become a soldier. He was currently in line to be the next First Sergeant, which would make him the youngest of his kind to make that rank. All of the other First Sergeants were well into their upper years; and, only Sergeants Major could join The Elite. If the other First Sergeants had not yet been selected to be part of The Elite, they never would be. Anthony, on the other hand, still had a chance. Little did he know that, as he sat wondering if that chance would ever come, a small contingent of their most dangerous enemy had just landed in their area. Anthony was about to get his chance and his life would soon change… forever.
****
“All soldiers report immediately to your supervisor for initial briefings. Enemy scouts have been detected nearby.”
The squeaky voice of the female soldier known as Queenie stopped as soon as it had begun once she’d made the announcement.
Anthony hurried to his pre-designated location for formation. In the mass rush of black-clad bodies scrambling to their respective formation areas, Anthony noted that The Elite was not among them. Had he glanced at his two o’clock instead of to the back of the chow hall when Queenie’s voice cackled above the soft chatter, he would have seen them effortlessly slip away to their own special formation locale. The Elite were too used to the sudden interruptions such as Queenie’s and had known immediately that something was wrong. Upon hearing the words “All soldiers report…” they had left the chow hall.
The Red One was waiting at the back of Anthony’s formation. After orders and instructions had been given out, Anthony wandered over to where The Red One waited.
“My Master,” Anthony said.
“Good to see you, my son,” a kind, soft voice replied. “Are you ready for what is to come?”
“Master?” Anthony asked, a quizzical look on his face.
“Today is the day that you become one them; one of The Elite.”
Anthony’s eyes grew wider than they normally were. His tiny heart began to beat twice as fast as it had been. He could feel the adrenaline flowing.
The Red One could see both anticipation and angst in the eyes of his student.
“You have been training all these years for this day, my son. Today, you must prove yourself on the battlefield. I cannot fight for you; you must fight on your own. But I will be there with you, side-by-side, fighting our greatest enemy.”
“Which enemy shall it be today, my Lord?” Anthony asked.
“Intelligence indicates that it is The Green Ones. Fliers, all of them.”
Anthony nodded, “So be it. I shall fight like I have in every other battle!”
The Red One smiled delicately.
“You have never experienced an enemy like this. Do not underestimate them. The last time we battled them, The Elite lost three soldiers. These are ferocious and mighty warriors, my son, dangerous beyond belief, especially to us. However, you are of the Dorylini tribe of old; I think you will bring these Green Ones a battle they shan’t forget.”
Anthony did not hesitate, “I will defeat them, as I’ve defeated all others in many battles before this one.”
Before The Red One could answer, Queenie’s sharp voice again pierced the area.
“The Elite have been captured. Two of them, Hithmal and Rogard, are severely injured, from what we have gathered. I need you, Anthony, to get your finest soldiers gathered and ready to infiltrate The Green One’s area where The Elite are being held. You will succeed or you will die trying, but without them, we have no way of knowing just how powerful The Green Ones are.”
Before Anthony could reply, Queenie turned and left. Anthony turned around to seek advice from The Red One, but he too had left. Anthony’s mine raced: he had his courage – that had never left him; he had the most superb fighting skills of any of the soldiers in the colony; and, last, but not least, he had the perfect team who he knew would make his mission successful.
He moved toward where his future team would be unknowingly waiting for their greatest mission yet.
****